Former Massachusetts Police Officer Convicted of Killing Sandra Birchmore and Unborn Baby

A federal jury in Boston found former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police officer Matthew Farwell guilty on Tuesday of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and causing the death of her unborn child in February 2021. Farwell was convicted on both federal counts he faced—killing a witness or victim and violating a federal law protecting unborn children—following roughly 15 hours of deliberations over two days at the Moakley Federal Courthouse.

Prosecutors argued during the four-week trial that Farwell murdered Birchmore to prevent her from exposing their illicit relationship, which they said began when Birchmore was 15 years old and enrolled in the Stoughton Police Department's youth explorers program. According to the government, Birchmore had informed Farwell she was pregnant in late 2020, prompting Farwell to strangle her in her Canton apartment on Feb. 1, 2021, and stage the crime scene to resemble a suicide.

Birchmore's death was initially ruled a suicide by hanging after her body was discovered three days later. However, the case drew renewed scrutiny in 2022 when the Stoughton police chief revealed that multiple officers, including Farwell and his twin brother, had been investigated for inappropriate sexual relationships with Birchmore. Federal prosecutors took over the case in 2024, leading to Farwell's arrest and indictment, and the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner subsequently changed Birchmore's manner of death from suicide to undetermined.

Throughout the trial, jurors heard testimony from about 50 witnesses. The defense contended that Birchmore died by suicide after Farwell ended their relationship and told her he was not the father of her child. DNA evidence presented during the proceedings ultimately confirmed that a U.S. Army recruiter, Jason Pickard, was the biological father of Birchmore's unborn baby. Defense experts also questioned physical evidence, including the condition of Birchmore's hyoid bone, while prosecution witnesses highlighted DNA links connecting Farwell to the ligature found at the scene and pointed to surveillance footage showing him entering and leaving the apartment building.

The verdict prompted emotional reactions inside the courtroom, with gasps and sobbing from Birchmore's family members. Outside the courthouse, relatives and family representatives voiced relief and praised the outcome. "We finally got justice," said Barbara Wright, Birchmore's cousin. "We've been fighting long and hard for her."

Acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley issued a statement following the verdict emphasizing that the evidence uncloaked Farwell's actions. "Despite Mr. Farwell's attempt to silence Sandra Birchmore, today her story is told," Foley said. Stoughton acting Police Chief James O'Connor also condemned the former officer's actions, calling the crime a profound betrayal of public trust.

Farwell faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison without the possibility of parole. A federal judge scheduled his formal sentencing hearing for Feb. 3, 2027. Meanwhile, a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by Birchmore's estate against the Town of Stoughton, Farwell, and other entities remains pending.