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A 17-year-old has been charged with the murder of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart, a paddleboarder{Paddleboarder Sunshine Stewart} found dead on July 3, 2025, at Crawford Pond. The teen, identified in court documents as Deven Young of Frankfort, Maine, was arrested without incident on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, and charged with one count of murder, as confirmed by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
Stewart, a beloved Tenants Harbor resident known for her vibrant spirit, was reported missing after failing to return from a solo paddleboarding trip on July 2. Her body was discovered near 100 Acre Island in Crawford Pond under “unusual circumstances,” prompting an immediate homicide investigation. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined her cause of death as strangulation and blunt force trauma, ruling the death a homicide.
Court documents allege that Young acted with “depraved indifference” in Stewart’s death, though authorities have not disclosed a motive or whether the suspect and victim were acquainted. Young, who was vacationing with family in the Crawford Pond area, entered a denial to the charge during a brief court appearance on Friday, July 18, 2025, in Knox County. He is currently detained at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, with his next court hearing scheduled for August 22. Prosecutors are seeking to try him as an adult, but a judge has yet to rule on this request.
The arrest, described as the result of “relentless investigative work” by Maine State Police, has brought some relief to the tight-knit Union community, where the killing sparked fears of a serial killer due to its brutality and the initial lack of information. Local resident Meredith Smith expressed the community’s shock, stating, “Nobody would want to hurt Sunny. It’s kind of scary for all of us who live local.”
Stewart, a former marine biologist, lobsterman, and boat captain, was remembered by friends and family as a “force of nature” who loved the outdoors. Her sister, Kim Ware, described her as “the world’s best bartender” and a fiercely independent woman who renovated her own home in Tenants Harbor.
The investigation remains active, with Maine State Police seeking information from anyone who saw Stewart paddleboarding between 6 and 9 p.m. on July 2 near 100 Acre Island. Authorities urge the public to contact them at 207-624-7076 or text MESPTIP to 847411.
This tragic case has left the Union community grappling with grief and questions, as they mourn the loss of a woman described as “dauntless” and a “loyal friend.” Further details are expected as the legal process unfolds.
Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing story.
