The case of Sandra Birchmore, a 23-year-old Massachusetts woman who was allegedly killed by police officer Matthew Farwell continues to raise questions. Birchmore was a vulnerable young woman. Prior to her death she was pregnant.

Her former close friend, Lauren Andrews, says Birchmore was looking forward to becoming a mother and pursuing a career in nursing when she died in February 2021.

Farwell is a former Stoughton police officer now facing federal charges in connection with her death and that of her unborn child. He has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations against him remain subject to the criminal trial.

Farwell allegedly groomed, abused and ultimately killed  Birchmore.

Andrews, who described herself as a secondary parental figure in Birchmore’s life, told CBS News that she never believed the initial conclusion that Birchmore had died by suicide. The medical examiner later changed the cause of death to undetermined, according to the report.

The case has since developed into a federal prosecution involving allegations that Farwell exploited a relationship that began when Birchmore was a teenager participating in a police department youth program.

A Friendship That Became Family

Andrews told CBS News that Birchmore had a difficult upbringing and became closely connected to her family through her friendship with Andrews’ daughter.

She recalled speaking with Birchmore approximately two weeks before her death. During that conversation, Birchmore reportedly disclosed that she was pregnant.

Andrews said Birchmore appeared excited about the pregnancy and was making plans for her future. She remembered Birchmore discussing nursing school and wanting to build a life for her child.

When news of Birchmore’s death initially emerged, Andrews said she struggled to accept the explanation that the young woman had taken her own life.

“We felt it was a lie,” Andrews told CBS News. “We felt injustice had occurred.”

Andrews said she suspected Farwell was involved and reported her concerns to Canton police. She told CBS News that she felt the officer she spoke with did not take her suspicions seriously.

Her account reflects the family's and friends' concerns about the early handling of the case, although those concerns alone do not establish criminal responsibility.

Killed by Police: Allegations of Grooming and Misconduct

Federal prosecutors allege that Farwell first met Birchmore when she was 13 and participating in a youth program associated with the Stoughton Police Department, where he worked as an officer.

According to the prosecution, Farwell began a sexual relationship with Birchmore when she was 15 and he was 27. Prosecutors characterize the relationship as part of a prolonged pattern of grooming and exploitation.

Andrews described what she believed happened as “complete, 100% exploitation” and called it grooming.

The allegations have prompted broader scrutiny of the relationships between Birchmore and members of the police department. An internal affairs investigation reportedly uncovered hundreds of text messages and explicit exchanges between Farwell and Birchmore over several years.

The investigation also identified inappropriate relationships involving at least two other Stoughton police officers, including Farwell’s twin brother, William Farwell.

William Farwell has not been criminally charged in connection with Sandra Birchmore’s death. During the internal investigation, he acknowledged having a sexual relationship with Birchmore for two years while she was an adult, according to the reported findings.

All three officers resigned after the department's investigation became public in August 2022.

Pregnancy and the Investigation Into Birchmore’s Death

Prosecutors allege that Birchmore learned she was pregnant in December 2020 and told Matthew Farwell that he was the father.

According to the prosecution, Farwell subsequently strangled Birchmore in February 2021 and attempted to make her death appear to be a suicide. DNA testing later established that Farwell was not the biological father of the unborn child, according to the supplied report.

Prosecutors allege that Farwell believed he might be the father at the time of Birchmore’s death. His attorneys dispute that account and say he did not believe he was the father.

Birchmore was found dead in her apartment in Canton, a Boston suburb near Stoughton. The medical examiner initially classified the death as a suicide before later changing the cause to undetermined.

The changing medical determination and subsequent federal investigation brought renewed attention to the case and the allegations raised by Birchmore’s friends and family.

Federal Charges and the Trial

After years of public scrutiny, federal prosecutors charged Farwell with murder in 2024. The case later proceeded to trial, with opening statements and testimony examining Birchmore’s relationship with Farwell, the pregnancy and the investigation into her death.

Farwell has pleaded not guilty to federal charges involving the killing of a witness or victim and failure to protect an unborn child, according to the supplied report. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.

The charges represent allegations that prosecutors must prove in court. Farwell is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.

A Case Raising Questions About Police Accountability

Birchmore’s death has prompted questions about how police departments supervise youth programs, investigate alleged misconduct by their own officers and respond to concerns raised by families and witnesses.

The allegations are particularly serious because prosecutors say the relationship began when Birchmore was a child and Farwell was an adult police officer. The case has also drawn attention to the risks faced by young people who may view law enforcement personnel as trusted authority figures.

For Andrews, Birchmore was more than a witness in a criminal case. She was a young woman who had become part of her family and whom she remembers as hopeful about motherhood and her future.

As the prosecution continues, the trial is expected to examine the evidence surrounding Birchmore’s final months and the circumstances of her death. The outcome will determine whether prosecutors can establish the charges against Farwell beyond a reasonable doubt.

The trial is ongoing as of Oct. 15, 2026, according to current CBS News Boston reporting.

More Information 

The following reports provide additional information about the investigation, trial testimony and allegations involving former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell.

CBS News Boston: Testimony Begins in Trial of Former Officer Accused of Killing Sandra Birchmore — trial testimony, witness accounts and the defense's response.

CBS News Boston: Trial Focuses on the Initial Police Investigation — testimony about how investigators originally classified Birchmore's death.

WBUR: Trial Begins for Former Stoughton Officer Charged in Birchmore's Death — reporting on the prosecution's allegations and defense arguments.

NBC Boston: Why Farwell Faces Federal Charges Rather Than a Murder Charge — explanation of the federal charges and legal issues.

U.S. Department of Justice: Matthew Farwell Case Information — official federal court and prosecution announcements.

Stoughton Police Department — information about the department and its youth programs.

USA Herald Stories by Jackie Allen

These links lead to USA Herald articles by Jackie Allen on criminal investigations, police misconduct allegations and forensic evidence.

https://usaherald.com/sandra-birchmore-death-ruled-homicide-murder-charges-filed-against-former-police-officer/

Ex-Cop Charged With Murder Faces Additional Stalking and Burglary Allegations — a case involving a former Georgia police officer facing separate allegations.

New Science Solves Old Murders: Investigative Genetic Genealogy — how genetic genealogy can help investigators solve cold cases.

DNA Linked to Suspect in 1988 Killing of Sixth Grader — reporting on forensic evidence in a decades-old murder investigation.

Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Is This the Key to Bryan Kohberger's Defense? — USA Herald's criminal investigations coverage, including Jackie Allen's reporting on DNA evidence.

USA Herald: DNA Evidence Coverage — additional articles by Jackie Allen concerning forensic investigations and criminal cases.