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

[Inthedetails]

IF this perp was troublesome before now (--as he's still a minor !) it will be difficult to prove since it'd be the other camper's 'word' against his.
Like, he might say, "What ? I never did that....". Etc.

I am seriously doubting he graduated to murder, but he was a fine, upstanding, and helpful youth before now !!!!!!!
Skeptical to the Nth degree.
Imo.

I think there were signs he had issues, but I'm not yet jumping to the conclusion that he left in the boat with plans to kill Sunshine. Something happened on the lake or island, imo, and he reacted by killing her.

That is my speculation, subject to change as we learn more about what happened. I'm not suggesting my theory is correct, but it's what I think right now.

jmo

 

[Cedars]

I think there were signs he had issues, but I'm not yet jumping to the conclusion that he left in the boat with plans to kill Sunshine. Something happened on the lake or island, imo, and he reacted by killing her.

That is my speculation, subject to change as we learn more about what happened. I'm not suggesting my theory is correct, but it's what I think right now.

jmo

Since he seems to have spoken to police and taken them to the island, he may plead guilty. In that case, whether his version of the event and the police version are the same - we'll.see. It may depend more on his lawyer and his parents than him...

 

[jesse]

I hope LE have physical evidence to support the confession of Devon. I am always skeptical of confessions made by young people after hours of police interviews and interrogations. Perhaps he had information that only his presence would explain. I am always more comfortable with convictions that have DNA or other physical evidence linking the suspect.

Confession? He entered a not guilty plea. Is this a new development??

 

[jesse]

Sunset was 8:27pm and it was almost full moon.

I thought more like 9:15?

 

[AngTxGal]

I think there were signs he had issues, but I'm not yet jumping to the conclusion that he left in the boat with plans to kill Sunshine. Something happened on the lake or island, imo, and he reacted by killing her.

That is my speculation, subject to change as we learn more about what happened. I'm not suggesting my theory is correct, but it's what I think right now.

jmo

I too am thinking a teen without issues doesn’t just kill someone out of the blue.
In my job I at times work with youth who have advanced skills in the math and sciences, many have been on the spectrum or have ADHD and are on medication.
Teens with such challenges can be difficult to work with, inflexible, without coping mechanisms, and require a great deal of understanding in order to get to success.
Medications can make kids lose appetite and not eat. As the grow dosages are changed and adjusted repeatedly. So parents take them off meds over the summer so they can have a break- then they put them in situations they can’t handle- without supervision.

I’ve worked with males on the spectrum and/or those with ADHD that were without skills to self regulate. Lacking self awareness, empathy, unable to work with others well, and at times unable for me to work with them. All that bright mental potential- and they cannot work well with others.
When they are ten and act up it is very different then when they are 20 and act up- and they are big and strong and can hurt others.
And then there are those that don’t have the mental potential- and still have the challenges without the self control.

I could be way off here- but that is what I’m thinking. Not a sexual predator- but a boy who may have been curious. He approached, was without impulse control, lost it and hurt her and didn’t know what to do.

IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Confession? He entered a not guilty plea. Is this a new development??

I haven't heard about a confession either, just two conversations he had with LE at the campsite before his arrest at the campsite. In the first conversation, it seems, he provided some info that lead LE to the north side of the island. I think I have the correct.

I think he will stick with the not guilty plea. Almost all defendants do. Of course, it will also depend on what the final charges are. Perhaps there will be a plea to a "lesser" charge (just a possibility, I'm not suggesting that is in the works).

jmopinion

 

[jesse]

I haven't heard about a confession either, just two conversations he had with LE at the campsite before his arrest at the campsite. In the first conversation, it seems, he provided some info that lead LE to the north side of the island. I think I have the correct.

I think he will stick with the not guilty plea. Almost all defendants do. Of course, it will also depend on what the final charges are. Perhaps there will be a plea to a "lesser" charge (just a possibility, I'm not suggesting that is in the works).

jmopinion

I think you're right. I think people are leaning into the fact that he approached police and told them he saw something that might be relevant and think that means he confessed.

I don't think he confessed. I believe he's already entered an initial NG plea.

 

[AngTxGal]

I'm assuming they have DNA since LE asked males around the lake to submit DNA. I suppose that could've been a bluff, but I think there is DNA plus whatever info DY shared with LE in the first meeting - when he led them to the opposite end of the island.

FWIW, I think this case is tight.

jmo

Agree, I think they have DNA evidence as well.
Some are speculating that the DNA may mean a sexual assault.
I don’t think so- a struggle of some kind and she fought the strangulation and scratched and kicked and his DNA was under her fingernails and her DNA was on his clothing.

How did he keep her quiet? Why did no one hear her scream for help? Did he hit her on the head first?

He may have moved her and her paddle board using his boat- so evidence could have been in there.
I found it odd that it took so long to find her body- was it because it was late at night, or was she placed in a low traffic area not near a dock?
If she was moved or covered, or if he led the cops to another location that is a sign of understanding of wrong doing- a sign of guilt. So- no insanity plea.

IMO

 

[jesse]

He appears to have pictures of the pond on his FB from earlier years than that...

He and his family visited other campgrounds. They were big fishers and hunters.The photo he used as his background was stolen from a photographer.

 

[Inthedetails]

l could be way off here- but that is what I’m thinking. Not a sexual predator- but a boy who may have been curious. He approached, was without impulse control, lost it and hurt her and didn’t know what to do.

IMO

Snipped

I don't think we have any info about sexual assault. Perhaps that happened, but we haven't heard that. Just strangulation and blunt force trauma - at this point.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Agree, I think they have DNA evidence as well.
Some are speculating that the DNA may mean a sexual assault.
I don’t think so- a struggle of some kind and she fought the strangulation and scratched and kicked and his DNA was under her fingernails and her DNA was on his clothing.

