Josh William Heal born on December, 1979 and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He graduated from Shea High School and moved to East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, by 2009. Joshua Hills Graduated from Plymouth Police Academy. Before joining the Abington Police Department in 2019, Heal held the position of Animal Control Officer with the Stoughton Police Department. 

• 1997-2007 lived in in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
• Graduated from Shea High School
• 2013 Halifax Animal Control Officer Joshua Heal resigned due to family commitments. Meeting Notes
  
• on March 6, 2016 became an Animal Control Officer (“ACO”) for the Stoughton  Animal Control Officer .
• 2017 Attended Foxborough Police Academy
• Joshua Heal married
• May, 2019 Joshua is injured. 
• July 30, 2019 Joshua is back to work. Joshua Heal was out of work for a few months with an injury.
• In the fall of 2019 Sandra Birchmore came into a shelter to adopt a cat. They became friends and later engaged in a consensual sex act once after working hours at the animal shelter. Joshua Heal is friends with  Sandra on Facebook 
• 2020 – Became an Abington Police Officer
• 2021 – Joshua Heal became a school resource officer in Abington
• December 2021 Stoughton investigators interviewed him as part of their inquiry into Sandra Death, he walked off the interview.
  
• February 2022 Joshua Heal was interviewed for a second time.
  
• May 13, 2022, Joshua and his wife purchased a home in Abington, MA

2019 – Joshua Heal and Sandra Birchmore met in the early fall of 2019 at the Animal Shelter in Stoughton, Sandra came in to adopt a cat. They became friends  Sandra on Facebook 

Three months after Joshua Heal first met Sandra Birchmore in early fall of 2019, Sandra visited him at the animal shelter. During her visit, she kept receiving and replying to text messages. Once she finished, Sandra explained to Heal that the person she was seeing was tracking her location. That person could see she was at the shelter with him and was texting her to ask why she was there.

She also shared that the tracking on her cell phone was enabled because she was in a bad relationship in the past and had taken out a restraining order against a former boyfriend.

On October 5, 2020,

Joshua Heal told Sandra Birchmore that Matthew Farwell’s wife was pregnant with the couple’s third child. Joshua Heall told Sandra that the baby was due in February 2021. Sandra Birchmore had not known of this fact and “seemed a little upset about it.” She did not know because Mr. Farwell had not told her that his wife was expecting their third child.

Sandra Birchmore responded that she was going to tell Matthew Farwell’s wife that he had been having sex with her (Birchmore) for nearly ten years. The same day Sandra drafted a message to Matthew Farwell wife, she sent a copy to Joshua Heall

“I am just messaging to inform you that your husband Matthew has been out cheating on you since before you guys were even married.”

December 2020

Sandra shared with Joshua Heal she had been pregnant three times, and that she was pregnant again with Mathhew Farwell’s baby, that Farwell wanted her to have an abortion and that she was “very adamant about not having an abortion.”

2021

Joshua Heal Interview

He was interviewed twice by Stoughton investigators regarding the Birchmore case, first in December 2021 and again in February 2022.

December 2021 – Stoughton investigators interviewed him as part of their inquiry into Sandra, Investigators for the Stoughton Police Department asked Heal during both interviews if he had “engaged” in certain behaviors with Birchmore but he walked off the interview. “He didn’t feel like a witness; rather, he felt like he was being “interrogated.”

February 2022 – Josh Heal agreed to another interview after Del Papa told Heal police department policies and procedures require him to cooperate, Heal later agreed to sit for the second interview. During his second interview, Joshua Heal informed Stoughton investigators that Birchmore adopted a cat from the shelter around 2019 and would sometimes visit to see the dogs and cats. During these visits, according to interview transcripts, Birchmore would confide in Heal about her relationships with other Stoughton police officers, including sharing photos and videos. Heal testified that Birchmore appeared to need an outlet to “vent” during these interactions. Sandra Birchmore told him Matthew Farwell used a phone to track her whereabouts and met her for sex at his residence and at a soccer field.

