Teen arrested in murder of Maine paddleboarder Sunny Stewart
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the murder of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart, a 48-year-old Maine woman whose body was found two weeks ago after she went missing while paddleboarding.
Arrest and investigation updates
Maine State Police announced Thursday that the suspect was taken into custody without incident at approximately 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in Union, a town about 30 miles east of Augusta. The teen was transferred to a youth detention center in South Portland.
Due to Maine state laws protecting juvenile offenders, the suspect’s identity has not been disclosed. Authorities revealed, however, that the teen and his family spend their summers in the area.
Stewart, a resident of Tenants Harbor, had been staying at the Mic Mac Cove Campground in Union for the summer. On the evening of July 2, she went paddleboarding on Crawford Pond but failed to return, prompting a missing person report. Her body was discovered the following morning around 1 a.m. near 100 Acre Island, a secluded area in the middle of the lake accessible only by boat.
Cause of death confirmed
Authorities ruled out suicide or accidental drowning after an examination of Stewart’s body. On Thursday, police confirmed she had died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. Specific details about her injuries were not disclosed, as the investigation remains ongoing.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” police said in a statement. “No additional information is being released at this time.”
It is unclear what charges the juvenile suspect will face.
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