February 1, 2021, Farwell texted Birchmore to inform her that he was on his way to her apartment. Despite being known for resisting COVID-19 mask mandates, he entered her apartment wearing a face mask.

Once inside, Farwell murdered Birchmore, the 23-year-old pregnant woman he had exploited for years, by strangling her to death. Surveillance footage captured him leaving her apartment just minutes after committing the crime.

• 12:19 PM Birchmore sent Matthew Farwell text messages indicating that she was going to be released early (at 12:35 p.m.) from her job at the Sharon Public Schools. Matthew Farwell told her that he would not be in the area that day. once home Sandra Birchmore ordered baby items. She used her computer,
• 12:35 PM: School Released Early, Once home Sandra Birchmore ordered baby items. She used her computer,
• 1:25p.m. She planned for newborn baby photos, an official pregnancy announcement, which she planned to do on Valentine’s Day, as well as a gender reveal. She also made plans for her more immediate future, scheduling an OBGYN appointment for February 10, 2021, has a load of wet clothes in the washing machine and another load dry in the dryer.
• 1:31 PM booking a newborn photography shoot
• 5:01 p.m., Sandra received a DoorDash order, and then went outside briefly
• 5:31 p.m, and 5:33 p.m. The last time Birchmore is seen alive on the video is on February 1, 2021, at 5:33 p.m.
  
• 7:57 p.m. Birchmore texted a friend to obtain baby clothes from her
• 8:25 p.m Birchmore performed a Google search for “Cubby Kids” furniture
  
• 5:01 p.m., Sandra received a DoorDash order, and then 
• 5:31 p.m went outside briefly and returning with a snow brush at 5:31 p.m and 5:33 p.m. 
• 5:33 p.m The last time Birchmore is seen alive on the video is on February 1, 2021, at 5:33 p.m.
• Sandra was doing laundry 
• 9:00 PM Sandra spoke with a coworker and asked to help shovel out her car during the impending snowstorm.
• 9:03 PM that evening, she sent a message via Snapchat to inquire about a work schedule.
• 9:08 p.m Matthew Farwell sent Birchmore a text message asking whether he could “come by for a second.”
• 9:10 p.m., Birchmore sent Matthew Farwell a text message indicating that when he arrived at her apartment, the door would be open for him. This is the last known outgoing message sent from Sandra’s cell phone.
• 9:13 PM Sandra sent a final text message to Matthew Farwell stating that the door was unlocked
• 9:14 PM, Matthew Farwell was seen entering Sandra’s apartment building.
• 9:28 PM Sandra’s coworker replied to the Snapchat message at 9:28 PM, but Sandra did not open the message.
• 9:40 PM: Sandra’s Health Data App registered eight steps using its motion sensors. 
• 9:43 PM Matthew Farwell was seen exiting Sandra’s lobby at 9:43 PM. 

Afterward, Farwell drove to Newton-Welles Hospital, located 12 miles outside of Boston. At this hospital, on February 2, 2021, at 9:25 a.m., Michelle Farwell gave birth to their son.  Report

On February 4, 2021,

• 10:00 AM Sharon School Resource Officer contacted the Canton PD School Resource Officer to check on Sandra Birchmore. Ms. Birchmore worked at East Elementary School located in Sharon, Massachusetts and had not shown up for work and employees were unable to contact her.
• 10:55 AM Canton PD Officers responded to 3307 Windsor Woods to make contact with Ms. Birchmore, with negative results (no one answered the door). Sandra’s vehicle was in the apartment complex parking lot, covered in snow and had not been moved since the snowfall on Monday, 2/1/21. The officers spoke with a property manager, who provided a key to access the apartment. Canton PD officers entered the apartment and observed Ms. Birchmore in the bedroom seated on the floor with a belt/lanyard string/rope around her neck, secured around the bedroom closet door handle and appeared deceased. Ms. Birchmore’s cell phone was on the floor located close to her body.
• 11:45 AM Upon entering the apartment, they located Birchmore apparently deceased, seated on the floor of the bedroom Canton Fire Dept. personnel responded. Birchmore was then determined to be deceased at approximately 11:46 AM by Firefighter/paramedic Daniel Whitley. Canton Fire Rescue/Paramedics arrived and pronounced Ms. Birchmore deceased. 

Apartment Conditions:   Report

• The apartment was cluttered and unkempt.
• Two cats were present in the apartment.
• The bedroom door was closed; when opened, a desk lamp and colored Christmas lights were found turned on.

Bedroom Scene:

• The bed was unmade, with only a sheet over the mattress and an exposed box spring.
• Sandra’s eyeglasses were found on the bed.
• A U.S. Army ACU-pattern duffel bag was among the scattered items in the room.

Body Position and Condition:

• Sandra was found seated on the floor, with a scarf or strap tightly wrapped around her neck and secured to the bedroom closet door handle.
• Reports vary: some refer to it as a scarf, others a strap.
• No visible signs of head trauma or defensive wounds on her hands were observed.
• Officer Ensley Cotard noted a large pool of dried blood around her mouth.
• Lividity and blue skin discoloration indicated she had been deceased for an extended period.

Additional Scene Details:

• Sandra’s cell phone was found on the floor:
• Approximately 12 inches from her right hand
• About 6 inches from her bent right knee
• She was wearing the same clothing seen on surveillance footage from February 1, 2021, at 5:33 p.m., when she entered her apartment.

