More than a week has passed without new information since police ruled the death of a paddleboarder in Union a homicide.
The lack of details or a known suspect in the death of 48-year-old Sunshine Stewart, of Tenants Harbor, has caused fear in the community, and speculation at a wider level, including a report from Fox News attempting to advance a theory that Stewart was the victim of a serial killer.
Maine State Police spokesperson Shannon Moss on Friday said that kind of reporting only makes the situation worse.
“Floating unverified claims without facts fuels fear. It’s irresponsible,” Moss said.
“Right now the focus for detectives is following where the evidence leads and keeping the integrity of the case intact,” Moss said. “Detectives are still working to piece together the full picture, and releasing partial or premature information risks compromising the case.”
Moss did not directly address the Fox News theory, which was based on an interview with 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, who called the discovery of seven sets of human remains found over a period of two months in New England “curious” but stopped short of drawing any conclusions.
Valentin told Fox News that evidence such as DNA would be needed to link the human remains, along with additional information about identities of the people and circumstances surrounding their deaths.
“So, could these groups be a source of useful information? I think that’s a possibility,” Valentin said. “Are these groups also potentially a source of wild theories that have very little grounding in the information that actually does exist? I’m sure that’s true as well.”
Moss said investigators are “working tirelessly,” following every tip and lead.
“We ask the public to remain vigilant, stay aware of their surroundings, and report anything suspicious to law enforcement,” she said. “When we’re in a position to share additional information, we will.”
