ME-Missing paddle boarder Sunshine Stewart Found Dead by Homicide, Union 02 July 2025

[RedHaus]

Anyone else wonder if more than one perp is involved in SS' murder? Perhaps two guys camping on 100 Acre Island or just stopping by via a canoe or kayaks? And then she sadly happened upon them during a stop on the island?

 

[Snoopster]

Nothing super significant in the article below, but it sounds like Sunny was in a good mood a few days before her death.

An exclusive interview with a close friend of Union homicide victim Sunny Stewart

Just days before Stewart’s disappearance, Parmley and other friends gathered for a barbecue at Mic Mac Cove Family Campground in Union, where Stewart had been staying.

“She was in a good mood, laughing and joking around with all of us and happy to have the gang together,” Parmley said.

 

[OldCop]

I didn't get the specific sense that there was a 'situation'. I took the comment to mean that there were two people at the campground that night (for whatever reason she was focused on them) and only one had been interviewed by the police but the other one hadn't. So she passed that person's name on to police so that they could interview them.

Hypothetical: Someone saw a couple of guys flirting/teasing/talking to Sunshine before she went off on her paddleboard. She may have even known them. That same someone watched LE interviewing campers after her body was found. That individual noticed that one of the men was not there. She found it strange as she thought the two men were there together. She wanted to let LE know that there was another individual seen interacting with Sunshine before her murder who made himself unavailable for LE interviews, but she didn’t want to become a witness herself. She gave the info to Sunny’s close friend to pass on.
Plausible?

 

[RedHaus]

Hypothetical: Someone saw a couple of guys flirting/teasing/talking to Sunshine before she went off on her paddleboard. She may have even known them. That same someone watched LE interviewing campers after her body was found. That individual noticed that one of the men was not there. She found it strange as she thought the two men were there together. She wanted to let LE know that there was another individual seen interacting with Sunshine before her murder who made himself unavailable for LE interviews, but she didn’t want to become a witness herself. She gave the info to Sunny’s close friend to pass on.
Plausible?

Very plausible, IMO.

 

[vls12345]

Hypothetical: Someone saw a couple of guys flirting/teasing/talking to Sunshine before she went off on her paddleboard. She may have even known them. That same someone watched LE interviewing campers after her body was found. That individual noticed that one of the men was not there. She found it strange as she thought the two men were there together. She wanted to let LE know that there was another individual seen interacting with Sunshine before her murder who made himself unavailable for LE interviews, but she didn’t want to become a witness herself. She gave the info to Sunny’s close friend to pass on.
Plausible?

Extremely plausible. Especially since you're saying "she" (being the one who was a witness but didn't want to come forward). Look at what happened to Sunshine (another female). If the missing guy is indeed the perp, it's scary to think of tipping him to LE in case he gets wind of it before LE can find him. Or LE does find him but they don't have enough evidence to hold him (for awhile or maybe ever). What if he comes for you next because he's angry? (I know it makes sense to tip him in & get LE to find him. But also, there is anonymity in hiding in the background, hoping the potential perp doesn't choose you next. Invisibility can be a superpower. Sometimes.)

Personally, I think females are more tuned in to this kind of thinking because they are so often victims of SA &/or DV.

Jmo.

 

[waldojabba]

It seemed to me that some kind of situation happened, as the friend was sent the tip about it and she sent it on to LE. I tried to use a general mild word to describe it whatever it was. JMO.

I think Sunshine's friend Meredith said "incident that occurred" - One person was interviewed about it - the other person was not- so Meredith passed that name to the police/ hard to know what type of incident - important enough to think LE should check it out I guess
JMO

 

[waldojabba]

Why was she at Crawford Pond?​

"She had a camper. She was gonna spend the summer at Mic Mac Campground and just enjoy the outdoors. She was a big outdoors person," Betts said. "Surveillance footage from the campground shows her going out on a paddle board at 6 p.m. on July 2, I believe it was."

Sunny Stewart: Midcoast Villager reporter Steve Betts on covering the homicide case

Betts has covered the region for more than 40 years and described the homicide as "the biggest mystery I've been involved in since I've been here."

www.newscentermaine.com

So we have confirmation that she did go out on the lake at 6pm that evening of July 2nd

JMO

 

[Andreee]

I suppose it is possible that one of the home owners around the pond shot at Sunshine Stewart and killed her. The reason being that they had pent up resentment and anger building up that non-residents had access to their pond and found it an intrusion. And seeing 'more of the same', Sunshine being a random target. Of course, not knowing any details this is just a thought, and the noise of a gun would be risky. I don't really think it happened that way, but I sure think it could in other cases.

 

[RedHaus]

Hypothetical: Someone saw a couple of guys flirting/teasing/talking to Sunshine before she went off on her paddleboard...

I think Sunshine's friend Meredith said "incident that occurred" - One person was interviewed about it - the other person was not...

RSBM
Wondering if these two guys were trying to flirt with SS, but she rebuffed their (or one of their) advances. Then she went out for a paddle board and one or both covertly followed her to the island.

 

[Agordifobia]

I suppose it is possible that one of the home owners around the pond shot at Sunshine Stewart and killed her. The reason being that they had pent up resentment and anger building up that non-residents had access to their pond and found it an intrusion. And seeing 'more of the same', Sunshine being a random target. Of course, not knowing any details this is just a thought, and the noise of a gun would be risky. I don't really think it happened that way, but I sure think it could in other cases.

