Deven Young will be tried as an adult in the July 2025 murder of Sunshine Stewart

Fri, 11/06/2026 - 10:44pm

Sarah Shepherd

ROCKLAND– A hearing to determine if Deven Young would be charged as an adult for the murder of Sunshine Stewart in July 2025 was held in Knox County Court Nov. 6 with Judge Eric Walker presiding.

Young, 19, who has been incarcerated at the Two Bridges Jail in Wiscasset, attended the hearing in person along with his parents and several friends of Stewart.

During the hearing, defense attorney Jeremy Pratt announced that Young was waiving his right to a bind-over hearing which would have determined whether he would be tried as a juvenile or an adult. By Young waiving his rights, the case will proceed directly to adult court.

Young turned 18 on Sept. 24, 2025, after the murder of Stewart in July.

Pratt and Attorney Caitlyn Smith, who also represented Young at the hearing, are both court appointed attorneys representing Young.

The Maine Judicial Branch states the following on its website regarding a bind-over hearing: “If a juvenile is charged with a serious offense-murder, or a Class A, B, or C crime if committed by adult, the State may file a motion to have the juvenile tried as an adult. After the motion is filed, the judge will hold a bind-over hearing to determine if the juvenile should be tried as an adult. At the bind over hearing, the court considers testimony as to the seriousness of the offense, various evaluations, and whether the current juvenile system can provide necessary services to the juvenile. If the juvenile is bound over, all remaining court matters are held in adult criminal court and the juvenile is subject to adult penalties.”

Judge Walker addressed Young during the hearing and asked him questions to confirm that he understood his rights. Young responded that he understood his rights and agreed to waive the bind-over hearing.

Court then took a recess and Justice Sean Ociepka presided over the second part of the hearing which was the initial appearance for Young after the prosecution, the Maine Attorney General’s Office, filed an adult criminal complaint against Young.

Young’s case will now be presented to a grand jury who will determine if there is probable cause for him to be charge with murder. If he is indicted, the case will proceed through the court system and possibly a trial.

Judge Eric Walker ruled on April 29 in a competency order that the defendant is, “competent to proceed based on the court’s finding that the juvenile has a rational as well as a factual understanding of the proceedings and a sufficient present ability to consult with legal counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding.”

A hearing on Young’s issue of competency was held in a closed door hearing held at the Knox County Courthouse on Jan. 30, 2026. Young was present and was represented by Pratt and Smith. The state was represented by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Bogue, Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Russell, and Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Dean.

The competency report will remain under seal by the court as part of the judge’s order.

If Young is convicted as an adult he could face a minimum of 25 years in jail up to life in jail, according to Maine law.

Young will continue to be held without bail. He is currently being moved from the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland to the Knox County Jail in Rockland.