Teen murder suspect led ‘wild goose chase’ in Maine paddleboarder death: report

Within the brutal useless of a Maine -Padleboarder, {the teenager} suspected the police on a “wild geese hunt” by the vacation vacation spot, whereas the locals feared the likelihood {that a} assassin was lurking on the distant campsite.

The physique of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart was found earlier this month on a distant island in Union’s Crawford Pound after departure to a solo-paddleboarding journey, in accordance with the workplace of the Lawyer Normal of Maine. An post-mortem decided the reason for demise of Stewart was strangulation and blunt energy trauma, mentioned Maine State Police.

Virtually two weeks later, the authorities introduced {that a} 17-year-old man had been arrested and charged in reference to the homicide of Stewart.

New England Serial Killer fears the coastal metropolis of Grip after the ‘scary’ homicide of Padleboarder

Authorities have accused a 17-year-old man of the alleged homicide of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart after she was lacking on a padleboarding journey close to Crawford in Union, Maine, on July 3, 2025. (Sunshine Stewart/Fb)

Each Stewart and {the teenager} reportedly stayed on Mic Mac Campground when the alleged homicide came about, ABC News reported.

“It’s not a spot the place these items occur,” Katharine Lunt, the proprietor of Mic Mac, instructed ABC Information. “It’s not a spot the place we suspected one another.”

Whereas the authorities ran to search out Stewart’s assassin, Lunt reportedly Kamt by way of surveillance pictures from the campsite seeking one thing suspicious.

“I used to be searching for a stranger,” mentioned Lunt. “Somebody extraordinarily abnormal. Completely no one was searching for a baby. We had been searching for an grownup.”

New England serial killer fears housed after the homicide on Padleboarder in a quiet coastal metropolis

Campers drive on a golf cart to the Mic Mac Cove Campground, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Union, Maine, the place the police used the campsite to entry Crawford Pound to analyze the homicide of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty)

The search went on, whereby the state police are reportedly imposed on a distant space the place the Paddleboard of Stewart was discovered.

“I used to be obsessive about discovering out who did this,” mentioned Lunt. “As a result of it was scary for everybody.”

Within the meantime, {the teenager}, who visited the campsite together with his mother and father, is claimed to assist with the hunt for Stewart’s assassin. He usually supplied to assist fellow campers with their pets or backyard work, and loved distributing wood crafts and taking his small boat on the water, in accordance with Lunt.

The mysterious homicide rock of paddleboarder Rocks Quiet Summer season Trip Space

Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart’s physique was discovered after she had disappeared throughout a padleboarding journey close to Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, on July 3, 2025. (Sunshine Stewart/Fb)

“He supplied himself,” mentioned Lunt. “He mentioned he had some info, and he took them in the other way of the place Sunny was discovered. He had mentioned he had one thing to indicate them and took them on the lake on nearly a wild goose yacht.”

As the 2 -week search continued, {the teenager} was “fully regular”, Lunt instructed ABC Information. “He pretended that nothing by no means occurred.”

“It is spooky,” she added. “He wasn’t on somebody’s radar.”

Allegedly the police spoke with {the teenager} for a number of hours earlier than leaving the campsite. Later that night the authorities returned to arrest him.

“Simply assume,” actually not, this will’t occur, “mentioned Lunt.” Then I went again to [the] surveillance cameras to see the place he was on the time [of the killing]And people surveillance movies indicated that he was on the lake on the time. ”

New England serial killer fears fired by thirteenth physique discovered within the small metropolis

Crawford Pond could be seen on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 in Union, Maine. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty)

Allegedly the pictures confirmed the suspect who returned to the nation for sundown on the night of the alleged homicide of Stewart.

“We’ve got loads of youngsters, and so they do many issues,” mentioned Lunt ABC Information. “However nothing you’d keep in mind that a baby would kill somebody right here. I’ve nothing enjoyable to say. It is disgusting.”

In a brief courtroom on Friday, {the teenager} launched a denial of the indictment and is at present being held in a youth detention facility within the Portland area previous to his standing convention on 22 August. The suspect’s lawyer refused Fox Information Digital’s request to remark.

The workplace of the legal professional basic asks the courtroom to attempt {the teenager} as an grownup, a spokesperson confirmed FOX Information Digital. If convicted as an grownup, {the teenager} would get a most jail sentence of 25 years to life.

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The workplace of the Lawyer Normal and Lunt didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for feedback.

Whereas the investigation right into a attainable motive concerning the alleged homicide of Stewart is occurring, her family members had been nonetheless clinging to their recollections of the avid fisherman, carpenter and captain.

“She was only a nice buddy,” mentioned Bethany Leach Parmley, a lifelong buddy of Stewart. “A extremely loyal, nice buddy. She was simply so enjoyable and humorous, and also you could not assist it, however have a very good time round her.”

The Related Press has contributed to this report.