A former Stoughton police officer, Matthew Farwell, has been indicted on a new federal charge for allegedly causing the death of Sandra Birchmore’s unborn child. This follows an earlier indictment accusing Farwell of murdering Birchmore, who was pregnant at the time, to prevent her from disclosing information about his alleged sexual exploitation of her.
Farwell, 39, from Easton, remains in federal custody after being arrested and charged in August 2024. He is expected to be arraigned at a later date.
The superseding indictment states that around February 1, 2021, Farwell allegedly killed Birchmore by strangulation and then staged her body and apartment to make it appear as though she had died by suicide. The indictment claims that Farwell acted with malice aforethought and intended to stop Birchmore from reporting that he used his position as a police officer to groom and sexually abuse her beginning when she was 15 years old until her death. The new charge alleges that this act resulted in the death of Birchmore’s unborn child.
Court documents indicate that in the fall of 2020, Farwell agreed to try to impregnate Birchmore in an effort to prevent her from making details about their relationship public. Communications between them included messages where Birchmore said she would keep the baby and have Farwell sign the birth certificate; Farwell allegedly responded by calling her “the worst person on the face of the earth.” In subsequent weeks, Birchmore shared updates about her pregnancy with Farwell and made plans for prenatal care appointments scheduled after her death. She also purchased baby items and prepared for a public pregnancy announcement.
The indictment reports that Birchmore was between eight and ten weeks pregnant when she was killed.
The charge brought under 18 U.S.C. §1841 carries a mandatory life sentence if convicted. Sentencing decisions are made by a federal district court judge based on relevant guidelines and statutes.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Riley, Torey B. Cummings and Brian A. Fogerty of the office’s Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.”
“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