Official Findings:

• State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne reported:
• No signs of physical abuse, bruising, swelling, or external trauma.
• No indications of struggle observed.
• Chris Adams and Caitlyn Bulger (Medical Examiner’s Office) took custody of the body.
• A sexual assault kit was completed:
• Included swabs, hair and fingernail clippings, and clothing.
• Dr. Michael Baden later noted that it “appears” the evidence was not tested.
• Toxicology report showed presence of Sertraline, an antidepressant.

Additional Evidence Found by Family:

• Family members later discovered a broken gold necklace with a pink flamingo charm on the bedroom floor.
• The chain was broken, not at the clasp, and contained a large clump of hair.
• Crime scene photos showed:
• The necklace was still partially around Sandra’s neck.
• The broken chain hung to the left side of her neck.
• The flamingo charm lay on the right side of her abdomen.

Follow-up  Investigation by Canton PD on February 6, 2021

• On February 6, 2021, Canton PD detectives conducted follow-up investigation at Windsor Woods and interviewed a witness who advised Canton PD detectives that Ms. Birchmore was involved in an intimate relationship with a police officer, who was alleged to be the father of her unborn child.
• Canton PD detectives received information from a second witness who said Ms. Birchmore had been dating a police officer, who did not want the baby, and if Ms. Birchmore did not get an abortion, he  would take care of the problem himself.
• On February 6, 2021, Canton PD and MSP coordinated a second review of video footage at Windsor Woods.
• After the review of video footage investigators identified a male subject, (later identified as Stoughton Police Detective Matthew Farwell) arrive at Windsor Woods on February 1, 2021, at 9:27 p.m. and departed at 9:56 p.m. Mr. Farwell was observed entering the apartment complex lobby and entering the elevator. Video revealed Mr. Farwell was at Windsor Woods for approximately 28 minutes.
• Canton PD and MSP conducted a second search of Ms. Birchmore’s apartment.

Detectives obtained  Video from the apartment complex showing a man entering the lobby of Sandra’s building. They learned from maintenance worker Michael that the person in the video looked like the man who helped Sandra move into her apartment.

Surveillance footage of Sandra Birchmore’s apartment complex showed the last time she was seen alive at 5:33 p.m. and Sandra Birchmore wearing the same clothing that she was wearing when she was seen on video entering her apartment on February 1, 2021. The last person to see her alive, Matthew Farwell, entered and left the building on February 1, 2021. It was later learned after leaving Sandra’s apartment, Matthew Farwell drove his wife to the hospital delivery unit where they welcomed their third child. 

February 1, 2021 – Sandra Birchmore’s Phone & Health Data Activity

• 9:13 p.m. – Final Text Sent
• Sandra’s phone was locked after she sent a final text message to Matthew Farwell stating that the door was unlocked.
• This is the last known deliberate action taken by Sandra on her phone.
• 9:18 p.m. – Screenshot Logged
• The phone recorded a screenshot of a black screen.
• This indicates some form of interaction with the device while it was still locked.
• The action could have been accidental or triggered by another individual.
• 9:40 p.m. – Motion Data Recorded
• The phone’s Health Data App registered eight steps using its motion sensors.
• This activity suggests physical movement of the phone or its user at this time.
• Surveillance footage confirms that Matthew Farwell was still inside the apartment at this exact moment.
• He is later seen leaving the building at approximately 9:43 p.m.
• Post 9:40 p.m. – No Further Activity
• No additional movement or steps were recorded by Sandra’s phone after 9:40 p.m.
• The phone remained inactive until it was recovered by first responders on February 4, 2021.

These recorded steps occurred while Matthew Farwell was still in Sandra Birchmore’s apartment. The phone recorded no additional steps between 9:40 p.m. and the time it was recovered by first responders on February 4, 2021.

Phone Activity Data:

• 9:13 p.m. – Sandra Birchmore’s phone was locked after sending a final text to Matthew Farwell: “door is unlocked.”
• 9:18 p.m. – A screenshot of a black screen was recorded:
• Suggests non-user interaction (possibly accidental or by another party).
• Indicates Sandra may have ceased active use of the phone by this point.
• 9:40 p.m. – Eight steps registered by the phone’s motion sensors:
• This marks the last recorded movement.
• Occurred while Matthew Farwell was still inside the apartment (he left around 9:43 p.m.).
• Movement may have been Sandra’s or someone handling the phone.
• Post-9:40 p.m. – The phone recorded no additional activity until recovered by police on February 4, 2021.

Health App Data – Interpretation & Significance

• The absence of recorded steps after 9:40 p.m. suggests:
• No further movement by Sandra or her phone.
• Possibly coincides with Sandra’s time of death.
• The proximity to Farwell’s departure, seen on surveillance footage, is significant:
• Narrows the critical timeframe to 9:13–9:43 p.m. on February 1.
• Health data offers objective, time-stamped insight into Sandra’s final moments:
• Reinforces findings from surveillance video and digital forensics.
• Underscores need to examine Farwell’s actions within this narrow time window.

Key Insight – 9:40 p.m. Movement

• The eight recorded steps at 9:40 p.m. are:
• The final sign of life or movement involving Sandra or her device.
• Occurred just minutes before Farwell exited the apartment building.
• Their timing raises critical questions about what transpired in those final moments.

During Sandra’s death Investigation, detectives learned from the family that Sandra was seeing Detective Matthew Farwell. On February 5, 2021, Chief McNamara ordered Deputy Chief Holmes to conduct an internal investigation to determine any violations of policies procedures, rules and regulations of the Stoughton Police Department by any of its officers.  IAB Report

On February 6, 2021, Matthew Farwell was interviewed by the Massachusetts State Police as part of the Sandra Birchmore death investigation. During the interview, Matthew Farweil stated that he had known Sandra “for about ten years,” they met when she was in the “Explorer” program of the Stoughton Police Department. Matthew Farwell told the State Police that he began a relationship with Sandra Birchmore early in 2020. He admitted that In December 2020, Sandra told him she was pregnant. He stated he last saw her on the evening of February 1, 2021, when he went to her apartment to end their relationship. They had a “pretty nasty argument,” and he left at approximately 9:30 PM. 

