One week after a Maine paddleboarder was found murdered in a local neighborhood pond, members of the community are left searching for answers as fears of a potential serial killer grips the sleepy coastal town. 

The body of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart was discovered in the early morning of July 3, just six hours after she had left for a solo paddleboarding trip around Crawford Pond, according to the Maine State Police. 

Stewart’s remains were reportedly found near 100 Acre Island, a wooded area accessible only by boat, according to WMTW 8. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS REIGNITED AFTER PADDLEBOARDER’S MURDER IN QUIET COASTAL TOWN

Officials have remained tight-lipped about the investigation into the “suspicious” circumstances surrounding Stewart’s death, which has been ruled a homicide. 

“I think it’s just confusing because we don’t know what happened, like, if this was an isolated incident or a personal thing, like a grudge,” Gus Williams, who lives near Crawford Pond, told WMTW 8.

Despite the growing unease within the local community, authorities are asking the public to remain calm. 

PADDLEBOARDER’S MYSTERIOUS KILLING ROCKS QUIET SUMMER VACATION AREA

Authorities are investigating the “suspicious death” of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart after she went missing while on a paddleboarding trip near Crawford Pond in Union, Maine on July 3, 2025.  (Sunshine Stewart/Facebook)

In a statement released by MSP on Wednesday, officials acknowledged the “fear and discomfort that this incident has brought to the town of Union and the Crawford Pond community,” while vowing to continue investigating Stewart’s death. 

However, authorities have not revealed whether they have named a suspect in Stewart’s death or the circumstances of how she was killed.

MSP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS STOKED BY 13TH BODY FOUND IN SMALL TOWN

Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.  (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Local police are asking for the public’s help after 48-year-old Sunshine Stewart was found killed near Crawford Pond in Knox County, Maine on July 3, 2025.  (U.S. Geological Survey)

But the words of comfort from authorities have done little to calm the fears of Williams, who told the local outlet he walks his dog near the pond every day. 

“The first time I was walking down here yesterday, I got to the path and was like, ‘No, I’m not going to go,’” Williams said.

Stewart’s apparent murder comes as fears of a serial killer lurking within the New England region are gripping the public. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: MASSACHUSETTS INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY BODY PULLED FROM RIVER

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)

At least 13 bodies – with the majority found in wooded or remote areas – have been discovered throughout Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, according to authorities. 

Last month, the remains of 21-year-old Adriana Suazo were found in a wooded area in Milton, Massachusetts, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. Suazo’s body showed no signs of trauma, with her cause of death remaining undetermined pending an investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. 

Given the recent string of victims found within the region, MSP has asked “that residents continue to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

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But for locals within the community, the words of warning are not enough to ease their fears of a killer lurking within their midst. 

“In a place where most people don’t lock their doors, like, ever, it definitely feels a little intrusive,” Williams said, adding, “I don’t know, [it’s] terrifying.” 

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report. 

Authorities are urging the public to remain calm after a paddleboarder was murdered in a quiet Maine town, sparking fear within the community following rumors of a possible serial killer lurking within the region.

The remains of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart were discovered near Crawford Pond on July 3, just six hours after she departed for a solo paddleboarding trip, according to a press release from the Maine State Police (MSP). 

“Captain Sunny was an amazing person” who “would give you the shirt off her back,” Kim Ware, Stewart’s sister, told WMTW 8. 

PADDLEBOARDER’S MYSTERIOUS KILLING ROCKS QUIET SUMMER VACATION AREA

A multi-agency search was launched after officials received reports of a missing paddleboarder, with authorities with the Maine Game Wardens locating Stewart’s body at approximately 1 a.m. the next morning, police said. 

Following the gruesome discovery, investigators with the MSP Major Crimes Central Unit were called in to investigate the circumstances surrounding Stewart’s “suspicious death,” according to the department. 

An autopsy ruled Stewart’s death a homicide, with officials choosing not to release the cause of death, according to the press release. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS STOKED BY 13TH BODY FOUND IN SMALL TOWN

Local police are asking for the public’s help after 48-year-old Sunshine Stewart was found killed near Crawford Pond in Knox County, Maine, on July 3, 2025.  (U.S. Geological Survey)

The killing has ignited fear within the local community as authorities have not yet named a suspect in the paddleboarder’s mysterious murder. 

​​”The Maine State Police recognizes the fear and discomfort that this incident has brought to the town of Union and the Crawford Pond community,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The incident comes as paranoia surrounding the possibility of a serial killer lurking within the New England region grips the area following a series of unexplained deaths in recent months. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS: MASSACHUSETTS INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFY BODY PULLED FROM RIVER

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)

At least 13 bodies have been discovered throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine since March 2025 – with the majority found in wooded or remote areas. 

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. Following an investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, authorities announced that Suazo’s remains showed no signs of trauma, with her cause of death still waiting to be determined. 

Despite the string of victims found throughout the region, authorities are urging the public to remain calm as officials investigate the circumstances surrounding Stewart’s death. 

NEW ENGLAND SERIAL KILLER FEARS ADDRESSED BY MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT ATTORNEY AFTER 8TH BODY DISCOVERED

A map showing the locations where bodies in the New England area have been found. (Fox News)

“We understand the community’s concerns and ask that residents continue to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” MSP said.  

MSP did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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As authorities search for answers, Stewart’s loved ones are left grieving the loss of a marine biologist, lobsterman and boat captain who previously sailed to the Caribbean in a hurricane, her sister told the local outlet. 

“To know Sunny is an amazing blessing,” Ware told WMTW 8. My sister and my best friend,” adding, “Truly an amazing woman. Now we have to rally and give her justice!” 

A camper explosion near a home in central Maine on Monday is under investigation by state fire officials. And they say it was intentionally detonated.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, the Stetson Fire Department responded to a report of an explosion and black smoke on Coboro Road.

Residents at the property had reportedly placed Tannerite, an explosive often used for target shooting, inside an old camper behind their house. They detonated the Tannerite, causing the camper to explode.

The blast triggered a fire that threatened nearby woods, but responding fire crews were able to extinguish it before it spread any further.

No injuries were reported.

Stetson firefighters were assisted by crews from the Levant, Carmel and Etna fire departments, along with Maine State Police and the Maine Forest Rangers. The State Fire Marshal’s Office also responded and is investigating the cause of the explosion.