‘Horrific injustice’: Stoughton police chief speaks out after ex-officer charged in Birchmore death

BOSTON — Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara called Sandra Birchmore’s death a “horrific injustice” after a former member of her department was arrested in connection with the young pregnant woman’s death.

Matthew Farwell, 38, of North Easton was indicted on a charge of killing a witness or victim in the Feb. 1, 2021, death of Birchmore in Canton, Joshua S. Levy, the Acting United States Attorney for Massachusetts, announced during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Farwell pleaded not guilty in federal court in Boston after he was arrested for allegedly sexually exploiting Birchmore when she was underage and then trying to stage the death as a suicide after she told him she was pregnant.

The indictment alleges that Farwell killed Birchmore “on or about” Feb. 1, 2021, by strangulation and then “staged” her apartment “to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide.”

“The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice. 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,” McNamara said outside federal court in Boston after news of the indictment came down.

In his capacity as a police officer, Farwell served as an instructor for the Stoughton Police Department’s Explorer’s Program, which is a vocational education program designed for youth to learn about careers in law enforcement. Court documents showed that Birchmore joined the program in 2010 when she was 12 years of age.

Farwell allegedly used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit, and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult up until her death.

Birchmore learned that she was pregnant in December 2020 and was excited about the pregnancy, scheduling doctors’ appointments, purchasing items for childcare, and telling loved ones how happy she was to become a mother, according to court documents.

Birchmore disclosed to loved ones that Farwell allegedly became violent with her when they discussed the pregnancy and his role in the child’s life. At one point while she was pregnant, Farwell allegedly held Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead.

Birchmore’s friend reportedly called Stoughton police in late January 2021 to report that Farwell had been having sex with her. According to the paperwork, a Stoughton Police Department employee informed Farwell of the phone call and days later, Birchmore was found dead in what initially appeared to be a suicide by hanging.

“The day after Sandra Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment, I ordered a lengthy and aggressive internal affairs investigation, the instructions of which made it clear that no stone should be left unturned,” McNamara added. “The Stoughton Police Department has supported other agencies and worked with other agencies, including the FBI investigation that today resulted in a murder indictment that concluded that Sandra was killed.”

McNamara noted that she made it her “life’s work” since Birchmore died to ensure justice was served.

“It has been my life’s work over these past three years to ensure that justice was served,” McNamara explained. “As I have stated previously, Sandra Birchmore received no justice during her life. It is imperative that justice be served in her death, and today’s actions appear to bring our society one step closer to justice.”

Farwell faces a mandatory sentence of death or life in prison if convicted.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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