On February 11, 2021, William Farwell was interviewed by the Massachusetts State Police as part of the Sandra Birchmore death investigation. During the interview, Willian Farwell stated that he first met Sandra “about ten years earlier” when she was in the “Explorer” program and he was a guest instructor. In 2018, while he was assigned to a paid detail, Sandra approached him, and they began to talk about her interest in joining the Army. Farwell put her in touch with an Army recruiter, and Sandra began to contact him regularly. William Farwell admitted during his State Police interview that he and Sandra had relationships going back about two years.

Matthew Farwell has been a sworn member of the Stoughton Police Department from March 27, 2012. He was a member of the Stoughton Police “Explorers” group during his teenage years and had beon designated the rank of Deputy Chief within the program in 2002.

After high school he entered the military and later acted as a guest instructor within the “Explorers” program at the request or direction of Robert Devine. Sandra Birchmore was a member of the Stoughton Police “Explorers” group beginning in 2010 when she was thirteen (13) years old. She was on the stand-by list for the program in 2010, was a member in 2011 and remained in the program until 2016, the year she graduated from Stoughton High School.

Matthew Farwell hired an attorney and sent a letter to PD. 

Throughout your conversations with my client and later with myself, you have indicated that you view him as a witness in your investigation. This is consistent with reality as Mr. Farewell has committed no crime. Like many, he is saddened by Ms. Birchmore’s death. During our recent conversations, you asked Mr. Farewell to submit a DNA sample and participate in a polygraph interview. Although I appreciate your diligence, I advised my client to decline these requests and the request for a further interview (not a polygraph) that accompanied them.  Letter

First Autopsy was performed by  Maria Del Mar Capo Martinez, MD.

May 2021, The Medical Examiner’s written autopsy report noted that Birchmore’s hyoid bone (a U-shaped bone at the front of the neck) was fractured on the right side and that she suffered from petechial hemorrhages of the bulbar and palpebral conjunctivae. Additionally, the Medical Examiner concluded that Birchmore had a hemorrhage of her left sternothyroid muscle.

• killed herself by hanging, according to her  death certificate
• The Medical Examiner determined that Birchmore’s cause of death was asphyxia by hanging.
• The Medical Examiner ruled Birchmore’s manner of death a suicide.
• The Medical Examiner’s autopsy report further confirmed that Birchmore was approximately 8 to 10 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
• The autopsy included toxicology testing. The results of the toxicology tests were negative for all substances except for sertraline, which was likely explained by the antidepressants Birchmore had been prescribed.

According to  Maria Del Mar Capo Martinez, MD Sandra Birchmore died by suicide

The Medical Examiner’s written autopsy report noted that Birchmore’s cause of death was suicidal hanging. 

• killed herself by hanging, according to her  death certificate
• The Medical Examiner ruled Birchmore’s manner of death a suicide.
• The Medical Examiner’s autopsy report further confirmed that Birchmore was approximately 8 to 10 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.

A subsequent State Police investigation found no evidence of foul play.

FEBRUARY 9, 2021- DETECTIVE COLLECTED IPHONE11 FROM FARWELL

12:00 PM: DETECTIVES MET WITH MATTHEW FARWELL AT THE NORFOLK DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN CANTON. MATTHEW GAVE CONSENT TO RETRIEVE THE DATA OFF HIS PHONE RELATIVE TO THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF SANDRA BIRCHMORE.

LATER ON DETECTIVES RECOVERED FARWELL’S ICLOUD ACCOUNT WHICH CONTAINED IMAGES THAT CONFIRM HIS INTEREST IN DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, INCLUDING STRANGULATION.

• A MEME CONTAINING A PHOTO OF A WOMAN WITH TAPE OVER HER MOUTH THAT STATES, “DUCT TAPE TURNING ‘NO, NO, NO’ INTO ‘MMM, MMM, MMM’ SINCE 1942”;
• AN IMAGE THAT STATES, “WHEN SHE SAYS ‘CHOKE ME DADDY’ AND YOU GET CARRIED AWAY AND NOW SHE’S DEAD”;
• A SCREENSHOT OF AN IMAGE OF A WOMAN SAYING THAT SHE COULD NOT SLEEP, FOLLOWED BY A MAN CHOKING HER SAYING, “GOODNIGHT BITCH”; AND
• A MEME GLORIFYING A PERSON WHO KILLS AND SEXUALLY ABUSES SOMEONE WHO “NO ONE WILL MISS.”

IN TEXT MESSAGES WITH BIRCHMORE, HE ROMANTICIZES THE STATUTORY RAPE, BY DISCUSSING THE FIRST TIME THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE SEX AND HIS REGRET THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE SEX EARLIER IN 2012, AND FARWELL REPEATEDLY DISCLOSED TO BIRCHMORE HIS INTEREST IN HAVING SEX WITH CHILDREN. VIA TEXT MESSAGE, FARWELL ASKED BIRCHMORE TO PRETEND THAT SHE WAS 13 OR 14 YEARS OLD WHEN THEY WERE HAVING SEX. HE ALSO HAD BIRCHMORE JOIN HIS SEXUAL ROLE PLAY IN WHICH HE POSED AS HER OLDER BROTHER AND SIMULATED NONCONSENSUAL INCEST.

