Maine State Police provided an update Wednesday as they continue to investigate after a missing paddleboarder was found murdered last week, asking residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior. In a Facebook post, state police said they recognize the fear and discomfort that this incident has brought to the town of Union and the Crawford Pond Community, saying they remain steadfast in their efforts to investigate the death of 48-year-old Sunshine Stewart, of Tenants Harbor. Stewart’s death was ruled a homicide after an autopsy was completed following the discovery of her body under “unusual circumstances” during the course of a search for her Thursday on Crawford Pond in Union. Little other information has been publicly shared, including Stewart’s cause of death. State police announced earlier this week that they had established a tip line in this case, and said in their update Wednesday that detectives from the major crimes unit have been reviewing all leads pushed through from that. Crawford Pond is located in the 2,400-resident town of Union, about 80 miles northeast of Portland, the largest city in the state. The area is popular with campers and daytrippers. Stewart lived about a half hour from the pond, which is a popular summer destination about 15 miles from the scenic coastal areas of the state’s midcoast region. Friends and family who gathered at Stewart’s home on Wednesday declined to comment. The pond is approximately 600 acres and does not have public access. It is available for a variety of uses, including boating and fishing. The 100 Acre Island preserve in the center of the pond is a wooded island reachable by canoe, kayak or paddleboard from a nearby campground. The lake has numerous nooks and narrow areas, so it’s possible there were other boaters on the water at the time of the killing who were unaware someone was in danger. “We understand the community’s concerns and ask that residents continue to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement,” police wrote on Facebook. Loved ones of Stewart, who was known as “Sunny” to friends, launched an online fundraiser in her honor in the wake of her death. The page states that arrangements and memorial service dates were still being determined. The page had raised more than $19,000 by Wednesday. “Today is a somber day for our family and friends. We’ve unexpectedly lost the light in our lives that was Sunny,” the page said. Close friend Kimberly Hamill told NBC News that she was stunned by Stewart’s death. “Honestly, she’s like one of the best people I ever knew,” said Hamill, who has known Stewart since grade school. “She was somebody who believed in everyone she ever met.” According to Hamill, Stewart was a biologist and also a carpenter, who owned her own construction business. “She had this incredible life,” Hamill said. “I grew up in Union and as far as I know nothing like that has ever happened there and for it to have happened to Sunshine is like how could that even be? It just makes it feel like nothing will be right again ever,” Hamill added. The killing is a shock to the community, where family trips to the lake are a summertime staple, said Debbie Hilt, who lives in the area. Hilt said she knew Stewart as a child and knew her to be a regular user of the lake as an adult. Hilt described the island on the lake as a draw for campers looking for a quiet, secluded location. “I’ve been on the lake since the early ‘60s. I grew up down there since I was 8 years old,” she said. “I don’t even remember anything like this.” Katharine Lunt, the owner of the nearby campground, which is called Mic Mac Cove Campground, said in a Facebook post that authorities have been using the campground to access the crime scene. The crime scene is not located on the campground itself, the post says. Lunt said in the post that her business is not commenting on the investigation other than to say it is cooperating with authorities who are working the scene. “The investigators have been here doing their job and we do not need the media distractions at this time,” the post says. State police said Wednesday that detectives have been working with the owners of a nearby campground, who they described as having been cooperative and willing to assist with the ongoing investigation. Detectives are continuing to follow “every investigative and forensic avenue,” state police added. Police previously asked anyone who may have seen Stewart paddleboarding on Wednesday, July 2, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. near 100 Acre Island on Crawford Pond to contact them. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Maine State Police at 207-624-7076 or by texting MESPTIP to 847411.