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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Horrifying twist in case of woman found dead after paddle boarding on Maine pond
A teenager was arrested for the killing of a paddleboarder in Maine as it was revealed the woman's body was discovered on an island in the middle of a pond where she died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. Sunshine 'Sunny' Stewart, 48, went paddle boarding on the quiet pond in Maine earlier this month. After she disappeared, her body was found on the island after a search by authorities. Maine State Police announced the arrest Thursday and said that Stewart, 48, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. The 17-year-old male was taken into custody Wednesday night in Union without incident and transported to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, a juvenile detention facility. Under Maine law, the names of juvenile suspects are not typically released. Stewart had gone out alone on the evening of July 2 to paddleboard on Crawford Pond, a wooded 600-acre body of water surrounded by private land in the town of Union. She was last seen leaving a campground on the pond's north shore around 6 pm. When she failed to return, someone reported her missing. Her body was discovered near an island in the pond just after 1am on July 3. 'I am floored with elation and grief,' her close friend Rachael Blumenberg told WMTW following the arrest. Blumenberg, who had been staying with Stewart at the time, said she knew something was wrong when she came home that night and found the house dark and Stewart's dog left alone. Stewart was found dead near an island in Crawford Pond hours after going paddle boarding alone on July 2 'The house was completely dark, and her dog was there, and she's very devoted to her dog,' she said. Stewart, a boat captain and outdoor enthusiast who lived in Tenants Harbor, had been planning to host family for the Fourth of July weekend, friends said. Her death shocked the small Midcoast community, where residents said violent crime was rare. 'Like, ever,' Gus Williams told WMTW. 'It definitely feels… just intrusive and, I don't know, terrifying.' Because of the 'circumstances' surrounding the discovery of Stewart's body, local authorities contacted the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit, which led the investigation. Her sister, Kim Ware, described Stewart as a vibrant, strong woman who had once sailed to the Caribbean and loved being outdoors. 'Sunny loved the outdoors, hiking, boating, paddle boarding and yoga,' Ware said. 'To know Sunny is an amazing blessing. My sister and my best friend. The aunt that stepped up to help me raise her nephews.' Sarah Vokey, another close friend, said Stewart had endured many hardships and never lost her light. 'Her life was not an easy one, but she strode through it with her head held high with that beaming all-encompassing smile on her face,' Vokey told WMTW. 'One of the many reasons I admired, loved, and appreciated her. One of the hardest things I have ever written was the text I sent to my son: 'Sunshine was murdered.' Police did not reveal any details about how the teen suspect may have been connected to Stewart. A spokesperson for the Maine State Police declined to comment further and said no additional information would be released at this time. Friends of Stewart launched a GoFundMe for her funeral services, writing in the description, 'Today is a somber day for our family and friends. We've unexpectedly lost the light in our lives that was Sunny.' One of Stewart's friends, Stacey Yandell, told the Midcoast Villager, 'She rebuilt her own house including the slate roof and siding. She was her own HGTV. She was a strong, self-made woman.' 'She had such a strong personality. She radiated positivity and love. She was like a magnet. People were attracted to her.' Friends told the publication that Stewart never married or had children, but was survived by her sister, her brother, her nephews, and many friends. Kim Ware, Stewart's sister, told WMTW-TV, 'To know Sunny is an amazing blessing! My sister and my best friend. 'The aunt that stepped up to help me raise her nephews. She has so many that call her family. Truly an amazing woman. Now we have to rally and give her justice!' /
CNN
4 days ago
- CNN
Police arrest a 17-year-old in this month's killing of a paddleboarder in Maine
