Former Stoughton officer charged in woman's death
STOUGHTON, Mass. (WPRI) — A former Stoughton police officer is now accused of killing a woman he sexually exploited while on duty and staging her death as a suicide.
Matthew Farwell, 38, has been charged with killing a witness or victim in connection with the suspicious death of Sandra Birchmore back in February 2021.
The 23-year-old Canton woman was found dead in her apartment after her employer requested a wellbeing check, having not heard from her for several days.
Sandra Birchmore
It has since been revealed that Farwell allegedly strangled Birchmore to death with a duffle bag strap following a "nasty argument" in which he called off their relationship, according to prosecutors. Investigators also believe Farwell killed Birchmore to prevent her from revealing the truth about how long the two had been intimate.
Farwell then used his police knowledge to stage her apartment and make it look as though she had committed suicide, according to acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy.
"When it became clear to Farwell that he could no longer control her, he allegedly silenced her. Permanently," Levy said. "He tried to cover his tracks to literally get away with murder, and he almost did."
Court documents show that Farwell had been mentoring Birchmore through the Stoughton Police Department's youth explorers program, which has since been disbanded. Birchmore was 12 years old when she first joined.
An internal affairs investigation following Bichmore's death uncovered hundreds of explicit text messages between her and three Stoughton officers, including Farwell and his twin brother, over the course of several years. It was also discovered that Birchmore had several sexual encounters with each of them.
The first time Farwell had sex with Birchmore was when he was 27 years old and she was 15, according to Levy. He noted that Farwell had sex with Birchmore regularly while on the clock and lied about the hours he worked.
RELATED: 3 former officers under fire following woman’s death
Birchmore learned she was pregnant in December 2020, according to court documents, and later told Farwell she expected him to be involved in their child's life.
"She was very excited about becoming a mother," Levy said. "She was buying baby clothes and taking precautions to ensure the health of her child."
"Farwell did not share in that excitement," he continued, adding that Birchmore asked him to attend her doctor's appointments and be there for ultra sounds.
Matthew Farwell (Stoughton Police Department via AP)
Levy said Farwell began to lose his patience and temper with Birchmore after her friend notified Stoughton police of their inappropriate relationship.
"Birchmore told her friends that Farwell had pushed her, shoved her and put her in a chokehold," Levy said. "She was scared, and during that same time, Farwell was planning her murder."
Farwell, his brother William and the third officer, identified as Robert Devine, have since resigned from the department, though the exact reason for their departure remains unclear. William Farwell and Devine are not facing charges at this time.
"Giving a voice to the voiceless, ensuring that no one is above the law and protecting the vulnerable ... that's the highest calling for those in law enforcement," Levy said. "This case represents those principles."
"Farwell violated those principles and now faces very grave consequences," he continued. "It is disheartening to have to charge law enforcement officers, especially for crimes this serious. But it is our job to investigate potential crimes without fear and without favor."
The investigation is ongoing into Birchmore's relationship with the other officers in question, Levy said.
If convicted, Farwell would face a minimum sentence of life in prison. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon and was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
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