AFTER BIRCHMORE’S DEATH, FARWELL GAVE LIMITED CONSENT TO SEARCH HIS PERSONAL CELL PHONE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO WERE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH. HOWEVER, ON FEBRUARY 9, 2021, FARWELL USED HIS WORK CELL PHONE TO MAKE AND DELETE TWO GOOGLE SEARCHES. FIRST, HE SEARCHED FOR AND DELETED, “CAN DELETE IMESSAGE BE RECOVERED HY CELLEBRITE.” THEN, HE SEARCHED FOR AND DELETED, “CAN YOU REVOKE CONSENT IN MASSACHUSETTS.

2014 – Deputy police chief has been put on paid administrative leave following an internal investigation, but the chief says he can’t say why the No. 2 person in the department was suspended. October 20, 2014 flowers were delivered to Lisa Devine at her residence…  Report

Sandra’s death marked the tragic culmination of nearly a decade of grooming and abuse by officers in the Stoughton Police Department. Orphaned at a young age, Sandra sought structure and joined the department’s Police Explorers Program as a teenager. There, she met Robert Devine and twins Matthew and William Farwell, who presented themselves as mentors but used their authority to manipulate and assault her over the years.

November 27, 2020: Sandra spoke with Robert Devine aka Marty Riggs via Facebook messenger. 

December 21, 2020: Sandra spoke via Facebook messenger with Robert Devine who was on duly for the Stoughton Police Department. He requested Birchmore to meet him at the Chateau restaurant. When Devine arrived he sent Sandra another message asking her where she was, she indicated she was on the way.

April 4, 2022: The Town of Stoughton placed William Farwell and Robert Devine on administrative leave. The move coincided with the end of William’s unrelated personal leave.   Town Manager Release

April 8, 2022, Robert Devine was interviewed at the MPTC academy by Chief McNamara’s delegates. He denied any relationship with Sandra and stated, “because you won’t find it” when told no communication had been discovered.

• On April 8, 2022, Robert Devine was interviewed by Paul L’Italien and Robert Fries at the MPTC training academy in Randolph. Mr. L’Italien and Mr. Fries were acted as delegates from Chief of Police, Donna McNamara during this interview. During the interview Robert Devine continually denied that he had any type of contact or relationship with Sandra Birchmore. When informed that at that stage of the investigation we hadn’t found any direct communications between Devine and Birchmore he replied “because you won’t find il”.
• The investigation later revealed there was direct contact between Devine and Birchmore by Facebook messenger between November 27, 2020 and February 1, 2022. During some of their Facebook messenger communications the nature of the conversation was that Devine and Birchmore There was also at least one instance where they met when Devine was on duty . Findings: Regarding the allegation that Officer Robert Devine demonstrated Incompetence when he failed to demonstrate “sound judgement” in violation of Section 3, of the Stoughton Police Department Rules and Regulations, this allegation is SUSTAINED. Analysis: On the date of December 21, 2020, Robert Devine failed to demonstrate “sound judgement” when he engaged in Facebook messenger communications with Sandra Birchmore while on duly for the Stoughton Police Department. The content of the text messages was that he requested Birchmore to meet him at the Chateau restaurant.

May 17, 2022, Detectives discovered a Facebook Messenger thread on Sandra’s laptop involving a user later identified as Devine using the alias “Marty Riggs”. The messages included discussions about meeting Sandra in his patrol car while on duty.

• On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, Detectives were reviewing the contents of Sandra Birchmore’s laptop; they discovered a conversation thread in the Facebook messenger files. The contact appeared to be either a blocked or anonymous Facebook user. Based on the content and context of the conversation, the user appears to be Officer Robert Devine. The person is an attorney and an employee of the Stoughton Police Department. They discussed, among other things, meeting with Sandra Birchmore while on duty in a patrol car. The conversation discussed meeting locations in Stoughton. Sandra also discussed with the Facebook user, who is believed to be Devine; after further investigation, the user was identified as “Marty Riggs.”

August 16, 2022: Robert Devine officially retired from the Stoughton Police Department.

August 25, 2022, Detectives received a letter from Robert Devine. He claimed his accounts had been hacked. However, an internal IMC records check found no incident reports supporting this claim. Investigators maintained their assessment of his credibility.

• Thursday, August 25, 2022, Detectives received via first class mail, a letter from Robert Devine in response to questions that were mailed. From the Police Report: “Devine’s response was received by me after I documented his credibility assessment as part of this report. I maintain this assessment despite Devine’s response. Devine opened his response by indicating “of course I desire to cooperate”. His response to the third question outrageously makes claims about accounts being hacked. IMC in-house records checks of Devine and located no incident reports in which Devine reports being hacked or is the victim of a computer crime.” . This response is a consistent theme that was developed and employed throughout the investigation of Paul White .

September 13, 2022 Chief Donna McNamara confirmed in an internal email that Matthew Farwell, William Farwell, and Robert Devine would not be returning to the department.  Email

Statement of Chief Donna M. McNamara reveals misconduct by Farwell brothers, Devine in internal affairs report   Statement

Robert Devine, who led the Program, along with the Farwell twins, who served as officers and educators, were initially seen by Ms. Birchmore as mentors. However, beneath this facade of mentorship lay a dark and exploitative reality. The police department’s internal investigation would later reveal that Defendants W. Farwell and Devine had engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with Ms. Birchmore, taking advantage of their positions to repeatedly assault her while on duty. The investigation further uncovered that all three officers, including M. Farwell, manipulated and abused Ms. Birchmore, exploiting her trust and vulnerability.

