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.
‘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!’