Sandra Birchmore
Sandra M. Birchmore
1997 – 2021
Sandra Marie Birchmore was born on May 13, 1997, to Denise F. McKain Birchmore, taking her mother’s late husband last name. Throughout Sandra’s childhood, Denise struggled with illness, and Sandra had no relationship with her father.
She was raised by her single mother, with the support of her grandmother,
Grace Theresa Coughlin, who played a significant role in her upbringing until her death in 2001. After Grace passed away, her sister,
Claire G. Coughlin Gaudet, stepped in to provide grandmotherly care. Denise and Sandra moved in with Claire and Gerald Gaudet. 2005 Sandra Birchmore attends the Respect Program at the age of 8.
In 2006 Sandra attends a 14-week
Strengthening Program for high-risk families.
Note: All data on this website are linked to the respective records. All of The data was sourced from legal documents and individuals involved in now-deleted social media profiles.


About Sandra M. Birchmore
March, 2010 Sandra tried to join Youth Explorers program, when she was 12 but was on the stand-by list for the program, She began participating in the program in the spring of 2010. June 4, 2015, Sandra graduated from high school – Stoughton High School. High School Announcement
Tragically, in 2016, both Claire and Denise passed away, with Sandra losing her mother first and her grandmother just a month later.
Denise F. McKain Birchmore on May 18, 2016 and
Claire G. Coughlin Gaudet on June 24, 2016.
Sandra Birchmore, originally from Stoughton but moved to Canton in 2020, was discovered deceased in her Windsor Woods apartment on February 4, 2021 after her employer requested a well-being check due to her absence from work for several
days. The last person known to have seen Sandra alive was Matthew Farwell who was captured on camera leaving Sandra’s apartment. At the time of her death, Sandra was pregnant, and it is suspected that one of the officers, Matthew
Farwell, was the father. The cause of death was determined to be suicide. Here is her story.

Sandra Birchmore Timeline
1998 – In September, 1998 12-year-old twin brothers Matthew and William Farwell enrolled in the Police Explorers Program in Stoughton, a town that promised to shape young minds toward law enforcement careers. The program was a beacon for adolescents eager to learn the ropes of police work, but the Farwell brothers brought with them a reputation for disciplinary issues that had trailed them through their school years.
2001 – Robert Devine, a seasoned officer with the Stoughton Police Department, began serving as a school resource officer. Devine’s presence in schools made him a familiar figure to students, a bridge between law enforcement and the youth of the community. Around the same time, he started volunteering with the Explorers Program.


Timeline
Sandra Birchmore Timeline
2002
In a decisive move, the Stoughton Police Department’s former chief, Cachopa, assigned Robert Devine to lead the Explorers Program. The appointment underscored Devine’s influence and trust within the department. With his guidance, the
program gained new structure and direction. Among his first actions as leader, Devine designated Matthew Farwell to the role of Deputy Chief within the Explorers Program and William Farwell as a Lieutenant. The appointments marked
a significant milestone for the brothers, now 17, whose leadership roles signaled a transformation from participants to young leaders in training.
2003
- Robert Devine had fully integrated Matthew and William Farwell into the Explorers Program’s core activities.
IA Report p6
- According to witness testimony later unearthed through investigative reporting (referenced in the Case podcast), the Farwell brothers were frequently seen spending extended time in the middle school gym alongside Robert Devine. These interactions, while initially framed as mentoring, were later scrutinized for their appropriateness and the dynamics they fostered.
- The Explorers Program, once a promising initiative, became shadowed by questions about boundaries and oversight. The Farwell brothers’ journey from troubled students to influential figures within the program reflected both the potential for growth and the challenges of unchecked authority in youth mentorship initiatives.
- Witness testimony (via Case Podcast) alleges the Farwell brothers frequently spent time in the middle school gym with Devine.
2004
- Matthew Farwell earns a high school equivalency diploma in Maine.
- He enlists in the Army and is trained as an explosives expert.
- Matthew Farwell brothers transitioned from participants to guest instructors. ( IA Report p6)
2005
- Sandra Birchmore, at age 8, attends the Respect Program.
2006
- Matthew Farwell deploys to Afghanistan for six months.
- June 23: Sandra participates in a 14-week Strengthening Program for high-risk families.
Strengthening Program for high-risk families.
2008
- Matthew Farwell ends his military service and moves back to Massachusetts.
- He is hired by the Wellesley Police Department, where he serves until 2012.
- Farwell volunteer with local youth programs and earns several commendations, including one in 2012 for performing CPR at a gym.
2010
- Matthew Farwell (Wellesley PD) and William Farwell (Army) volunteer as instructors for the Explorers Program.
- March: Sandra Birchmore, age 12, applies to join the Youth Explorers Program but is placed on the standby list.
2011-2012
- May 2011
- Sandra Became a member of the Explorers Program
- September 2011 – June 2012:
- Matthew Farwell volunteers with the Police Explorers Program and starts meeting Sandra Birchmore during her freshman year in high school.
- Sandra tells others that Farwell is helping her with homework.
2012
- March 19:
- Sandra and her family attend orientation and sign-ups for the 2012 Explorers Academy, held at the Stoughton Police Station.
- March 27, 2012:
- Matthew Farwell was hired by the Stoughton Police Department.
- After joining the Stoughton Police Department, he served as a Police Explorers instructor. He had several roles as an instructor, including teaching firearms and explosives safety and conducting canine demonstrations.
- October 28, 2012:
- Matthew Farwell sent Birchmore a Facebook “friend request”
2013
- April 10, 2013
- Matthew Farwell SA assaulted Sandra when she was 15 years old. Sandra began using a journal describing her relationship with Farwell. Matthew Farwell reportedly began an inappropriate physical relationship with Sandra Birchmore when she was 15, which is considered statutory rape under Massachusetts law.
- September 2013
- In a Facebook post, the Stoughton Police Department writes, “Smile Birchmore,”Matthew Farwell had sex with Birchmore when she was a minor, starting in or around April 2013, when Birchmore was 15 and Matthew Farwell was 27.
Post
2013
Sandra Birchmore
On December 9, 2013, the Stoughton Police Department posted a photo on their official Facebook page. The image showed a group of teenagers, part of the department’s Police Explorers program, gathered in front of a decorated Christmas tree. The mood was festive, with each young face beaming with excitement and holiday cheer. Among them was Sandra Birchmore, a 15-year-old girl with a bright smile that lit up the room. The caption beneath the photo read, “Smile Birchmore,” capturing the moment of joy shared among the group.

