Teenager who was arrested in connection with Paddlader's strangulation, blunt force trauma death

Portland, Maine (AP)-The police in Maine said on Thursday that they had arrested a 17-year-old state in connection with the murder of a paddleboarder who was missing at a rural pond.

The body of Sunshine Stewart, 48, from the tenants Harbor, was found on Crawford Pond in Union this month, about 130 kilometers north of Portland. The murder shocked and frightened the community, where trips to the pond and the nearby campsite are a staple in summer.

Maine's state police said that a teenager was taken into custody on Wednesday evening without incidents in Union. The police did not say why he was arrested or whether he was charged and they refused to publish other information about him because the investigation has not yet been completed.

The General Prosecutor's office rejected it to comment on possible charges.

The office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta found that Stewart's cause of death was for strangulation and a blunt force trauma, the police said.

The police said the investigation was still active. You asked for information about everyone who saw Stewart Paddleboarding on July 2nd between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. near 100 hectares of island on the Crawford Pond or have other information about the case.

Stewart lived about 34 kilometers from the pond, a popular summer destination of 24 kilometers from the picturesque coastal areas of the Midcoast region of the state. A person who was reached by phone who identified himself as Stewart's sister declined to make a comment.

Friends of Stewart have published online testimonials who remember them as extremely independent and always for a challenge, including outdoor adventures and construction projects. Over the years, she worked in many roles, also as a fisherman and bartender, said friends.

She renovated her own home to the tenant Harbor, a neighborhood in St. George, said Bruce Twyon, a friend who knew Stewart from her time on the maiden islands. That spoke about her self -motivation and her spirit, “to do things and enjoy life every day,” he said.

“She was such a sweet person and very strong and independent and took care of many people,” said Twyon.

The pond in the 2,400-strong city of Union is approximately 243 hectares and has no public access. It is available for a variety of uses, including boating and fishing. The 100 -hectare island protection area in the middle of the pond is a forested island that can be reached by canoe, kayak or paddleboard from a nearby campsite.

The pond has numerous corners and narrow areas, so it is possible that at the time of the murder there were other boaters on the water that did not know that someone was in danger. The police asked the residents to remain aware of their surroundings and report suspicious behavior. In a statement, they said that the arrest was the “result of relentless investigative work” and that the teenager who was arrested was transported to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.

Relatives of Stewart, who was known to her friends as “Sunny”, started a Gofundme page in her honor, which had collected more than 33,000 US dollars by Thursday to celebrate her life. It was found on the page that memorial gutter mine was determined.

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