A teenager has been taken into custody in connection with the mysterious death of a paddleboarder in Maine, which has sparked concerns about a serial killer in the New England area.

A 17-year-old boy has been detained for his suspected role in the death of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart. This arrest comes almost two weeks after Stewart’s body was discovered near Union’s Crawford Pond, as announced by Maine State Police in a press release on Thursday.

Stewart was declared missing after she didn’t return from a solo paddleboarding trip on July 2. Her body was found by police the following morning on an island accessible only by boat, and her death was subsequently deemed “suspicious.”

Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart’s body was found after she disappeared during a paddleboarding trip near Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, on July 3, 2025. (Sunshine Stewart/Facebook)

Last month, the body of 21-year-old Adriana Suazo was found in a wooded area in Milton, Massachusetts, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. The case remains under investigation as Suazo’s body showed no signs of trauma, officials said. 

MSP previously asked “that residents continue to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” while authorities looked to find Stewart’s killer. 

Details regarding any criminal charges filed against the teenager were not immediately available, and the investigation remains ongoing.