A Maine judge has ruled that an 18-year-old man charged with murder in the death of paddleboarder Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart is competent to stand trial. The ruling clears the way for prosecutors to proceed with charging Deven Young, who was 17 at the time of Stewart’s death, as an adult. Judge Eric J. Walker determined that Young has a rational understanding of the proceedings and can consult with legal counsel. Young is scheduled to return to court on May 7.
Stewart’s death, which occurred near Crawford Pond in rural Union, Maine, was ruled a homicide by strangulation and blunt force trauma. Authorities charged Young in July 2023, two weeks after Stewart’s body was discovered. Prosecutors have sought to try Young as an adult, a decision that required the competency ruling.
Court documents briefly made public before being removed from the state’s courts website stated that Young “did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another human being, namely Sunshine Stewart.” However, authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive. Audio recordings from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, obtained by news agencies, revealed Young’s history of violent behavior and mental health challenges prior to Stewart’s death.
Jeremy Pratt, Young’s attorney, and prosecutors declined to comment on the case. The community around Crawford Pond was deeply affected by Stewart’s death, which shocked the rural area.