A former police detective in Massachusetts, Matthew Farwell, has been charged in the 2021 death of Sandra Birchmore, a woman he had been accused of strangling after she informed him she was pregnant with his child. Farwell allegedly staged her death to appear as a suicide. The federal prosecutors claim that Farwell began grooming Birchmore when she was a teenager in the Stoughton Police Explorers Academy where he was an instructor. He had sexual relations with her, including while on duty, when she was only 15 years old. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy described the years of grooming, statutory rape, and sexual violence Birchmore endured at the hands of Farwell.
Farwell allegedly befriended Birchmore, contacted her online, and accompanied her to the library before starting the sexual abuse. The abuse was part of a larger issue of alleged misconduct in law enforcement Explorer posts across the country, as revealed by a Marshall Project investigation in partnership with NBC News. The program, created by the Boy Scouts of America, is designed to educate teens and young adults about policing. Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore on February 1, 2021, in her Canton, Massachusetts, apartment when he felt he was losing control over her and rumors of their relationship were spreading. Prosecutors claim he silenced her permanently by taking her life.
Sandra Birchmore’s death was initially ruled a suicide by authorities, but the recent charges against Farwell indicate otherwise. The FBI arrested Farwell in Revere, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, charging him with one count of killing a witness or victim. The news of his arrest comes two years after the chief of the Stoughton Police Department announced that Farwell and two other former officers, including his twin brother, had inappropriate relationships with Birchmore. The brother has denied the allegations, but Farwell’s arrest sheds light on the disturbing behavior of the former officers.
Following a lengthy internal affairs investigation prompted by Birchmore’s death, Chief Donna McNamara stated that Farwell and the other former officers violated the policies and core values of the Stoughton Police Department through lies, deceit, and treachery. The department recommended that their certifications as police officers be permanently revoked to prevent them from serving in law enforcement anywhere in the country. McNamara emphasized that it has been a priority for the last three years to seek justice for Birchmore, who did not receive justice during her life, and called for justice to be served in her death. The recent actions taken in Farwell’s case are seen as a step closer to achieving justice for Birchmore.
Farwell’s lawyer did not provide an immediate comment on the charges against him. The case highlights the abuse of power and trust by individuals in positions of authority, as well as the vulnerability of victims who may be manipulated and exploited. The allegations against Farwell and the other former officers underscore the importance of safeguarding against abuse and misconduct within law enforcement agencies. The prosecution of those responsible for Birchmore’s death serves as a reminder of the need for accountability and justice in cases of violence and abuse, particularly when the perpetrators are individuals tasked with upholding the law and protecting the community.