During his interview with IA, Mr. Heal told Deputy Chief Holmes and Paul L’Italien

• Birchmore’s goal “was to have a family where her and Matt would live together and have children together and live happily ever after.”
• Heal had a general awareness of the sexual relationships that Ms. Birchmore had with other members of the SPD.
• Deputy Chief Holmes and Mr. L’Italien asked Mr. Heal if he believed all of what Ms. Birchmore had told him. Heal responded that he did not always believe what Ms. Birchmore told him because he knew of her lying from time to time and he had previously caught her lying or embellishing various aspects of her life. 
  As time went on and Heal changed careers, his friendship with Ms. Birchmore “fizzled out” and they barely spoke. For example, Mr. Heal did not know Sandra Birchmore moved from Stoughton to Canton. 
• Birchmore told Heal she was having sexual relationships with people in the SPD.
  Heal acknowledged some of the text conversations got “pretty intense and graphic.” Birchmore shared with Heal that she wanted to have a threesome.
  Birchmore shared graphic and explicit photographs and/or video with Heal that William Farwell had sent of his own wife.
  Birchmore also shared with Heal who stated during his IA interview that Matthew Farwell sent Birchmore explicit pictures, but that Ms. Birchmore did not share those pictures with him. 
• Birchmore did not share with Mr. Heal that she had any kind of sexual encounter or relationship when she was with or in the Stoughton Police Explorers. 
• Birchmore specifically told Mr. Heal she had a sexual relationship with Matthew Farwell.
• He told her that Matthew Farwell wife was pregnant. Birchmore had not known of this fact and “seemed a little upset about it.” She did not know because Mr. Farwell had not told her that his wife was expecting their third child. Birchmore shared with Mr. Heal that she had planned to reach out to Mr. Farwell’s wife and drafted a message that she had intended on sending to Mr. Farwell’s wife.
• During his IA interviews, Heal stated to Paul L’Italien that Ms. Birchmore never told him when the sexual relationship with Mr. Farwell started.
• Birchmore did not share timeframes or ages when sexual relationships began.
• Heal was positive of that because if a relationship began before she was 16, Mr. Heal stated, “that’s something that would have been a red flag in my mind.”
• At all times relevant, the information Heal reported to Paul L’Italien and Deputy Chief Brian Holmes was based on information Birchmore had shared with him and told him.
• Heal did not receive information that he relayed in his statements during the Internal Affairs Investigation that came from William or Matthew Farwell or Robert Devine.
• During the IA investigation, Heal told Mr. L’Italien Ms. Birchmore believed Matthew Farwell was the father of her baby.
• Heal did not know whether to believe Ms. Birchmore because she was having sexual relations with other people. 102.
• At all times relevant, Mr. Heal did not speak or communicate with Matthew Farwell about Ms. Birchmore or any of the subject matter set forth in the Complaint.
• Heal did not speak or communicate with William Farwell about Birchmore or any of the subject matter set forth in the Complaint.
• Heal did not speak or communicate with Robert Devine about Ms. Birchmore or any of the subject matter set forth in the Complaint.
• During his interviews during the IA Investigation, Heal told Deputy Chief Brian Holmes that he did not always believe what Ms. Birchmore told him because she “told lies all the time” and “[he] caught her in ‘lies’ “multiple times.” He advised that Birchmore was not always truthful.
• Matthew Farwell did not personally communicate to Ms. Birchmore that his wife was pregnant with their third child.
• Heal learned of Ms. Birchmore’s death from Officer Victoria Denneno of SPD. Officer Denneno knew Heal was friendly with Birchmore and wanted to let him know that she had passed away.
  

According to Allen Consulting Services, which conducted an internal investigation for Abington, it concluded that there was “sufficient credible evidence” indicating Heal violated department rules regarding proper officer conduct. This was primarily due to his alleged lack of truthfulness, full cooperation, and openness during the initial Stoughton investigation and subsequent interactions with Abington Police leadership.

These findings suggested that Heal could have potentially faced decertification as a police officer under Massachusetts’ new police reform law.

Based on the findings , prior to Heal’s resignation and scheduled APD Investigatory Interview, this investigator finds that there is sufficient credible evidence that Heal, while serving as an APD officer, violated APD rule and regulation, 4.01 – Conduct Unbecoming. There is sufficient credible evidence that Heal was not truthful, fully cooperative, and/or forthcoming during the SPD administrative investigation, including in his responses to questions from Holmes and L’Italien during interview #1 and interview #2. Heal did not fully disclose or advise Del Papa with complete and thorough information specific to his personal interactions with Sandra Birchmore, related to the SPD administrative investigation. Heal was not fully truth fill when he disclosed to Chief Del Papa and Sullivan that he was declining to be interviewed in a second, subsequent interview by Holmes because Heal was concerned about information being released. Heal was was not truthful with Chief Del Papa and Sullivan, as he had on at least one occasion ***redacted

On December 2021, Del Papa (who became Abington Police Chief in August 2021) was informed by the Stoughton Deputy Chief that the officer Joshua Heal, who is now with Abington, was considered a material witness in an ongoing investigation. Specific details were not disclosed. Del Papa suggested placing the officer Heal on administrative leave but was advised against it. The Stoughton Deputy Chief assured Del Papa that he would be notified if the officer’s status in the investigation changed.

