A former Massachusetts police officer is accused of killing a pregnant 23-year-old woman who he began sleeping with when she was a teenager and staging her death to look like a suicide, a federal indictment unsealed in Boston on Wednesday alleges.
Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell allegedly strangled Sandra Birchmore to death in February 2021 after she told him she was pregnant with his child and “staged” her apartment “to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide,” the indictment stated.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of killing a witness or victim.
Sandra Birchmore is seen in a photo she posted on Facebook on Jan. 9, 2021.
Sandra Birchmore/Facebook
“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, 38, was arrested Wednesday morning at a shopping center and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. ABC News has reached out to Farwell’s attorney for comment.
Prosecutors alleged that Farwell befriended Birchmore after she joined a Stoughton Police Department youth program he was an instructor for and “essentially groomed her.”
The indictment alleges that the two began a sexual relationship when Farwell was 27 and Birchmore was 15. Farwell allegedly engaged in sex acts with Birchmore when she was a minor while on duty as a police officer “falsely represented that he had worked certain hours” to conceal the activity, the DOJ said.
Their affair continued up until her death on Feb. 1, 2021, while Farwell was married with children, according to prosecutors. She was found dead in her Canton apartment on Feb. 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,” a motion in support of pretrial detention stated.
Prosecutors allege that after Birchmore told Farwell in December 2020 that she was pregnant and wanted him to be more involved in the planning of the birth, he 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.”
This file photo shows the exterior of the Stoughton Police Department in Stoughton, Mass.
WCVB/FILE
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” and that she 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 Feb. 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 to death using a duffle bag strap, according to court filings. He then “used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer” to stage her death to look like a suicide, Levy said.
He also allegedly lied repeatedly 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 allegedly told detectives that their sexual relationship began in 2020 — when text messages with Birchmore showed it began in 2013, prosecutors claimed in court filings. He also allegedly told detectives they last had sex in October 2020, “attempting to avoid suspicion about whether he was the father of Birchmore’s unborn child,” though “text messages indicate that Farwell met Birchmore to have sex after that date,” court filings stated.
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.
State officials initially ruled Birchmore’s death a suicide, though Levy said that over the past year, federal investigators uncovered “critical new information” and examined existing information, leading to the indictment. Levy did not elaborate on what initially led federal authorities to investigate Birchmore’s death.
Kelleher said investigators reviewed tens of thousands of text messages, emails and financial records, as well as conducted dozens of interviews and analyzed the crime scene as part of their investigation.
He said the investigation “uncovered evidence inconsistent with someone dying by suicide” — including the fact that Birchmore had reached out to a photographer to ask about booking a newborn photo shoot and to a friend about obtaining baby clothes in the hours leading up to her death.
She also was in the middle of doing laundry when she died, he said, calling the alleged murder “depraved.”
“Committing murder to eliminate victims and witnesses is heinous and it shakes the very core of our justice system, which depends on people truthfully testifying to what they know,” he said.
If convicted, Farwell faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The charge is also eligible for the death penalty. Levy said the DOJ has not yet made a determination on seeking it.
Levy said they are sharing their information with local and state authorities so that they can assess whether any state charges may be warranted.
Farwell served as a police officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department from March 27, 2012, to April 1, 2022, according to the indictment.
Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara said the department supported the FBI in its investigation resulting in 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.”
A former police officer is facing serious accusations after being arrested for the alleged murder of a pregnant woman and the suspected staging of her death as a suicide. The shocking case has sent shockwaves through the community and raised questions about the conduct of law enforcement officers.
The incident began when the body of a pregnant woman was discovered in her home, with a gunshot wound to the head. Initially, authorities believed it to be a tragic suicide. However, further investigation revealed inconsistencies in the evidence that pointed to foul play.
The ex-police officer, who had a previous relationship with the victim, quickly became a person of interest in the case. Witnesses came forward with information suggesting that he had a history of abusive behavior towards the victim and had been seen near her home on the night of her death.
As the investigation unfolded, more disturbing details emerged. It was alleged that the ex-police officer had used his knowledge of crime scene investigation to stage the scene to make it look like a suicide. This included tampering with evidence and manipulating the circumstances of the victim’s death.
The arrest of the ex-police officer has sparked outrage and disbelief in the community. Many are questioning how someone entrusted with upholding the law could commit such a heinous act. The case has also raised concerns about the prevalence of domestic violence and abuse within law enforcement agencies.
The victim’s family and friends are demanding justice for her and her unborn child. They are calling for a thorough investigation and for the ex-police officer to be held accountable for his actions. They are also urging authorities to take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
This tragic case serves as a reminder of the importance of holding those in positions of power accountable for their actions. It highlights the need for transparency and accountability within law enforcement agencies to ensure that justice is served and that victims are protected.
As the investigation continues, the community is left grappling with the implications of this disturbing case. It serves as a stark reminder that no one is above the law, and that those entrusted with protecting and serving the public must be held to the highest standards of conduct.
