A former Stoughton police officer has been indicted in federal court for having a sexual relationship with a woman from the time she was 15 years old until she was 23 and killing her sometime after she told him she was pregnant with his child.
The case involving former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell and Sandra Birchmore is a tragic and complex story that has raised significant concerns about power dynamics and accountability within law enforcement. Birchmore, a young woman who had been involved in a police cadet program, developed a relationship with Farwell over several years. The nature of this relationship and the circumstances surrounding it eventually led to a deeper investigation after Birchmore’s untimely death in 2021.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the government's motion for pretrial detention, Birchmore joined the Stoughton Police Explorers Academy as a child. "Farwell used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit, and ultimately sexually abuse then-15-year-old Birchmore." Then, after she became pregnant she began to disclose her sexual relationship. In October of 2020, Birchmore found out that Farwell's wife was pregnant with their third child and "presented Farwell with an ultimatum: Farwell would have to agree to engage in unprotected sex with Birchmore with the goalof conceiving a child; and in return, Birchmore would not disclose their relationship." In December she sent Farwell a text saying "congrats we are going to be parents." After that point, witnesses told investigators that Birchmore was extatic about her pregnancy, but Farwell became physically abusive. Their text messages show a long runing argument in which Birchmore pushes for commitment to being a family, and when Farwell resists Birchmore threatens to make the history of their relationship public.
In January of 2021, while Birchmore continued to pressure Farwell, Farwell changed his tune. He began telling her that he would commit, and asked for a key and access to her apartment. On February 1st, the last time Birchmore was seen alive, Farwell sent her a text asking if he could "come by for a second." The last text she ever sent was to Farwell saying that she left to door open for him. Surveillance video shows Farwell entering her apartment at 9:14 p.m. Investigators accessed Birchmore's phone which shows a timeline of her use of the device, as well as health data showing her last movement at 9:40 p.m., "3 minutes before Farwell was captured on surveillance video leaving Birchmore's apartment."
On February 4, 2021, Canton police found Birchmore's body next to the closet door with a duffle bag strap around her neck and the closet door handle. The office of the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be suicide, but the family was incredulous because everything in her apartment demonstrated that she was very future-oriented. The government obtained an independent review which indicated that the fracture of Birchmore's hyoid bone "is not consistent with the position in which first responders found her" and is not consistent with hanging by sitting with a strap around a door handle, but is consistent with strangulation. The review showed other signs consistent with strangulation.
In further support of the conclusion that Farwell killed Birchmore, the affidavit also details some sexually violent fantasies described by Farwell and sexually violent conduct that he and Birchmore discussed by text message, and also describes the various ways that Farwell lied to investigators while trying to minimize his relationship with Birchmore and his proximity to her last moments. Without a doubt Farwell's defense will include a challenge to the admissibilty of his conversations with Birchmore about his sexually violent fantasies.
The investigation into Farwell’s actions revealed a troubling pattern of behavior that called into question the responsibility of law enforcement officers in maintaining professional boundaries, especially with vulnerable individuals. This case has become a focal point for discussions about the ethical obligations of those in positions of authority and the safeguards that need to be in place to protect individuals who may be influenced by such figures.
Beyond the specific legal and disciplinary outcomes, the story of Sandra Birchmore and Matthew Farwell underscores the importance of oversight in law enforcement. It serves as a reminder that the systems in place to protect individuals must be robust and proactive, particularly when those individuals are in vulnerable positions or interacting with authority figures.
The ongoing conversation around this case highlights the need for continuous evaluation of police conduct, both to prevent future incidents and to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. It also emphasizes the critical role that accountability and transparency play in maintaining the integrity of the justice system.