Robert Devine, in particular, played a pivotal role in this disturbing narrative, mentoring the Farwell brothers in how to use their authority to prey on minors within the Explorers Program and on Ms. Birchmore herself.

January 16, 2024: POST Commission seeks to strip or suspend Devine’s authority to work in law enforcement

On February 24, 2021, Matthew Farwell was placed on paid administrative leave. During this period, he obtained a commercial driver’s license and founded an interstate trucking business, DMJ Transportation LLC., a business headquartered at his home in Easton.

On March 12, 2021 Officer William Farwell was served notice that he was under investigation. Note: William Farwell was at the time on military leave detailed to his MA Army National Guard unit and had been deployed since for several months. His anticipated return to full duty date was May through July 2022.

On Wednesday October 6, 2021, Detective met with Sergeant Fanning at the Office of the District Attorney and received Sandra Birchmore’s MacBook Air from Sergeant Fanning.

Text messages show that Farwell physically abused Birchmore. On at least 20 occasions in just the year before her death, Farwell sent Birchmore text messages stating that he would grab her throat, pin her down by her throat, squeeze her throat, or choke her during sexual activity. For example, less than four months before her death, Farwell told Birchmore that during their next sexual encounter, he was going to “grab throat and say stfu now or I won’t pull out.” In November 2020, Farwell told Birchmore, “Maybe I’ll hold you down by your throat while I pound you.” He then reflected on “how tight” he should squeeze, texting that he wanted her to feel like “omg this is really happening and I can’t stop it.” Farwell’s penchant for violence is confirmed by Birchmore’s disclosures to friends that the defendant assaulted her in the weeks before her death.

Birchmore’s own journal entries reveal Farwell’s efforts to “punish” her with violent sex acts. This violent sexual punishment started as early as 2013 and continued until 2020. The evidence indicates that the defendant used violent sex acts to punish Birchmore for getting bad grades, lying to him, or being sexually active with other people. The evidence indicates that Farwell’s efforts to control Birchmore also included directing her to use her phone to share her location with him and admonishing her when she failed to do so

Text Messaged between Matthew Farwell and Sand Birchmore –  Source

March 7, 2019

• FARWELL: You would have to take a serious pounding to make me happy
• * * *
• BIRCHMORE: Is it for everything?
• FARWELL: No.
• * * *
• FARWELL: You owe me 3
• FARWELL: I’ll give you a break and spread them out
• BIRCHMORE: Please not all the same day
• FARWELL: No I’ll give you like a week so you can feel it and then as soon as it goes away you’ll get it again so you feel it for like a whole month
• * * *
• BIRCHMORE: Not gonna be a fun month
• FARWELL: Not for you

On March 11, 2019, FARWELL asked Birchmore why her location was off and why he can no longer see it. 

On March 22, 2019, FARWELL asked Birchmore to reveal her location. When she responded that she was at “7-11,” FARWELL told her that he knew she was in Abington, and he asked multiple times why she would go there when “Stoughton has 100 convenience stores.”

On April 22, 2019, FARWELL sent Birchmore a text message stating, “I know your hiding shit your location is off again.”

On June 22, 2019, FARWELL sent Birchmore a text message asking why she turned off her location data “the other day.”

On July 5, 2019, FARWELL again reached out to Birchmore saying, “I see your location is off again.”

July of 2020, FARWELL apparently transitioned from wanting to track Birchmore’s location to prioritizing secrecy.

• FARWELL: You can turn your location back off if you want
• BIRCHMORE: It wasn’t off. Thats why I wasnt sure why it wasnt showing up. Then I just unshared and reshared it with you. You can have it. Its been a thing for years lol.
• FARWELL: Lol ok
• BIRCHMORE: Idc if you know where I am. Im not doing anything I shouldn’t be. My legs shaking a shit ton rn. Im feeling that tmrw
• FARWELL: lol I know that I just don’t really like any of that stuff big brother is always watching 
• BIRCHMORE: I don’t understand what you mean.
• FARWELL: I’m just saying iPhones keep track of way too much stuff I don’t mean anything by it.

FARWELL directed Birchmore to destroy evidence of their sexual relationship:

March 11, 2019, FARWELL sent Birchmore a text reminding her to “Make sure you clear all this out.”

March 19, 2019, FARWELL sent Birchmore texts about his desire to use sexual violence and to pretend to rape her. At the end of this conversation, FARWELL sent her a text indicating that he was going to bed and instructed her to “Clear out this text.”

June 5, 2019, FARWELL directed Birchmore to make sure all of their text messages and Facebook messages had been deleted

Evidence of FARWELL’s efforts to coerce and entice Birchmore to engage in sexual intercourse when she was 15 years old:

• FARWELL: Wish we had just done it for real the first time
• BIRCHMORE: I know you do baby : (
• FARWELL: it would’ve been perfect
• BIRCHMORE: Yes!
• * * *
• BIRCHMORE: Was it still perfect the first time?
• FARWELL: Of course it was baby 
• BIRCHMORE: 🙂
• * * *
• FARWELL: I never thought you’d let me
• BIRCHMORE: I never thought you would.
• FARWELL: I wanted it so bad
• BIRCHMORE: So did I! I knew the day we made eye contact I
• wasnted you to fuck me
• BIRCHMORE: Wanted*
• FARWELL: You should’ve told me we could’ve fucked so much sooner
• BIRCHMORE: 🙂
• FARWELL: Clear that out part out baby
• BIRCHMORE: I did
• FARWELL: Good gir