September 22, 2022 Del Papa received noticed that the department completed its report into Joshua Heal and that the officer was facing allegations. Since then, the Abington officer Joshua Heal has been put on paid administrative leave.

The Abington Police Department is aware of allegations of misconduct concerning one of its officers. This Department does not take allegations of officer misconduct lightly.

These are serious allegations and will be investigated thoroughly. An Internal Affairs investigation into this matter is currently underway.

The officer who is the subject of this investigation has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation.

Due to the ongoing nature of this investigation, we are unable to provide any additional details.

Prior to becoming an Abington police officer in 2019, Heal was the Stoughton Police Department’s Animal Control Officer. Joshua Heal, served as Abington’s school resource officers and as a comfort dog handler, submitted his resignation this past February 2023 ahead of a scheduled interview with internal investigators. He had been on administrative leave since September 2022

The Abington investigation determined that Officer Joshua Heal was not a credible witness and less than forthright in his conversations with Stoughton and Abington officials.

February 2023, Officer Heal, who served as both a school resource officer and a comfort dog handler in Abington, resigned.

His leave stemmed from a report implicating several Stoughton police officers in inappropriate relationships with Sandra Birchmore, starting when she was a teenager. Sandra Birchmore tragically died in 2021 in Canton, three months pregnant at the time, allegedly by one of the Stoughton officers.

The Abington investigation concluded that Officer Joshua Heal was not a reliable witness, and was less than forthcoming in his discussions with Stoughton and Abington officials.

Joshua Heal Timeline Investigation

In August 2021, Del Papa stepped into his role as the new Chief of Police in Abington. Only a few months into his tenure, in December, a situation arose that would test the limits of his experience and integrity. Stoughton investigators, embroiled in the complexities of the Birchmore case, sought to interview Officer Heal, a school resource officer under Del Papa’s command, as a possible witness.

Having been hired before Del Papa’s arrival, Joshua Heal somehow became a key figure in the case. Stoughton’s Deputy Chief, Brian Holmes, assured Del Papa that Heal’s involvement was nothing more than that of a material witness. Holmes suggested that pulling Heal off active duty wasn’t necessary, and Del Papa accepted this recommendation, trusting the judgment of his counterpart.

After Joshua Heal’s first interview, Del Papa approached him in Abington, seeking clarity on why Heal was hesitant to cooperate further. The reasons Heal provided were redacted from official reports, shrouding them in mystery. However, Del Papa reminded Heal that departmental policies mandated his cooperation with the investigation. With this nudge, Heal reluctantly agreed to a second interview.

But as the investigation deepened, so did the scrutiny on Heal. During a second interview, Stoughton investigators, led by retired state police investigator Paul L’Italien, pressed Joshua Heal further. Birchmore had confided extensively in Heal, leaving investigators to sift through a mountain of digital messages. “The text messages are overwhelming,” L’Italien told Heal. “All over the map. Tons of information.” Despite this, Heal’s discomfort was evident. He didn’t feel like a mere witness; the line of questioning felt more like an interrogation.

As the months passed, the case grew murkier. Still leading the charge in Stoughton, Holmes offered Del Papa a chance to delve deeper into the specifics of the case—on the condition that he sign a non-disclosure agreement. This request set off alarms for Del Papa. In his 26-year career, he had never been asked to sign such an agreement to discuss a case. He balked, wary of the implications.

Through the fog of legal maneuvering and investigative pressure, one fact became apparent to Del Papa: Stoughton’s perception of Heal shifted from December 2021 to September 2022. What began as an inquiry involving a potential witness had evolved into something more sinister. Yet, throughout this period, Stoughton had given Del Papa no indication that Heal was now suspected of misconduct.

The case remained a labyrinth of digital clues, procedural challenges, and the looming question of trust between law enforcement agencies. And in the middle of it all was Chief Del Papa, navigating the delicate balance between protecting his officer and upholding the law.

Timeline:

March 6, 2016: Joshua Heal started work as an Animal Control Officer (ACO) for the Stoughton Police Department.

Early Fall 2019: Joshua Heal first met Sandra Birchmore when she came to adopt a cat at the animal shelter where Heal worked.

December 7, 2021: Deputy Chief Brian Holmes of the Abington Police Department wrote to Chief David Del Papa, informing him that Joshua Heal, a former employee, was a witness in an ongoing internal affairs investigation related to the Birchmore case. Holmes anticipated Heal’s cooperation and expected an interview before the end of the year.

