New England serial killer: Timing of human remains found across 3 states is 'curious,' expert says
Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven's Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, says remains found across three New England states over two months strikes him as "curious."
A teenager has been charged in the suspicious death of a Maine paddleboarder that stoked fears of a serial killer looming throughout the New England region.
A 17-year-old male has been charged with one count of murder for his alleged involvement in the death of 48-year-old Sunshine "Sunny" Stewart nearly two weeks after the paddleboarder was found near Union’s Crawford Pond, according to the state attorney general's office.
The charges come one day after Maine State Police said in a press release that a teenager had been arrested in connection with the death of Stewart.
NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS GRIP COASTAL TOWN AFTER PADDLEBOARDER’S ‘TERRIFYING’ MURDER

Authorities are investigating the "suspicious death" of Sunshine "Sunny" Stewart after she went missing near Crawford Pond in Union, Maine on July 3, 2025. (Sunshine Stewart/Facebook)
Stewart was reported missing after she failed to return from a solo paddleboarding trip on July 2. The next morning, police discovered her body on an island only accessible by boat, and subsequently determined the circumstances surrounding her death were "suspicious."
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined Stewart’s cause of death as strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to MSP.
The suspect, who remains unnamed due to his age, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, police said.
The news surrounding Stewart’s mysterious death rattled the sleepy vacation destination as authorities worked to find the killer.
NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS REIGNITED AFTER PADDLEBOARDER'S MURDER IN QUIET COASTAL TOWN

Crawford Pond on July 9, 2025, in Union, Maine. Police are investigating the murder of a woman last seen paddleboarding on the pond. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
"In a place where most people don’t lock their doors, like, ever, it definitely feels a little intrusive," Gus Williams, who lives near Crawford Pond, told WMTW 8, adding, "I don’t know, [it’s] terrifying."
MSP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The murder also sparked fears of a serial killer lurking after 13 other bodies have been discovered in primarily wooded or remote areas throughout New England since March 2025.
PADDLEBOARDER’S MYSTERIOUS KILLING ROCKS QUIET SUMMER VACATION AREA

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 the teen's identity and scheduled court appearance were not immediately available.
Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and the Associated Press contributed to this report.