How did he keep her quiet? Why did no one hear her scream for help? Did he hit her on the head first?

He may have moved her and her paddle board using his boat- so evidence could have been in there.
I found it odd that it took so long to find her body- was it because it was late at night, or was she placed in a low traffic area not near a dock?
If she was moved or covered, or if he led the cops to another location that is a sign of understanding of wrong doing- a sign of guilt. So- no insanity plea.

IMO

Did it take long to find her body? I thought she was reported missing around in the late night hours and was found around 1am - so just a few hours. Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

jmo

 

[Cedars]

Confession? He entered a not guilty plea. Is this a new development??

No, sorry I missed that part.

 

[AngTxGal]

Snipped

I don't think we have any info about sexual assault. Perhaps that happened, but we haven't heard that. Just strangulation and blunt force trauma - at this point.

jmo

No we don’t- but there has to be a motive.
What was the reason for the attack?
Under what circumstances in that lake did the two interact?
He had a boat, and she a paddleboard so their first interaction may not have been on land.
A lot of questions

IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

No we don’t- but there has to be a motive.
What was the reason for the attack?
Under what circumstances in that lake did the two interact?
He had a boat, and she a paddleboard so their first interaction may not have been on land.
A lot of questions

IMO

I think he hit her with the boat (accidently....or out of reckless taunting) and then PANICKED and killed her to hide the injuries he caused. I totally understand others disagree this is plausible.

The other scenario I'm considering is they encountered each other on the island and something went amiss.

He didn't follow her as she left the campground since he reportedly left first. A paddleboarder wouldn't be gone for long so even a dumb punk would know other campers would notice if she didn't return by nightfall. I don't think he left in the boat intending to commit a crime.

But, we have just a sliver of info so speculation is what we're left with.

jmo

 

[AngTxGal]

Did it take long to find her body? I thought she was reported missing around in the late night hours and was found around 1am - so just a few hours. Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

jmo

I thought she went missing near dusk- and was not found until the next morning near dawn.
Maybe morning was 1AM? Not sure

WMTW Article- says found in the early morning
It describes a friend staying at her home- and expecting her to return from the cabin to her home 20 miles away- but she didn’t.
Evidently she was to have guests and someone had been trying to reach her but no answer.
Maybe they had someone check her cabin and she wasn’t there- and should not have still been on the lake that late?

ABC News- the end of the article says to give info if seen her paddle boarding 6-9PM
I’m not sure why 9PM is the cutoff time.
Supposedly he was seen returning his boat to where he was staying- maybe this was 9PM?

IMO

 

[vls12345]

I hope LE have physical evidence to support the confession of Devon. I am always skeptical of confessions made by young people after hours of police interviews and interrogations. Perhaps he had information that only his presence would explain. I am always more comfortable with convictions that have DNA or other physical evidence linking the suspect.

My impression is not that it was a confession. (Bolding & underlining by me.)

State Police were asking and collecting voluntary DNA samples from campers. On Wednesday, July 16, when State Police were back at the campground, Deven Young approached the investigators and said he had some information and had seen something pertaining to the case. Young went out on Crawford Pond in a boat with the investigators and a game warden, leading them to the opposite end of 100-Acre Island from where Stewart's body was found. When they returned to the campground, police continue to interview Deven.

I get the feeling that this is a case of the perp inserting himself into the investigation (either because he thinks he's smarter than LE, or to see what info LE has, or to play the "helpful/concerned citizen" to try to avoid suspicion, or just because they want to "revisit" the crime). I don't think he confessed, maybe he was trying to point them away from the scene or trying to float an alternate perp theory to LE. But, in the end, it backfired on him as they continued to talk with him & then arrested him. MOO.

From:

State Police Turned Attention to Teen After He Claimed to Have Information on Stewart's Murder

The campground owner offered more information on what led to arrest of 17-year-old Deven Young.

www.midcoastvillager.com

 

[LadyL]

I'm assuming they have DNA since LE asked males around the lake to submit DNA. I suppose that could've been a bluff, but I think there is DNA plus whatever info DY shared with LE in the first meeting - when he led them to the opposite end of the island.

FWIW, I think this case is tight.

jmo

would they have taken it from a minor? would his parents have agreed? ... just asking cause I don't know the laws there

 

[iamshadow21]

would they have taken it from a minor? would his parents have agreed? ... just asking caused I don't know the laws there

If they took it from his father and got a close relative match, they would absolutely have grounds for compelling one from the defendant.

MOO

 

[LadyL]

If they took it from his father and got a close relative match, they would absolutely have grounds for compelling one from the defendant.

MOO

oh yes good point - I hadn't thought of that

 

[jesse]

My impression is not that it was a confession. (Bolding & underlining by me.)


I get the feeling that this is a case of the perp inserting himself into the investigation (either because he thinks he's smarter than LE, or to see what info LE has, or to play the "helpful/concerned citizen" to try to avoid suspicion, or just because they want to "revisit" the crime). I don't think he confessed, maybe he was trying to point them away from the scene or trying to float an alternate perp theory to LE. But, in the end, it backfired on him as they continued to talk with him & then arrested him. MOO.

From:

State Police Turned Attention to Teen After He Claimed to Have Information on Stewart's Murder

The campground owner offered more information on what led to arrest of 17-year-old Deven Young.

www.midcoastvillager.com

Agree completely. I think the cops were able to see through him almost immediately, probably made him nervous enough to say something really stupid.