December 21, 2021: Heal had an Internal Affairs (IA) interview with Deputy Chief Holmes and investigator Paul L’Italien. Heal mentioned that he did not know Sandra Birchmore when she was a minor and rejected her advances for sexual intercourse. Heal disclosed a single incident of consensual oral sex that occurred after work, off-duty, and outside the animal shelter building.

During this Interview, Heal was asked whether the incident he recounted took place on the love seat in the office of the animal shelter. Joshua Heal stated, “I don’t think that was there at the time. I don’t remember.”

December 2021 – September 2022: During this period, Stoughton did not indicate that Heal was anything other than a witness in the Birchmore investigation.

January 11, 2022: SPD conducted a forensic examination of a love seat at the animal shelter, finding no evidence implicating Heal in any misconduct related to the love seat.

Throughout 2021-2022, Heal and Birchmore maintained regular contact, speaking frequently via text messages and occasionally by telephone. Heal learned about Birchmore’s mental health struggles and became aware of her relationship with Matthew Farwell approximately three months after meeting her.

February 9, 2022: During an interview, Joshua Heal informed Deputy Chief Holmes that Sandra Birchmore had told him about her sexual relations with William Farwell on multiple occasions, some of which occurred in a police cruiser.

February 9, 2022: Heal also revealed that Birchmore told him about having sexual relations with William Farwell’s twin brother, Matthew Farwell, and another officer, Robert Devine.

2021-2022 (Throughout their Friendship): Birchmore shared with Heal details of her sexual relationships with several officers, including William and Matthew Farwell. She also mentioned being pregnant with Matthew Farwell’s child and shared that he wanted her to have an abortion. Joshua Heal often doubted Birchmore’s claims, as he had repeatedly caught her lying.

2021-2022: Despite the graphic nature of their text exchanges, Heal maintained that he and Birchmore never engaged in sexual intercourse. Their relationship was purely platonic, although the communication was sometimes intense and explicit.

On October 5, 2020: Birchmore mentioned wanting to reach out to Mr. Farwell’s wife and that she was upset upon learning from Heal that Farwell and his wife were expecting their third child, a fact Farwell had not disclosed to her.

Unspecified Date: Heal’s friendship with Birchmore “fizzled out” as time went on, and they barely spoke.

Unspecified Date: Heal reported during interviews that Birchmore had shared graphic and explicit photographs sent to her by William Farwell, although Heal did not receive or share those images.

February 9, 2021: Joshua Heal left his position with the Town of Stoughton and was employed as a police officer with the Town of Abington.

September 2023: During an interview with a student, it was revealed that Joshua Heal created an Instagram account to communicate with students.

In the civil lawsuit response, Joshua Heal claimed:

Before February 9, 2021: Joshua Heal learned of Ms. Birchmore’s death from Officer Victoria Denneno of the Stoughton Police Department (SPD). Denneno informed Heal because she knew of his friendship with Birchmore.

Joshua Heal Stated that from 2010-2016: Sandra Birchmore was a member of the Stoughton Police Explorers program. However, at all relevant times, Joshua Heal was not employed by the Town of Stoughton or the SPD during her involvement with the program, nor did he have any oversight or participation in it.

September 23, 2022: Chief Donna McNamara of the Stoughton Police Department held a press conference to release the Internal Affairs (IA) Investigation results. During the conference, McNamara identified Matthew Farwell, William Farwell, and Robert Devine as subjects of the investigation and announced her intent to decertify them as police officers.

September 23, 2022: During the press conference, although Chief McNamara did not mention Mr. Heal by name, she indirectly implicated him as being guilty or responsible for Ms. Birchmore’s death.

Post-September 23, 2022: The SPD released the IA Investigation Report to the public, which included information about Mr. Heal. Efforts were made to redact and conceal personal identifying information, but Mr. Heal’s identity was not fully redacted.

Post-September 23, 2022: Although the SPD IA investigation did not implicate Joshua Heal in any wrongdoing or unlawful acts, the IA report was disseminated to the public, potentially damaging his reputation. Throughout the release of the IA report, Mr. Heal was not notified of its impending release and was not allowed to object despite the report containing personal identifying information pertinent to his employment.

January 10, 2023: Kirk Minihane, the host of the Kirk Minihane Show and part of Barstool Sports featured the Sandra Birchmore case on his podcast “The Case.” During the podcast, Minihane made false and defamatory statements about Mr. Heal, including exaggerations and unverified claims regarding his involvement in the case.

