BOSTON, MA – A former Stoughton police officer, Matthew Farwell, has been federally indicted on charges of allegedly killing a pregnant 23-year-old woman. He is suspected of staging her death to appear as a suicide. The announcement was made on Wednesday following the unsealing of the indictment in Boston.
Sandra Birchmore was strangled to death in February 2021, reportedly after she revealed to Farwell she was carrying his baby. According to the indictment, Farwell arranged her apartment to suggest a suicide. He has been indicted on a count of killing a witness or victim.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy claimed at a press conference on Wednesday that Birchmore had been victim to years of statutory rape and sexual violence at Farwell’s hands. Farwell was serving as an officer and detective with the Stoughton Police Department during their relationship.
Farwell was arrested on Wednesday and is scheduled for a court appearance later in the day. Contact with his legal representative for comment remains unestablished.
The indictment claims Birchmore was groomed and exploited by Farwell, starting from when she joined an adolescent program at the Stoughton Police Department that he instructed. The two allegedly began a sexual relationship when Farwell was 27 and Birchmore 15.
Prosecutors accuse Farwell of carrying out sexual acts with Birchmore, a minor, during his police duty hours. The indictment claims he fraudulently claimed he was working those hours to cover up their activities.
According to prosecutors, their affair continued until Birchmore’s death, while Farwell remained married and had children. Birchmore was discovered dead inside her Canton apartment on February 4, 2021.
Authorities claim that in October 2020, Farwell agreed to impregnate Birchmore in exchange for her silence about their affair and his criminal conduct. This agreement reportedly led to more issues when Birchmore expressed her desire for Farwell to be more involved in the birth planning.
Allegedly, Farwell strangled Birchmore to death in her apartment, donning a mask despite being known for his resistance to COVID-19 mask mandates. Actively exploiting his policing experience, he staged her death to resemble a suicide.
According to FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Steve Kelleher, Farwell consistently lied to detectives regarding the true nature of their relationship, attempting to avoid implicating himself.
Birchmore’s death was initially ruled as a suicide. However, Levy stated that federal investigators uncovered new information and analyzed existing evidence leading to the indictment. Details of how federal authorities initiated their investigation remain unclear.
If convicted, Farwell could face life in prison or the death penalty, with the DOJ not yet having made a determination on the latter. Information is being shared with local and state authorities to assess the appropriateness of state charges.