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

[AngTxGal]

Yes, I read that DNA samples were taken, largely volunteered, by males in the campground relevant to the timeframe.
It's unclear if Young's DNA sample was given before or after his arrest, though a positive DNA match doesn't, in itself, necessarily prove guilt.
So far, authorities haven't said what the DNA in question was found in, though since men were the focus of DNA collection by police, I'm thinking there was a sexual component to this murder. That is, the sample at crime scene was from something implicating a male killer.
Though that's just my own suspicion!

IIRC her cause of death was asphyxiation and blunt force trauma, so they could get DNA from hand contact to neck during strangulation.

IMO

 

[waldojabba]

dbm

 

[Cedars]

Moo.. in regards to collecting only male DNA. There are financial and budget considerations. Sunny was strangled, so it's physical.....so the probability is that is was a male...moo

A simple test can determine whether the DNA associated with a crime is from a male or female.

In a recent case, the DNA analysis revealed it was from a male from a distant part of the world. Police tested all males of that ethnic origin living in the neighbourhood, and found him. They were accused of ethnic profiling, but it was not based on police bias and gender/racist assumptions, just on science.

 

[RedHaus]

DBM... I decided the source likely would not pass the WS MSM sniff test.

 

[RedHaus]

‘Paddle for Sunshine’ honors life of paddleboarder killed last month

Sunshine Stewart, murdered in Union early last month, would have been 49-years-old Thursday. Dozens honored her memory by doing something Stewart loved- paddling Crawford Pond.

www.wabi.tv

 

[RedHaus]

Maritime memorial celebrates life of paddleboarder killed in Maine

ST. GEORGE, Maine (AP) — Friends and family of a Maine woman whose killing on a rural pond shocked the community celebrated her life with a maritime service on Sunday.

www.coasttv.com

 

[RedHaus]

Hopefully DY is not one of the 17 year olds who escaped from Long Creek.

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[no greed]

Hopefully DY is not one of the 17 year olds who escaped from Long Creek.

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Yes, this is concerning. Long Creek Youth Development Center is the last known place DY was being held at and he is 17. Certainly LE would notify the public if an accused murder suspect has escaped?

 

[AngTxGal]

Yes, this is concerning. Long Creek Youth Development Center is the last known place DY was being held at and he is 17. Certainly LE would notify the public if an accused murder suspect has escaped?

I can’t see him building relationships that quickly such that he would be involved in an escape this fast.

IMO

 

[OneLove]

Thats a very good point, especially with his particular quirks. Yet I'd also have to consider that he, unlike the others most likely, is facing a life sentence maybe in an adult hardened prison or even death if Maine allows that.

I can’t see him building relationships that quickly such that he would be involved in an escape this fast.

IMO

 

[annpats]

The pond is approximately 600 acres (243 hectares) and does not have public access.

https://apnews.com/article/paddleboarder-killed-maine-police-a4f04ad89b76be3ae8b42e2b685ea6fb[/URL

Holy moly, that's not a pond, that's a lake!!

 

[RedHaus]

Well, the 3 youth escapees in ME were caught Friday night - the same day they escaped from the detention center.

Authorities locate three teens who escaped from Long Creek Youth Development Center

Officials say two 17-year-old boys and one 14-year-old boy were found by Saco police.

www.newscentermaine.com

 

[Inthedetails]

Court calendar reminder: Suspect DY will be in court this Friday.

His next court appearance has been scheduled for August 22....The motion to try Young as an adult has been impounded by the court and is not publicly available, according to a spokeperson for the Attorney General’s Office.

Maine AG’s Office files motion to try 17-year-old Union murder suspect as an adult

The Maine Attorney General’s Office confirmed to WABI on Monday that they have filed a motion to try Deven Young, 17, of Frankfort, as an adult for the murder of Sunshine Stewart, 48.

www.wabi.tv

 

[AngTxGal]

Holy moly, that's not a pond, that's a lake!!

Huge island in the middle that is 100 acres, the lake is about 60 feet deep.
Yea, not really a pond

IMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Huge island in the middle that is 100 acres, the lake is about 60 feet deep.
Yea, not really a pond

IMO

There is more info at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection webpage, but the main points:

About half of the 6,000 lakes and ponds...have been named, many having two or three names. At least thirty have one name with the word lake in it and the other with the word pond. For example, Bryant Pond is also known as Lake Christopher and Dexter Pond sports the name Wassookeag Lake! It is often these dual names that make folks wonder exactly where do we draw the line in Maine?....