On February 11, 2020, Birchmore and FARWELL discussed the exact day that

• FARWELL took then 15-year-old Birchmore’s virginity:
• BIRCHMORE: I had butterflies so bad the day you took my virginity
• FARWELL: Me too it was such a big day
• BIRCHMORE: Still know the date to this day
• FARWELL: Really?
• BIRCHMORE: Yes.
• FARWELL: 🙂
• BIRCHMORE: Thats not a date I’ll ever forget
• BIRCHMORE: It was april 10, 2013
• FARWELL: 🙂
• BIRCHMORE: Best day of my life
• FARWELL: Me too

On June 19, 2020, Birchmore and FARWELL had the following conversation in which FARWELL reminisced about his past criminal sexual abuse of Birchmore:

• BIRCHMORE: I’m glad you agreed to take my virginity though
• FARWELL: Me too
• * * *
• FARWELL: Lol if I pushed I absolutely could’ve fucked you
• without condoms from day one
• BIRCHMORE: Probably if you really pushed it.
• BIRCHMORE: I was kinda scared to say no in the beginning not
• knowing how you’d take it so yeah you wouldve got
• no comdoms lol.

February 21, 2020, Birchmore and FARWELL reminisced about when they first became sexually active:

• BIRCHMORE: I listened better back then tho
• FARWELL: I wish it had been a year sooner after helping you study at
• the library
• FARWELL: You still listen and give me whatever I want baby
• BIRCHMORE: I didnt even make you wait a year after that
• BIRCHMORE: And good. But I dont think your gonna get what you want next time so
• FARWELL: Of course I will I’ll just take it
• BIRCHMORE: That’s what you think. Good luck with that
• FARWELL: What was the first day you said omg I want this guy to be
• my first I want to feel him inside me
• BIRCHMORE: Yeah so 2012 I finally decided that I was gonna try and find
• a way to fuck you and just wasnt sure how.
• BIRCHMORE: How did you feel when I asked to make your dream come true
• FARWELL: Amazing!
• BIRCHMORE: Good
• FARWELL: I absolutely would’ve fucked you in 12
• BIRCHMORE: In 12?
• FARWELL: 2012

October 12, 2020

• FARWELL: I said the agreement was once that was our compromise 
• BIRCHMORE: I asked if we could try this month, didn’t realize that meant you fuck me once lol. And Then I asked if we could try through this year and you said I’d think about it.

October 13, 2020:

• FARWELL: Our compromise was try once.
• BIRCHMORE: Yeah it was to try this month
• BIRCHMORE: So your thinking about the second thing I said as far as the rest of the year?
• FARWELL: You said try once this month if it happens it’s meant to be those are the exact words

November 5, 2020:

Birchmore asked FARWELL if he had given any more thought to their prior conversation and told him that she thought of a way they could both be happy:

• BIRCHMORE: How would you feel about us having a baby, you being there AND signing the birth certificate (theres never gonna be a need for your information anyway so youll be safe there) and I wont talk shit about her or your kids. That way we both get what we want.
• BIRCHMORE: You asked me the other day what I wanted and I didn’t want to give it to you in the form of an ultimatum so I am trying to do it with you as a compromise type of thing Can you tell me what you thought of?
• BIRCHMORE: I’m down for discussing it in person but the more I thought about it you signing it really isn’t going to have an impact on you cause of the way things are going to fall in the future.
• FARWELL: ok that’s an in person discussion

November 2020, after Birchmore learned that she was not yet pregnant, she asked FARWELL about continuing to try to conceive for another month. On multiple occasions, FARWELL told Birchmore that they would need to discuss that topic in person. FARWELL continued to meet with Birchmore in person and text messages suggest that they remained sexually active.

November 18, 2020, in which they discussed an upcoming sexual encounter:

• FARWELL: I’m going to try for tonight I’ve been in interviews
• all day from the murder Sorry
• BIRCHMORE: Exciting. Okay. I’m running to the store and doing
• something for you then. I hope you can come
• FARWELL: What are you doing for me?
• BIRCHMORE: Lol shaving.
• BIRCHMORE: Are you planning on rolling me over? I need to know
• what you want if you come?
• FARWELL: If you want me to roll you
• * * *
• FARWELL: Would you want me to use a condom if I roll you?
• BIRCHMORE: I dont have any lol. I never picked any up.
• BIRCHMORE: Do you want me to just take what you do or try and say no? I know being told no is your favorite
• FARWELL: Say no
• BIRCHMORE: 😉 I can do that

Approximately 21 minutes after the foregoing text messages, FARWELL told Birchmore that he was at her apartment and subsequent text messages indicate that she let him in. Approximately 25 minutes later, Birchmore asked FARWELL via text message whether he enjoyed having vaginal sex with her again and he responded, “yeah.”

December 28, 2020, Birchmore sent FARWELL a text message informing him that she was pregnant. She sent him a photo of a poster she had made to celebrate the pregnancy

• FARWELL: How far are you?
• BIRCHMORE: Regardless of how far we’re keeping it…
• BIRCHMORE: but 3.5 weeks * * *
• BIRCHMORE: Which means I concieved this month * * *
• FARWELL: Ok well we need to talk then.
• BIRCHMORE: No shit. That’s obvious
• BIRCHMORE: And the birth certificate is being signed
• BIRCHMORE: Or hers isn’t. * * *
• BIRCHMORE: No I’m mad your acting how you are over a CHOICE WE BOTH MADE
• FARWELL: I’m mad you act like you gave anyone a choice
• BIRCHMORE: Lmao oh so you didn’t have a choice
• BIRCHMORE: ?
• FARWELL: Per usual you make and do whatever you want
• BIRCHMORE: All I did was say can I have it you said have what and I said you know what im asking for and you stood up and said yeah
• BIRCHMORE: You’ve been doing that. You mad shes due in
• February and I am in September and you dont know how your gonna be there for both of us.
• BIRCHMORE: And you need to be there during labor for me too
• BIRCHMORE: Becuase your kid should matter 
• BIRCHMORE: Late august-early September**
• FARWELL: You are truly the worst person on the face of the earth
• FARWELL: For the past week and half the doctor wasn’t right but now she was and you just throw it at me cause now you’ve got me. You honestly have absolutely no idea how to treat people. I have fucking bent over backwards for you. Now you want to act like this was some free will decision. You have threatened me from the word go if I didn’t do and give you what you wanted you would ruin me. I made a deal with you and you changed the terms at every turn. We will deal with this tomorrow.

