Maine 18-year-old charged in death of paddleboarder ruled competent to stand trial
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A judge ruled that an 18-year-old man should be charged with murder for killing a woman. rower He is competent to stand trial in Maine.
The death last year of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart, 48, of St. George, shocked the community around Crawford Pond in rural Union, Maine. Authorities charged Deven Young, of Frankfort, Maine, with murder in Stewart’s death in July, about two weeks after Stewart’s body was found.
So far, the court system has treated Young like a child. Prosecutors in the state want to criminally charge Young, who was 17 when Stewart died and is now 18. adult. First, he had to be deemed competent to stand trial, and a judge ruled this week that he was.
“The court finds that the defendant is entitled to proceed based on the court’s finding that the juvenile had a factual as well as rational understanding of the proceedings and sufficient present ability to consult with legal counsel with a reasonably rational understanding,” Maine District Court Judge Eric J. Walker wrote Wednesday.
Young is expected to appear in court again on May 7. The medical examiner determined Stewart’s cause of death was asphyxiation and blunt force trauma, police said.
Young’s attorney, Jeremy Pratt, declined to comment Thursday. Prosecutors in the case also declined to comment Thursday.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed a possible cause of action in the case. Court documents in the case, which were briefly made public before being removed from the state court website, contained few details other than stating that Young “intentionally or knowingly caused the death of another human being, namely Sunshine Stewart.”
Audio recordings from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office obtained by news agencies earlier this year provided detailed information about Young’s history of violent behavior and mental health issues before Stewart’s death. Portland Press Herald reported He said Young expects behavioral health services from the state.
Stewart went missing from Crawford Pond, where he was paddleboarding, on July 2, and his body was found the next day. The pond is a popular summer attraction for swimming, boating and fishing. Stewart, St. He lived about 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the pond in the Tenants Harbor neighborhood of St. George.
Stewart’s friends and family famous He spent his life in maritime service last August. The memorial included a procession of boats, some decorated with flowers, at Tenants’ Harbour.
There were photos of Stewart smiling on the boats and a large sign that said “Shine.” Friends said Stewart worked over the years as a fisherman, boat captain, biologist, carpenter and bartender.