A 17-year-old male has been arrested in the killing of a woman whose body was discovered hours after she went paddleboarding on a wooded pond this month near coastal Maine. Sunshine 'Sunny' Stewart, 48, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, Maine State Police said in a statement Thursday. Investigators said she had gone paddleboarding alone the evening of July 2 on Crawford Pond in Union. After she didn't return hours later, someone reported her missing. Her body was found near an island in the middle of the pond sometime after 1 a.m. on July 3. Police said they arrested the teen in Union on Wednesday night without incident. He was taken to the Long Creek Youth Development Center — a juvenile detention facility in South Portland, Maine. Under Maine law the identity of juvenile offenders is typically not made public. A spokesperson for the Maine State Police declined to comment when reached by CNN for additional information. Stewart lived in Tenants Harbor, a neighborhood in the town of St. George about 20 miles south of Crawford Pond. Her friend, Rachael Blumenberg, who was staying with her, said she got home the night she went missing and found Stewart's dog alone. She knew something was wrong. 'The house was completely dark, and her dog was there, and she's very devoted to her dog,' Blumenberg told CNN affiliate WMTW. Stewart was planning to host family for the Fourth of July weekend, her friends said. The arrest brought a rush of conflicting emotions. 'I am floored with elation and grief,' Blumenberg told WMTW. The lack of information after her killing prompted residents' concern as police warned the community to stay vigilant. After news of her killing emerged, Gus Williams told CNN affiliate WMTW that Crawford Pond is so safe, people who live in the area don't lock their doors. 'Like, ever, it definitely feels … just intrusive and, I don't know, terrifying,' he said before the arrest. Stewart left a campground on the north shore of the pond alone at about 6 p.m. on July 2 to go paddling. The 600-acre pond is surrounded by private property and is home to loons, smallmouth bass and other aquatic life. Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and other law enforcement officials alerted the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit after they found her body because of the 'circumstances' of the discovery, police said then without going into further detail. Her sister, Kim Ware, described Stewart as an active woman and a boat captain who once sailed all the way to the Caribbean. 'Sunny loved the outdoors, hiking, boating, paddleboarding and yoga,' she told the affiliate. 'To know Sunny is an amazing blessing. My sister and my best friend. The aunt that stepped up to help me raise her nephews,' Ware added. 'Anyone blessed to be in her presence was in awe of her, her strength, courage, character, her energy and light.' Stewart had been through a lot but kept pushing forward, one of her friends, Sarah Vokey, told WMTW. 'Her life was not an easy one, but she strode through it with her head held high with that beaming all-encompassing smile on her face,' Vokey said. 'One of the many reasons I admired, loved, and appreciated her. One of the hardest things I have ever written was the text I sent to my son: 'Sunshine was murdered.'' Meanwhile, law enforcement remains tight-lipped about the evidence they have collected since her death. The investigation is ongoing, and no more information will be released at this time, police said.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
Arrest made after paddleboarder's death sparks serial killer fears in sleepy coastal town
A teenager has been arrested in the suspicious death of a Maine paddleboarder that stoked fears of a serial killer looming throughout the New England region. A 17-year-old male was arrested for his alleged involvement in the death of 48-year-old Sunshine "Sunny" Stewart nearly two weeks after the paddleboarder was found near Union's Crawford Pond, Maine State Police said in a press release on Thursday. Stewart was reported missing after she failed to return from a solo paddleboarding trip on July 2. The next morning, police discovered her body on an island only accessible by boat, and subsequently determined the circumstances surrounding her death were "suspicious." An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined Stewart's cause of death as strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to MSP. The suspect, who remains unnamed due to his age, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, police said. The news surrounding Stewart's mysterious death rattled the sleepy vacation destination as authorities worked to find the killer. "In a place where most people don't lock their doors, like, ever, it definitely feels a little intrusive," Gus Williams, who lives near Crawford Pond, told WMTW 8, adding, "I don't know, [it's] terrifying." MSP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. The murder also sparked fears of a serial killer lurking after 13 other bodies have been discovered in primarily wooded or remote areas throughout New England since March 2025. Last month, the body of 21-year-old Adriana Suazo was found in a wooded area in Milton, Massachusetts, according to the Norfolk District Attorney's Office. The case remains under investigation as Suazo's body showed no signs of trauma, officials said. MSP previously asked "that residents continue to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement," while authorities looked to find Stewart's killer. Details regarding any criminal charges filed against the teenager were not immediately available, and the investigation remains ongoing.
