PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine court has determined that a teenager accused of murdering a woman while she was paddleboarding is mentally fit to proceed with his trial.
The killing of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart from St. George sent shockwaves through the Crawford Pond area in Union, Maine last summer. Law enforcement officials arrested Deven Young of Frankfort, Maine on murder charges in connection with Stewart’s death approximately two weeks after her remains were discovered in July.
Young, who was 17 when the alleged crime occurred and has since turned 18, has been processed through the juvenile court system up to this point. State prosecutors are seeking to try Young as an adult, but first required a competency evaluation to move forward.
Maine District Court Judge Eric J. Walker issued his ruling Wednesday, stating: “The court finds that the defendant is competent to proceed based on the court’s finding that the juvenile has a rational, as well as a factual, understanding of the proceedings and a sufficient present ability to consult with legal counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding.”
Young’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 7. According to police reports, a medical examiner concluded that Stewart died from strangulation combined with blunt force trauma.
Defense attorney Jeremy Pratt, representing Young, refused to provide comment Thursday. Prosecution team members also declined to speak about the case.
Law enforcement has not disclosed any potential motive for the killing. Brief court filings that appeared temporarily on the state’s judicial website before being removed contained minimal information, only noting that Young “did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another human being, namely Sunshine Stewart.”
Audio files obtained by media outlets from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office earlier this year revealed Young’s previous incidents of aggressive conduct and mental health struggles before Stewart’s death occurred. According to the Portland Press Herald, Young had been awaiting state-provided behavioral health treatment.
Stewart disappeared while paddleboarding at Crawford Pond on July 2, with her body recovered the following day. The pond serves as a popular summer destination for swimming, boating and fishing activities. Stewart’s home was located approximately 21 miles away in the Tenants Harbor section of St. George.
Family members and friends honored Stewart’s memory with a maritime memorial service last August. The tribute featured a boat parade through Tenants Harbor, with several vessels decorated with flowers.
The boats displayed photographs of a smiling Stewart alongside a large banner reading “Shine On.” Throughout her life, Stewart had worked in various roles including fisherman, boat captain, biologist, carpenter and bartender, according to those who knew her.
