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On Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy announced federal charges against Matthew Farwell. He is accused of grooming Sandra Birchmore from a young age through a police program, then later killing her and staging it to look like a suicide.

Sandra Birchmore died in February 2021 when she was 23 years old. She was pregnant at the time of her death.

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Sandra Birchmore was Murdered

Originally her death was ruled a suicide.

Dissatisfied with the initial ruling, Birchmore’s family sought the expertise of Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner for New York City. Dr. Baden conducted an independent investigation and wrote a letter to the family’s attorney, expressing his disagreement with the suicide ruling.

He concluded Birchmore's death was a suicide by hanging.

He stated that her cause of death was strangulation and pointed to a fractured bone in her neck as evidence. This type of injury, according to Dr. Baden, is “rarely, if at all, seen in suicidal hanging and does occur in half of homicidal strangulations of women.” 

His findings have cast serious doubt on the initial conclusion and have provided critical support to the family’s claims. 

This new investigation also led to the ex-cop's Federal indictment. 

Stoughton Police Department’s Internal Investigation

Following Birchmore’s death, the Stoughton Police Department conducted a lengthy internal investigation.

 The investigation uncovered allegations that three former officers, including Matthew Farwell, had engaged in inappropriate relationships with Birchmore. The report alleges that Farwell began abusing Birchmore when she was just 15 years old, exploiting her involvement in Stoughton’s Explorers program—a youth initiative designed to introduce young people to careers in law enforcement.

In response to Dr. Baden’s report and the Boston Globe’s coverage, Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara released a statement expressing her deep concern. “I was profoundly disturbed and troubled by what I read,” McNamara stated. 

Chief McNamara voiced her frustration and called for accountability, stating, “Every good and decent police officer should be aware of and angry about the injustices inflicted upon Sandra Birchmore. Sandra idolized police officers and what policing stood for in America, and she was victimized as a result.”

Allegations Against Additional Officers

The internal investigation also implicated Farwell’s twin brother, William Farwell, and another former officer, Robert C. Devine, in having inappropriate relationships with Sandra Birchmore while she was underage. 

The report highlights that Matthew Farwell was the last known person to have seen Birchmore alive. Surveillance footage captured him at her apartment for 20 minutes just four days before she was found dead.

Ongoing Legal Battle and Public Outcry

Devine and the Fairwells all resigned from the Stoughton Police Department in 2022 and continue to deny the accusations made in a lawsuit filed by Birchmore’s family.

 The lawsuit seeks accountability for Birchmore’s death and justice for the young woman who was allegedly victimized by those sworn to protect her.

As the cases against Matthew Farwell and others progresses, the Birchmore family and the public continue to seek justice for Sandra Birchmore.