New York Times
4 days ago
- New York Times
Teen Arrested in Killing of Paddleboarder in Maine
A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with the killing of a woman who disappeared this month while paddle boarding near a remote island in Maine, the Maine State Police said on Thursday. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Maine determined that the victim, Sunshine Stewart, 48, had died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, the police said in a news release. The Maine State Police did not say whether the teenager, who lives in Maine and was arrested on Wednesday, had been charged with a crime. He is being held at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. A state game warden found Ms. Stewart's body around 1 a.m. on July 3 near 100 Acre Island, a nature preserve on Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, that is only accessible by water, the authorities said. Ms. Stewart was believed to have been paddle boarding between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. the previous evening, according to the authorities. She lived in Tenants Harbor, Maine, which is roughly 20 miles south of the pond, along the Atlantic coast. The state police said the homicide investigation was continuing.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Police arrest a 17-year-old in the killing of a paddleboarder on a Maine pond
A 17-year-old male has been arrested in the killing of a woman whose body was discovered hours after she went paddleboarding on a wooded pond this month near coastal Maine. Sunshine 'Sunny' Stewart, 48, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, Maine State Police said in a statement Thursday. Investigators said she had gone paddleboarding alone the evening of July 2 on Crawford Pond in Union. After she didn't return hours later, someone reported her missing. Her body was found near an island in the middle of the pond sometime after 1 a.m. on July 3. Police said they arrested the teen in Union on Wednesday night without incident. He was taken to the Long Creek Youth Development Center — a juvenile detention facility in South Portland, Maine. Under Maine law the identity of juvenile offenders is typically not made public. A spokesperson for the Maine State Police declined to comment when reached by CNN for additional information. She was planning a July 4th gathering, friends say Stewart lived in Tenants Harbor, a neighborhood in the town of St. George about 20 miles south of Crawford Pond. Her friend, Rachael Blumenberg, who was staying with her, said she got home the night she went missing and found Stewart's dog alone. She knew something was wrong. 'The house was completely dark, and her dog was there, and she's very devoted to her dog,' Blumenberg told CNN affiliate WMTW. Stewart was planning to host family for the Fourth of July weekend, her friends said. The arrest brought a rush of conflicting emotions. 'I am floored with elation and grief,' Blumenberg told WMTW. The lack of information after her killing prompted residents' concern as police warned the community to stay vigilant. After news of her killing emerged, Gus Williams told CNN affiliate WMTW that Crawford Pond is so safe, people who live in the area don't lock their doors. 'Like, ever, it definitely feels … just intrusive and, I don't know, terrifying,' he said before the arrest. Authorities called the Major Crimes Unit after finding her body Stewart left a campground on the north shore of the pond alone at about 6 p.m. on July 2 to go paddling. The 600-acre pond is surrounded by private property and is home to loons, smallmouth bass and other aquatic life. Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and other law enforcement officials alerted the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit after they found her body because of the 'circumstances' of the discovery, police said then without going into further detail. Her sister, Kim Ware, described Stewart as an active woman and a boat captain who once sailed all the way to the Caribbean. 'Sunny loved the outdoors, hiking, boating, paddleboarding and yoga,' she told the affiliate. 'To know Sunny is an amazing blessing. My sister and my best friend. The aunt that stepped up to help me raise her nephews,' Ware added. 'Anyone blessed to be in her presence was in awe of her, her strength, courage, character, her energy and light.' Stewart had been through a lot but kept pushing forward, one of her friends, Sarah Vokey, told WMTW. 'Her life was not an easy one, but she strode through it with her head held high with that beaming all-encompassing smile on her face,' Vokey said. 'One of the many reasons I admired, loved, and appreciated her. One of the hardest things I have ever written was the text I sent to my son: 'Sunshine was murdered.'' Meanwhile, law enforcement remains tight-lipped about the evidence they have collected since her death. The investigation is ongoing, and no more information will be released at this time, police said.
