Three years after Sandra Birchmore’s death, which was initially classified as a suicide, a former Stoughton, Massachusetts police detective has been arrested and charged with her murder. Matthew Farwell, 38, was taken into custody following a detailed investigation that involved both local authorities and the FBI. Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore in her Canton home in 2021 while she was pregnant.
The investigation into Birchmore’s death began within the Stoughton Police Department and eventually expanded to include federal authorities. On Wednesday morning, Farwell was arrested at his home in North Easton by a SWAT team. Prosecutors allege that Farwell had engaged in an illegal sexual relationship with Birchmore, which began when she was 15. The two met through a youth explorers’ program that Farwell supervised.
Authorities believe that Farwell, who was married at the time, strangled Birchmore to death to cover up their relationship and allegations that he fathered her unborn child. Investigators now claim that Farwell went to great lengths to stage Birchmore’s death as a suicide in an attempt to evade justice.
“Matthew Farwell abused his position of power to exploit and harm a vulnerable young woman,” said Stephen Kelleher, FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “He nearly succeeded in covering up his crime by using his law enforcement experience to make her death appear as a suicide,” added Joshua Levy, Acting U.S. Attorney.
Farwell has been charged with one count of killing a witness or victim, a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment if he is found guilty.