December 29, 2020, 

FARWELL and Birchmore met to talk in person. After this meeting, Birchmore sent FARWELL a text alluding to a physical encounter.

• BIRCHMORE: it made me really uncomfortable and stressed out and scared when you were next to me because I thought you were gonna hit me after you said what you said and took things out of my hand. That’s why I was crying. I know you wouldn’t but it still scared me.

January 3, 2021

show that Birchmore asked FARWELL if their child could have his last name. However, he told her he would not discuss that issue via text message.

• BIRCHMORE: So I have a compromise for you
• BIRCHMORE: You don’t need to sign the bc if the baby can have your last name… * * *
• FARWELL: Not discussing in text. We can talk in person.

January 6, 2021

Birchmore began to ask FARWELL what their family would look like.

• BIRCHMORE: 1. You don’t have to sign the bc if I’m allowed to at least list you and they can have your name and I won’t move to
• Stoughton or
• BIRCHMORE: I won’t bitch about holidays- but I would like you to come a few days before Christmas and Easter so you can see what they get from me and I don’t want you to leave them out. And If you want to try and support them, we can talk about that. But I do want you to see them.
• BIRCHMORE: I feel like I’m trying to be as fair as I can. And I want you there for labor… That I’m standing my ground on.
• BIRCHMORE: Last name**
• FARWELL: ok we can discuss this more in person.
• BIRCHMORE: Okay. I figured. Does it kinda sound ok to you?
• FARWELL: It a lot to think about it’s so much more than you have ever asked for. * * *
• BIRCHMORE: And still less than what any other girl would ask for

January 20, 2021, 

Friend called the Stoughton Police Department, and in that call referenced the sexual relationship between Birchmore and FARWELL. After learning about this call—the fact of which suggested at least some aspects of FARWELL’s illicit conduct may have been exposed to the Stoughton Police Department—FARWELL sent Birchmore text messages revealing his extreme anger. He sent her a series of text messages with expletives, telling Birchmore that he thought no one knew about their relationship, that she had no clue how bad this was, and indicating that he does not know if he needs to worry about other disclosures.

• FARWELL: Dude your fucking friend called my job Sandra wtf
• BIRCHMORE: ?
• FARWELL: You’re friend just called my fucking
• work to complain about me wtf
• BIRCHMORE: Idk
• FARWELL: What do you mean you don’t know
• BIRCHMORE: I literally just woke up
• FARWELL: Did you steal from her?
• BIRCHMORE: Nope
• FARWELL: What is going on?
• FARWELL: You also told me that no one knew about us yet she claimed
• we are fucking
• * * *
• BIRCHMORE: It’s literally nothing
• FARWELL: It’s not nothing she called my job that’s insane. * * *
• FARWELL: Why would she call and drop my fucking name Sandra? Like what do I have to do with you not giving her something? * * *
• FARWELL: Like you have no idea how bad what she did is * * *
• FARWELL: I literally can’t believe this is even real life like what else do I have to worry about now? Which other friend will do something tomorrow?

January 24, 2021,

• BIRCHMORE: Soo the father came by last night it was like a complete 360 change
• PERSON 8: 180?
• BIRCHMORE: Yeah lol
• PERSON 8: Good or bad?
• BIRCHMORE: Good, but unexpected. So it kinda threw me off and made me a little uncomfortable but that’s cause of how things were going. He asked me if I’d give him a key and said that if I keep it a secret he’ll be around and see them and all that. So its somewhere. Then he looked in my closet and then the bathroom but idk why haven’t figured that out.
• BIRCHMORE: We started to heart to heart then work called him so he had to leave.
• BIRCHMORE: Oh and he brought me a ginger ale because I ran out
• PERSON 8: What about the birth certificate?
• BIRCHMORE: I think he’s signing it not sure
• BIRCHMORE: Hes coming back again this week
• BIRCHMORE: But it was like a complete like 180 from where we were at

January 24, 2021, Birchmore indicated that she was surprised that FARWELL was now requesting a key to her apartment:

• PERSON 9: Did it go good with him
• BIRCHMORE: I got hit with a shocker question. Can I call you
• BIRCHMORE: So what really well surprisingly him he asked if he could
• have a key I am basically said he’ll be around as long as I
• keep it a secret and don’t tell anybody
• BIRCHMORE: But he did admit that I do have the upper hand in the situation
• Which isn’t a good thing but I’m trying to and not be that
• person if you know what I mean
• PERSON 9: I get it are you gonna give him a key
• BIRCHMORE: I just made a copy of it yeah
• PERSON 9: That’s good
• BIRCHMORE: I’m not gonna give it to him yet but he also brought me a
• Ginger ale last night like I asked him to
• PERSON 9: He’s coming around
• BIRCHMORE: A lot more than I thought he was going to yes
• BIRCHMORE: I still have to verify the pin for him to get into the apartment if he rings me and I don’t answer
• BIRCHMORE: But like last night he open my closet door for some thing and then he went in my bathroom looking at my bathroom and then I have a dolly in my living room that he asked why I had it was just really odd he started looking around I don’t know
• PERSON 9: That’s weird BIRCHMORE: Yeah it was really weird