[T]here is no exact technical distinction between lakes and ponds.

Lakes Page - lake or pond, Bureau of Land and Water Quality, Maine DEP

www1.maine.gov

 

[waldojabba]

Police logs provide insight into history of Maine campground where murder victim was staying

8 Investigates found that police visited the Mic Mac Campground in Union 28 times in the two years before Sunny Stewart was found murdered, hours after she went missing while paddleboarding on Crawford Pond.

www.wmtw.com

 

[Inthedetails]

Police logs provide insight into history of Maine campground where murder victim was staying

8 Investigates found that police visited the Mic Mac Campground in Union 28 times in the two years before Sunny Stewart was found murdered, hours after she went missing while paddleboarding on Crawford Pond.

www.wmtw.com

From the link:

Two calls were for harassment, two for disorderly conduct, one for a domestic incident and one outlier — a sex offense in June 2023.

"There's nothing on that list aside from, of course, the sex offense that is documented as a complaint, that stands out as unusual, particularly for a tourist centered business like a campground lakeside in Maine, during our summer months," March said....

According to March, the call log doesn’t appear out of the ordinary and could even suggest that Lunt has been proactive in addressing problems.

 

[Inthedetails]

Court calendar reminder: Suspect DY will be in court this Friday.

His next court appearance has been scheduled for August 22....The motion to try Young as an adult has been impounded by the court and is not publicly available, according to a spokeperson for the Attorney General’s Office.

Maine AG’s Office files motion to try 17-year-old Union murder suspect as an adult

The Maine Attorney General’s Office confirmed to WABI on Monday that they have filed a motion to try Deven Young, 17, of Frankfort, as an adult for the murder of Sunshine Stewart, 48.

www.wabi.tv

I don't think I've seen a case where all information is not public like this. Does that indicate he will be charged as a minor? IDK. He is due in court tomorrow, but local news was unable to confirm.


Information related to the case against a 17-year-old accused of murdering a woman on Crawford Pond in Union has now been made confidential.

A Knox County Court Clerk tells WABI they cannot give out any information regarding the case after we tried to confirm Deven Young’s previously scheduled Friday status conference.

Information related to case against teen accused of murdering paddleboarder made confidential

Information related to the case against a 17-year-old accused of murdering a woman on Crawford Pond in Union has now been made confidential.

www.wabi.tv

 

[RedHaus]

Here is more...

"Deven Young’s status conference [tomorrow] will be closed to the public, after the court sealed the case because he's a minor."

"But the state has petitioned to try him as an adult, a process that could significantly affect the outcome of the case."

"[The] Bind-over hearing looms as Maine seeks adult trial for Deven Young, teen charged in Union murder"

"The state has sought bind-overs in 65 cases since 2010, only 19 have been granted"

I sure hope DY will be #20!

Bind-over hearing looms as state seeks adult trial for teen charged in Union murder

Prosecutors have petitioned to try 17-year-old Deven Young as an adult, a process that could significantly affect the outcome of the case.

www.wmtw.com

 

[Inthedetails]

Here is more...

"Deven Young’s status conference [tomorrow] will be closed to the public, after the court sealed the case because he's a minor."

"But the state has petitioned to try him as an adult, a process that could significantly affect the outcome of the case."

"[The] Bind-over hearing looms as Maine seeks adult trial for Deven Young, teen charged in Union murder"

"The state has sought bind-overs in 65 cases since 2010, only 19 have been granted"

I sure hope DY will be #20!

Bind-over hearing looms as state seeks adult trial for teen charged in Union murder

Prosecutors have petitioned to try 17-year-old Deven Young as an adult, a process that could significantly affect the outcome of the case.

www.wmtw.com

Here's an other reason suggested for the sealing:

According to the director for the School of Legal Studies at Husson University, that’s because he believes the judge in the case has agreed to a competency hearing....

“Anytime a competency hearing is called, information is shut off. That’s the law. It’s not shut off to hide information, it’s not shut off to make the public angry, it’s not shut off to make the public think they’re making a deal in the backroom. There are no deals being made. What’s being determined is whether or not the defendant should be able to stand trial. Is he able to get a fair trial based on his or her mental capabilities?” Michaud said.

Maine legal expert explains developments in Union murder case

The fate of a high-profile criminal trial for the murder of Sunshine Stewart will be in the hands of a judge, according to a legal expert in Bangor.

www.wabi.tv