No guns.

 

[MesquiteO21]

No guns.

What do you mean?

 

[waldojabba]

Friend staying at Sunshine Stewart's home remembers her as ‘unapologetically alive’

Rachael Blumenberg stayed at Stewart’s home in Tenants Harbor the night police believe she was killed

www.wmtw.com

 

[Pugsterpig]

I can't imagine a gunshot not being heard. Even if not reported at the time it happened, I would think it would have been reported once news of her death broke. Unless she was shot and it was reported and they're keeping it quiet?

 

[Andreee]

I can't imagine a gunshot not being heard. Even if not reported at the time it happened, I would think it would have been reported once news of her death broke. Unless she was shot and it was reported and they're keeping it quiet?

I agree. Especially when the sound would 'carry' across the water. IMO.

 

[acutename]

Midcoast fishing town of slain paddleboarder shocked at her killing

Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart was a familiar face at the Tenants Harbor General Store and on the local lobster wharves she worked from for years.

www.bangordailynews.com

lots more articles

Friend staying at Sunshine Stewart's home remembers her as ‘unapologetically alive’

Rachael Blumenberg stayed at Stewart’s home in Tenants Harbor the night police believe she was killed

www.wmtw.com

Loved ones of Sunshine Stewart describe her final days as homicide investigation continues

Stewart spent time hosting friends at her home in Tenants Harbor and a campground in Union

www.wmtw.com

 

[jillolantern]

Maine police criticize ‘irresponsible’ theories about slain paddleboarder

A lack of information has fueled speculation, including a report from Fox News attempting to advance a serial killer theory.

www.bangordailynews.com

 

[Andreee]

dbm error

 

[Spectrix]

Google's AI:
The perimeter of Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, is the approximate distance you'd paddle around it, and it's roughly 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers). Crawford Pond is about 600 acres in size, and a rough estimate of its perimeter can be calculated based on its area.



Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Area:Crawford Pond is approximately 600 acres.
  • 
    
  • Shape: While not perfectly circular, a pond's perimeter can be estimated based on its area. A circle with the same area as Crawford Pond would have a circumference of roughly 2.8 miles.
  • Perimeter: Given the pond's shape, the actual distance around the pond is likely slightly longer than this estimate, but it provides a good approximation.
    
    
  • A recreational paddleboarder typically cruises at around 3-4 mph (4.8-6.4 km/h), but speeds can vary widely depending on factors like board type, fitness, and conditions. Specialized racing boards can reach speeds of 5-12 mph (8-19 km/h) or more
  • 
    
  • So she could probably have gone around the whole pond pretty quickly - or gone around a few times FWIW unless it was windy in one direction...
    
    
    
    
    

I measured the circumference of Crawford Pond using google maps, as I wanted to compare it to my local lake (turns out to be an identical circumference)
It's right on 6 miles (10km). It's an irregular shape of course, not a circle.
If you stuck to the edges it'd be a 2 hour paddle.

I don't think I've ever paddled my local lake in under 3 hours because I frequently stop for a swim or to watch birds or whatever. Also, paddleboards travel in a zigzag line because one needs to frequently swap sides with the paddle (or travel in a circle lol) I usually do four strokes on each side.

I also measured from the beach area at Mic Macs campground to 100 acre island, it's a distance of 0.3 miles (0.5km).
That would be a 6 minute paddle, or a 15 minute swim for a reasonably competent swimmer.

That's a lot further than it looks in the photos. I can't imagine a stalker swimming for 15minutes to the island just to attack Sunny. Surely it had to be a kayak / paddleboard / boat.

 

[acutename]

I measured the circumference of Crawford Pond using google maps, as I wanted to compare it to my local lake (turns out to be an identical circumference)
It's right on 6 miles (10km). It's an irregular shape of course, not a circle.
If you stuck to the edges it'd be a 2 hour paddle.

I don't think I've ever paddled my local lake in under 3 hours because I frequently stop for a swim or to watch birds or whatever. Also, paddleboards travel in a zigzag line because one needs to frequently swap sides with the paddle (or travel in a circle lol) I usually do four strokes on each side.

I also measured from the beach area at Mic Macs campground to 100 acre island, it's a distance of 0.3 miles (0.5km).
That would be a 6 minute paddle, or a 15 minute swim for a reasonably competent swimmer.

That's a lot further than it looks in the photos. I can't imagine a stalker swimming for 15minutes to the island just to attack Sunny. Surely it had to be a kayak / paddleboard / boat.

Have not been to this pond but have definitely been in slightly remote areas and seen boats that people sort of "leave some where" to avoid hauling them around. Wonder if there are any people hanging out who would not want to be found. Will defer to locals on whether that could happen or if there are so many summer people around that a lurker would be detected.... maybe some one was already on the island?

 

[Spectrix]

maybe some one was already on the island?

Knowing how far it is now, I tend to it's likely .
I'm sure they would have left the island shortly afterwards under the cover of darkness.

To get camping gear over there in a dry state one would need a canoe/kayak/boat.
Is it possible they left the area via Mic Macs in the dead of the night? I wonder how good Mic Mac's CCTV is at night.