Former Massachusetts Police Officer Indicted for Killing Pregnant Woman
Aug 30, 11:00 AM
A former Massachusetts police officer has been indicted for the murder of a pregnant 23-year-old woman he allegedly began sexually exploiting when she was a teenager. The federal indictment, unsealed in Boston on Wednesday, accuses former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell of strangling Sandra Birchmore to death in February 2021 and staging her death to look like a suicide.
According to the indictment, Farwell, 38, killed Birchmore after she informed him she was pregnant with his child. He then allegedly staged her apartment to make it appear as if she had committed suicide. Farwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of killing a witness or victim.
“We allege that Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape, and then sexual violence all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout their relationship as an officer and then detective with the Stoughton Police Department. And when it became clear to Mr. Farwell that he could no longer control Ms. Birchmore, he silenced her permanently,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Farwell was arrested Wednesday morning at a shopping center and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday afternoon. ABC News has reached out to Farwell’s attorney for comment.
Prosecutors allege Farwell befriended Birchmore after she joined a Stoughton Police Department youth program he was an instructor for and “essentially groomed her.” The indictment states the two began a sexual relationship when Farwell was 27 and Birchmore was 15. Farwell allegedly engaged in sex acts with Birchmore while on duty as a police officer and “falsely represented that he had worked certain hours” to conceal the activity, according to the Department of Justice.
Their affair continued up until her death on February 1, 2021, while Farwell was married with children, prosecutors said. Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment on February 4, 2021.
Prosecutors allege that after Birchmore told Farwell in October 2020 that she wanted a child of her own, the two “reached an agreement”: He would try to impregnate her “in exchange for her silence about his criminal conduct (i.e., child sexual abuse) and years-long extramarital affair,” according to a motion in support of pretrial detention.
When Birchmore informed Farwell in December 2020 that she was pregnant and wanted him to be more involved in planning the birth, he allegedly became angry and “was losing control.”
“The information she possessed about his illegal conduct was in danger of slipping out,” Levy said. “In fact, word started to get out about their relationship.”
Less than two weeks before Birchmore was found dead, a friend called the Stoughton Police Department and disclosed the sexual relationship between Birchmore and Farwell, according to the DOJ. Farwell allegedly became “visibly angry” upon learning about that call and “started to lose his patience.” Birchmore had also disclosed to friends that he had become physically violent with her, Levy said.
In one instance, Farwell allegedly held a pregnant Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead, prosecutors said.
“Then it all came to a head on February 1, 2021,” Levy said.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell went to Birchmore’s apartment that evening wearing a mask “despite being well known as a resistant to COVID-19 mask mandates” and strangled her using a duffle bag strap. He then "used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer" to stage her death as a suicide, Levy said.
Farwell allegedly lied multiple times to Massachusetts State Police detectives investigating her death about the nature of their relationship, according to FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Steve Kelleher. He told detectives their sexual relationship began in 2020, while text messages with Birchmore indicated it started in 2013, prosecutors claimed. He also allegedly stated they last had sex in October 2020, attempting to avoid suspicion about whether he was the father of Birchmore's unborn child. However, text messages indicate that Farwell met Birchmore for sex after that date.
Before Birchmore's death, Farwell allegedly directed her to delete evidence of their sexual relationship, according to court filings.
"He attempted to cover his tracks to literally get away with murder, and he almost did, until today," Levy said.
Initially, state officials ruled Birchmore's death a suicide, but Levy stated that over the past year, federal investigators uncovered "critical new information" that led to the indictment.
Kelleher said investigators reviewed tens of thousands of text messages, emails, financial records, conducted dozens of interviews, and analyzed the crime scene as part of their investigation.
The investigation "uncovered evidence inconsistent with someone dying by suicide," including that Birchmore had contacted a photographer to book a newborn photo shoot and asked a friend about obtaining baby clothes shortly before her death, Kelleher explained. Birchmore was also in the middle of doing laundry when she died, he added, calling the alleged murder "depraved."
If convicted, Farwell faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The charge is also eligible for the death penalty, though the Department of Justice has not yet decided whether to seek it.
Farwell served as a police officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department from March 2012 to April 2022.
Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara stated that the department supported the FBI in its investigation leading to the indictment. "The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice," McNamara said in a statement. "The allegations against the suspect, a former Stoughton Police Officer, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement."
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According to the indictment, Farwell, 38, killed Birchmore after she informed him she was pregnant with his child. He then allegedly staged her apartment to make it appear as if she had committed suicide. Farwell was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of killing a witness or victim.
“We allege that Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape, and then sexual violence all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout their relationship as an officer and then detective with the Stoughton Police Department. And when it became clear to Mr. Farwell that he could no longer control Ms. Birchmore, he silenced her permanently,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Farwell was arrested Wednesday morning at a shopping center and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday afternoon. ABC News has reached out to Farwell’s attorney for comment.
Prosecutors allege Farwell befriended Birchmore after she joined a Stoughton Police Department youth program he was an instructor for and “essentially groomed her.” The indictment states the two began a sexual relationship when Farwell was 27 and Birchmore was 15. Farwell allegedly engaged in sex acts with Birchmore while on duty as a police officer and “falsely represented that he had worked certain hours” to conceal the activity, according to the Department of Justice.
Their affair continued up until her death on February 1, 2021, while Farwell was married with children, prosecutors said. Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment on February 4, 2021.
Prosecutors allege that after Birchmore told Farwell in October 2020 that she wanted a child of her own, the two “reached an agreement”: He would try to impregnate her “in exchange for her silence about his criminal conduct (i.e., child sexual abuse) and years-long extramarital affair,” according to a motion in support of pretrial detention.
When Birchmore informed Farwell in December 2020 that she was pregnant and wanted him to be more involved in planning the birth, he allegedly became angry and “was losing control.”
“The information she possessed about his illegal conduct was in danger of slipping out,” Levy said. “In fact, word started to get out about their relationship.”
Less than two weeks before Birchmore was found dead, a friend called the Stoughton Police Department and disclosed the sexual relationship between Birchmore and Farwell, according to the DOJ. Farwell allegedly became “visibly angry” upon learning about that call and “started to lose his patience.” Birchmore had also disclosed to friends that he had become physically violent with her, Levy said.
In one instance, Farwell allegedly held a pregnant Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead, prosecutors said.
“Then it all came to a head on February 1, 2021,” Levy said.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell went to Birchmore’s apartment that evening wearing a mask “despite being well known as a resistant to COVID-19 mask mandates” and strangled her using a duffle bag strap. He then "used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer" to stage her death as a suicide, Levy said.
Farwell allegedly lied multiple times to Massachusetts State Police detectives investigating her death about the nature of their relationship, according to FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Steve Kelleher. He told detectives their sexual relationship began in 2020, while text messages with Birchmore indicated it started in 2013, prosecutors claimed. He also allegedly stated they last had sex in October 2020, attempting to avoid suspicion about whether he was the father of Birchmore's unborn child. However, text messages indicate that Farwell met Birchmore for sex after that date.
Before Birchmore's death, Farwell allegedly directed her to delete evidence of their sexual relationship, according to court filings.
"He attempted to cover his tracks to literally get away with murder, and he almost did, until today," Levy said.
Initially, state officials ruled Birchmore's death a suicide, but Levy stated that over the past year, federal investigators uncovered "critical new information" that led to the indictment.
Kelleher said investigators reviewed tens of thousands of text messages, emails, financial records, conducted dozens of interviews, and analyzed the crime scene as part of their investigation.
The investigation "uncovered evidence inconsistent with someone dying by suicide," including that Birchmore had contacted a photographer to book a newborn photo shoot and asked a friend about obtaining baby clothes shortly before her death, Kelleher explained. Birchmore was also in the middle of doing laundry when she died, he added, calling the alleged murder "depraved."
If convicted, Farwell faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The charge is also eligible for the death penalty, though the Department of Justice has not yet decided whether to seek it.
Farwell served as a police officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department from March 2012 to April 2022.
Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara stated that the department supported the FBI in its investigation leading to the indictment. "The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice," McNamara said in a statement. "The allegations against the suspect, a former Stoughton Police Officer, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement."
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com