Massachusetts police detective Matthew Farwell has been charged with the strangulation death of 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore, who was pregnant at the time of her death. Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore in her apartment in Canton to prevent her from disclosing information about his sexual exploitation of her, which began when she was just 15 years old. Farwell allegedly continued to have sexual contact with Birchmore while on duty as a police officer and concealed his activity by falsely representing his working hours.
Birchmore learned she was pregnant in December 2020 and told Farwell he was the father. She later told loved ones that Farwell became violent with her and wished she were dead. Two weeks before her death, Farwell allegedly asked for a spare key to her apartment and then murdered her on February 1, 2021.
Farwell has been charged with killing a witness and staging the crime scene to look like a suicide. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or life in prison. The investigation into Birchmore’s death was reopened, leading to the arrest of Farwell. Farwell, who served as a detective with the Stoughton Police Department for about 10 years, allegedly used his authority to groom and sexually exploit Birchmore when she was a teenager. The case has drawn attention to the issue of sexual abuse by law enforcement officers and the need for accountability in such cases.
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