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."
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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.
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"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.
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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.
Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.