Early the next morning, authorities said they found her body near 100 Acre Island, a nature preserve in the middle of the pond. An autopsy later that day determined the 48-year-old woman’s death was a homicide.

Sunshine "Sunny" Stewart, 48, was found dead at Crawford Pond in Union on Thursday after police were contacted to say she had gone missing, Maine State Police said. An autopsy was then conducted, which determined her death was a homicide, police said.

The body of Sunshine Stewart, 48, was discovered under “unusual circumstances” by state game wardens at about 1 a.m. last Thursday near 100 Acre Island on Crawford Pond in the community of Union, 60 miles south of Bangor, according to Maine State Police. Officials stated that the area can only be accessed by boat.