January 10, 2023: Minihane falsely stated that Mr. Heal was friendly with the Farwells, had known Sandra Birchmore since 2015, and claimed that Heal had traded a cat for oral sex with Birchmore. He also incorrectly claimed that a DNA test was performed on a couch to verify this.

September 23, 2022: During the press conference, Chief Donna McNamara of the Stoughton Police Department made statements that implicated Mr. Heal in the investigation even though the SPD IA investigation did not find Mr. Heal to be a target or subject of the investigation.

Post-September 23, 2022: Deputy Chief Brian Holmes communicated incomplete information to Chief Del Papa of the Abington Police Department, failing to clarify that the IA investigation did not implicate Mr. Heal. This act was considered negligent and caused substantial harm to Mr. Heal’s reputation and career.

Post-January 2023: The dissemination of the partially redacted IA report and the subsequent public commentary significantly damaged Mr. Heal’s privacy, reputation, and professional standing. The SPD’s actions were considered to have breached their duty of care towards Mr. Heal.

Ongoing Impact: Chief McNamara and Deputy Chief Holmes’ actions and statements have had a devastating effect on Mr. Heal’s life, privacy, and ability to make a living.

Post-January 10, 2023: Kirk Minihane, during his podcast, made additional defamatory statements about Mr. Heal, implying that he used his position as a K-9 officer to “lure young girls” and insinuate inappropriate behavior with students.

January 10, 2023: Minihane also implied that Mr. Heal was a predator, expressing outrage that he was allowed to remain a school resource officer in Abington despite the allegations. These false claims were made without evidence, further damaging Mr. Heal’s reputation.

After January 10, 2023: The release of an unredacted IA report and subsequent podcast episodes led to Mr. Heal being named a defendant in a lawsuit, significantly impacting his personal and professional life.

Post-September 23, 2022: The Town of Stoughton, aware of the potential civil liability from the press conference, reportedly took steps to remove the recording from public channels. Despite this, the damage had already been done.

Post-September 23, 2022: There was significant criticism regarding the Town of Stoughton and SPD’s handling of the press conference and the release of the IA report, which exposed the town and department to substantial legal risks.

Impact on Mr. Heal: As a direct result of being named in the lawsuit and the public release of his identity, Mr. Heal was forced to resign from his position with the Abington Police Department. The damage to his reputation, emotional distress, and loss of income were significant.

Legal and Administrative Failures: Chief McNamara and Deputy Chief Holmes’ negligence in handling the IA investigation and subsequent public disclosures directly contributed to Mr. Heal’s damages.

The latest extracted information continues detailing the legal claims and issues arising from the mishandling of the IA investigation and subsequent public disclosures. Here’s how it adds to the timeline:

Post-January 2023: The public disclosure of Mr. Heal’s name and involvement, coupled with defamation by Kirk Minihane and Barstool Sports, led to his being named as a defendant in a lawsuit. This resulted in significant reputational damage and emotional distress, and ultimately, Mr. Heal was forced to resign from the Abington Police Department.

SPD’s Hiring of William Farwell: The timeline indicates that SPD negligently hired William Farwell despite several red flags in his background, including a military discharge for misconduct, prior police interactions, and deceptive behavior during his interview. This hiring was critical, as it set the stage for Farwell’s involvement in the Birchmore case and the subsequent legal implications for Mr. Heal.

SPD’s Retention of Robert Devine: Similar issues are highlighted with Robert Devine, who SPD retained despite a history of misconduct, including an affair that led to a significant investigation and his demotion. Devine’s continued employment by SPD is presented as another failure by the department, eventually contributing to the tragic events involving Sandra Birchmore.

Negligent Hiring and Retention: The documents outline how SPD’s negligent hiring and retention of both Farwell and Devine played a significant role in the events that unfolded. The department portrays these decisions as breaches of duty, directly leading to the damages Mr. Heal suffered. Read Here

By February 9, 2021, Mr. Heal no longer worked for the Town of Stoughton and had taken a position as a police officer with the Town of Abington (“Abington”). 
Heal was aware Ms. Birchmore was a Police Explorer in the Town of Stoughton in the police Explorers Program. 
At all times relevant, Mr. Heal was not employed by the Town of Stoughton or SPD when Ms. Birchmore was involved with the Stoughton Police Explorers Program. 
At no time did Heal have any involvement oversight or participation in the Stoughton Police Explorer Program, nor did Heal have any involvement, oversight, or participation in the program when Ms. Birchmore was no longer a member or student of the program. 
Birchmore was a member of the Stoughton Police Explorers program from 2010-2016. Heal did not have any interaction with Ms. Birchmore when she was a member of the Stoughton Police Explorers Program.