PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Prosecutors in Maine announced their intention on Monday to Try Deven Young, a 17-year-old charged with the murder of 48-year-old Sunshine "Sunny" Stewart, as an adult. Stewart's body was discovered earlier this month on Crawford Pond in Union, approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Portland, an area known for its natural beauty cherished by summer campers and nature enthusiasts. She went missing while paddleboarding, and her tragic death has sent shockwaves through the local community.
The police charged Young, who is from Frankfort, Maine, with Stewart's murder last week. He has been held at a youth detention facility in the Portland area and is slated to appear in court for a status conference on August 22. The Office of the Maine Attorney General is working to bind him over for adult trial, according to Danna Hayes, a spokesperson for the office. However, the request to try Young as an adult has been impounded by the court, making it unavailable to the public.
While the court did allow the release of Young's name, Hayes stated that all other related documents remain impounded, limiting the information that can be disclosed at this time. Young made a brief initial court appearance on Friday, where he entered a denial to the murder charge. His attorney, Jeremy Pratt, declined to comment on the case as of Monday. If Young is convicted of murder as an adult, he faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 25 years to life.
A medical examiner has determined that Stewart's cause of death was the result of strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to police reports. While authorities have not revealed a motive for the killing, court documents related to the case provide scant detail, and Maine State Police indicated that their investigation into Stewart's death remains active.
Stewart resided about 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Crawford Pond, in the Tenants Harbor neighborhood of St. George. Friends have remembered her as a fiercely independent adventurer who was deeply committed to her friendships. Throughout her life, she engaged in various occupations, including that of a fisherman, boat captain, carpenter, and bartender, friends recounted.
Describing her character, lifelong friend Bethany Leach Parmley of Washington, Maine, said, "She was just a wonderful friend, a really loyal, wonderful friend. She was just so fun and funny, and you couldn't help but have a good time around her." The pond in Union, which has a population of around 2,400 residents, is roughly 600 acres (243 hectares) in size and lacks public access, but offers opportunities for boating and fishing. The 100 Acre Island preserve, located in the center of the pond, is a wooded area reachable by canoe, kayak, or paddleboard from a nearby campground.
As the investigation continues, the local community grapples with the heartbreak of losing someone described as vibrant and cherished. The circumstances surrounding Sunshine Stewart's death remain a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the unforeseen events that can alter it irrevocably.
