A former police officer from Massachusetts, Matthew Farwell, has been charged with the murder of Sandra Birchmore, whom he had sexually exploited when she was underage and eventually killed in an attempt to make it look like a suicide. The indictment alleges that Farwell strangled Birchmore in early 2021 after she informed him of her pregnancy and his paternity. Birchmore was 23 years old at the time of her death.
Farwell, who had served with the Stoughton police department for 10 years until 2022, allegedly committed the murder to conceal details of his prior sexual misconduct with Birchmore. The accused was scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Wednesday afternoon, but attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.
The court documents indicate that Farwell, serving as a volunteer in the police explorers program, abused his authority to manipulate, exploit, and sexually abuse Birchmore since she was 15 years old, continuing into her adulthood. Birchmore disclosed her pregnancy to Farwell towards the end of 2020.
Following a report by a friend of Birchmore to the Stoughton Police Department regarding Farwell’s illicit relationship with her, Farwell allegedly murdered Birchmore around February 1, 2021, and staged her residence to resemble a suicide scene.
Farwell is accused of falsifying his work hours to conceal his abuse of Birchmore while on duty.
Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara stated that a thorough investigation was initiated in collaboration with various agencies, including the FBI, in the aftermath of Birchmore’s demise. McNamara condemned the alleged actions of Farwell, labeling them as a grave injustice and the epitome of professional misconduct and human indecency in her lengthy law enforcement career.
Matthew Farwell faces the possibility of a death sentence or life imprisonment if found guilty of the charges, including the murder of a witness or victim.
