A 17-year-old male from Frankfort has been charged with one count of murder in the case of Sunshine Stewart, whose body was found during a search of Crawford Pond in Union on July 3.
The state determined that Stewart, who was last seen paddleboarding alone, died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. She was 48.
The teen denied the murder charge during a short court appearance in Knox County via Zoom, according to the Midcoast Villager. Because of his age, Maine Public is not naming him.
The state has filed a motion to have the juvenile, who turns 18 in September, tried in an adult court. If he is convicted of murder as an adult in Maine, he would face a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison.
The Midcoast Villager reports that Judge Eric Walker ordered police affidavits, with details about the case, to be kept sealed until a status conference on Aug. 22. The teen, meanwhile, is being held at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.