Text Messages

• April 10, 2020 11:46pm
• May 1, 2020 11:10pm
• May 20, 2020 7:14pm
• July 1, 2020 9:36pm
• September 22, 2020 7:32pm
• September 24, 2020 8:56pm
• September 28, 2020 8:28pm
• October 5, 2020 7:03pm
• October 6, 2020 7:09pm
• October 12, 2020 7:31pm
• October 19, 2020 9:44pm
• October 23, 2020 8:01pm
• October 25, 2020 10:43pm
• November 6, 2020 10:27pm
• November 18, 2020 9:46pm
• November 24, 2020 9:22pm
• November 28, 2020 10:26pm
• November 28, 2020 10:40pm
• December 11, 2020 10:52pm
• December 29, 2020 7:49pm
• December 30, 2020 11:01pm
• January 8, 2021 10:09pm
• January 16, 2021 10:02pm
• January 23, 2021 10:08pm
• January 29, 2021 10:07pm

On Tuesday, December 21, 2021, Detectives met with interviewed Joshua HeAl. After some small talk, he was asked if he had any idea why he was being interviewed. He said no. He was informed that the investigation concerned the matter of Sandra Birchmore. During this interview Joshua Heal was asked if he was involved in any type of sexual behaviour with Sandra, Heal denied, Detective offered to allow to stop the interview if he felt that he needed to consider the representation that he had. The interview started as approximately 10:30AM. After approximately 30 minutes of questions, Joshua Heal asked to stop the interview for a break. After the break he asked to stop the interview so that he could consult further representation.

During his second interview, Heal admitted something happened one time between him and Birchmore inside the animal shelter after hours. Heal told Stoughton investigators that Birchmore adopted a cat from the shelter around 2019 and then would occasionally come by to see the shelter’s dogs and cats. While there, she would tell Heal details about her relationships with the other Stoughton police officers, including sharing photos and videos, according to interview transcripts. Heal testified Birchmore seemed to need to “vent.”

In the fall of 2019, Sandra met Joshua Heal when she visited a shelter to adopt a cat. The two became friends, and Sandra confided in him about her troubled past, including her relationship with Farwell and other officers involved in the Explorers Program. Although they shared a brief consensual encounter, Joshua became a confidant, one of the few people Sandra trusted. She confided in him about intimate details of her life, including her relationships with the Farwell brothers and Devine. According to Joshua, they engaged in a consensual sex act once after working hours at the animal shelter. Joshua Heal remained friends with Sandra on Facebook.

On Wednesday, December 22, 2021, Detectives received records of all available pet adoption files previously stored at the Stoughton Animal Control Shelter. In an attempt to locate adoption papers where Sandra Birchmore adopted a cat from the shelter 2-3 years ago, they conducted a complete review of the files, and no such documents were located.

January 11, 2022 Detectives received an authorization for forensic analysis of the couch that is located in the office. On Friday January 14, 2022, Detectives met with, Detective Lieutenant Kenneth Heffernan of the MSP crime laboratory and forensics technician Jennifer Preisig at the location to process a couch. 

ON THURSDAY APRIL 7, 2022, DETECTIVES RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE WITH A SCREENSHOT OF THE COMMENTS SECTION OF A FACEBOOK POST COMMENTING ON THE RECENT BOSTON GLOBE ARTICLE ON THE RESIGNATION OF MATTHEW FARWELL AND OF SANDRA BIRCHMORE. THE POST WAS ALLEGED THAT BIRCHMORE’S FRIENDS HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY MEMBERS OF THE STOUGHTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER HER DEATH AND THAT THE FRIENDS WERE THREATENED AND CALLED LIARS.

June 18, 2024: Sandra Birchmore’s death is ruled a homicide by prominent pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, a former chief medical examiner in New York City, wrote in a letter to an attorney for Birchmore’s estate that she was a homicide victim who died by strangulation. His conclusion contradicts the findings of the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

August 28, 2024: Matthew Farwell indicted in connection to Sandra Birchmore Federal authorities have indicted former Stoughton police detective Matthew Farwell on charges that he killed Birchmore, a 23-year-old pregnant woman in 2021 amid claims that he fathered her unborn baby and initiated sexual contact when she was a teenage participant in a law enforcement youth progra

September 24, 2024 Respondent William Farwell has entered into a  Voluntary Decertification Agreement (“Agreement”) under which he has agreed to the permanent revocation of his certification (also known as decertification) as a law enforcement officer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, beginning on the date of approval of the Agreement by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (“Commission”, and the entry of his decertification in the National Decertification Index. As further conditions of the Agreement, the Respondent has waived all rights to contest, in this or any other administrative or judicial proceeding to which the Commission is or may be a party, the factual allegations, conclusions of law, terms and conditions, and other provisions contained in the  Agreement. 

Pre-Hearing Conference in the Matter of Robert Devine Jan 7 @ 9:30 am – 10:30 am Case No. 2024-003 Pre-Hearing Conference in the the Matter of Robert Devine (via Zoom) Presiding Officer: Hon. Kenneth J. Fishman (Ret.) Respondent’s Counsel: Robert W. Stowe, Esq. Enforcement Counsel: Shaun Martinez, Es Zoom Link