Closing arguments begin in trial of former Massachusetts officer

Closing arguments are scheduled to commence in the federal trial of Matthew Farwell, a former Massachusetts police officer. Farwell, now 40, is accused of killing Sandra Birchmore in 2021. Prosecutors allege he murdered the 23-year-old pregnant woman to prevent her from revealing an illicit sexual relationship that had begun when she was 15.

At the time of the incident, Farwell was a married detective with the Stoughton Police Department. Birchmore had previously participated in a youth program at that same department as a child. Her death was initially staged as a suicide after she was found slumped on her apartment floor with a strap around her neck. Local police and state investigators, some of whom had personal connections to Farwell, quickly concluded the death was self-inflicted.

The state’s medical examiner initially ruled the cause of death as suicide based partly on police information. That official determination has since been changed to undetermined. However, Birchmore’s friends and family members never accepted the suicide narrative. They noted that the teacher's aide had told dozens of people about her pregnancy and was excited to begin life as a single mother. She had booked a maternity photoshoot, searched for a baby shower venue, and considered names for the child. A stroller, still in its box, and an ultrasound photo pinned to her refrigerator were later found in her apartment.

The FBI began investigating the case in 2023, partly at the urging of a former Stoughton deputy chief who had led an internal affairs probe into Farwell and other officers. Federal investigators determined that the local investigation had been rushed and compromised. Farwell was interviewed for only 15 minutes in a parking lot without notes being taken or DNA samples collected. Police examined his phone only after he had deleted text messages with Birchmore.

During the trial, Billy Farwell, the defendant’s twin brother, testified that the lead investigator, a longtime family friend, expressed a strong desire to close the case quickly. The FBI recovered approximately 40,000 text messages between the pair. These messages revealed that they had discussed having sex when Birchmore was 15, an age at which she could not legally consent in Massachusetts. The texts also showed the relationship becoming contentious as Birchmore pressed Farwell to get her pregnant and threatened to tell his wife if he refused.

Digital forensics experts testified that Birchmore’s phone stopped moving at 9:40 p.m. on February 1, 2021. This was three minutes before security footage showed Farwell leaving her building. Dr. William Smock, an expert hired by prosecutors, stated that Birchmore’s injuries indicated she was strangled with a duffel bag strap and struggled before dying. The defense countered with Dr. Thomas Andrew, former chief medical examiner in New Hampshire, who argued the evidence pointed to hanging and dismissed the homicide theory.

Farwell’s legal team argues he went to Birchmore’s apartment to break up with her, not to kill her. They contend that Birchmore, who was broke and alone when she became pregnant, took her own life. A paternity test later revealed that a different man was the father of the unborn child. The defense also emphasized Birchmore’s mental health history, noting she began psychiatric medication at age six, attempted suicide as a teenager, and wrote about suicide in her journals.

The case is being heard in federal court in Boston, a move made possible because local prosecutors never brought criminal charges. The trial has highlighted significant questions about the initial handling of the case and the relationships between local officials and the accused.