Sandra Birchmore
For most people who saw the post, it was just another heartwarming snapshot of community engagement, a reminder that the local police were involved in fostering positive relationships with the youth. Sandra, who had joined the program with dreams of becoming a police officer one day, seemed to embody the spirit of the event—an eager, young girl full of promise and hope.
But beneath Sandra’s smile was a world of confusion and fear that no one could see in the photograph. She admired the officers she worked with, looking up to them as mentors and protectors. They were figures of authority who she believed were there to guide her, to help her realize her dreams. But what the public didn’t know, what even Sandra herself was only beginning to understand, was that some of those very officers were slowly beginning to take advantage of her trust and innocence.
2014
Sandra Birchmore
On April 17, 2014 Denise Birchmore sent a letter to Robert Devine. In letter Denise Birchmore was extending thanks to the Stoughton Police Department, and in particular, Devine for running the police Explorers program.
On June 12, 2014, a seemingly ordinary day in the small town of Stoughton, Massachusetts, a tweet went out from the official Twitter account of the Stoughton Police Department. The tweet read, “Waiting for their turn #policeexplorers,” accompanied by a photo of a group of young Police Explorers—aspiring law enforcement officers—standing in a line, eagerly waiting for their next activity.

Sandra Birchmore
On that fateful day in June, while the young Police Explorers were “waiting for their turn” to participate in training exercises, Sandra Birchmore was enduring another cycle of abuse by those very officers. The tweet, meant to showcase the department’s commitment to nurturing future officers, was a stark contrast to the reality of what was happening behind closed doors.
The abuse continued for years, hidden in plain sight, with Sandra suffering in silence. The cheerful photos and tweets masked a grim truth—a truth that would only come to light years later when Sandra’s life was lost.
Stoughton High School Class of 2015
Sandra Birchmore Class of 2015
June 4, 2015, Sandra graduated from high school – Stoughton High School Class of 2015. High School Announcement

June 4, 2015, Sandra graduated from high school – Stoughton High School Class of 2015. High School Announcement
- Sandra Birchmore Graduation 2015
- Sandra Birchmore Stoughton High School Class of 2015
June 2015:
- Sandra Marie Birchmore began basic training for the Army Reserve, aspiring to gain military experience to support her goal of becoming a police officer. However, by August, she had returned home, explaining that she had been discharged due to her asthma.
On May 7, 2016:
- Denise Birchmore, at the age of 52, suffered a stroke. Denise died two weeks later,
May 18, 2016
Denise F. (McKain) Birchmore
Denise F. (McKain) Birchmore, 52, died Wednesday, May 18, 2016, at the Tufts Medical Center in Boston after a long illness. Born in Tewksbury, she was raised in Dorchester and Stoughton and was a graduate of Stoughton High School, Class of 1982. She was a longtime resident of Stoughton. Mrs. Birchmore worked as a payroll clerk at Howard Johnson’s in Milton several years ago. She lost her husband Warren Birchmore in 1995. In her free time, she enjoyed spending time with her daughter Sandra Birchmore and her family.

In 2001 Claire G. Coughlin Gaudet, stepped in to provide grandmotherly care after Sandra lost her grandmother Grace Theresa Coughlin.
Claire G. (Coughlin) Gaudet, 89, a longtime resident of Stoughton, died unexpectedly at Brockton Hospital on Friday, June 24, 2016. She was the wife of the late Gerald V. Gaudet. Born in Boston, she was raised and educated in South Boston. She resided in Stoughton for over 50 years. Claire was a homemaker. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, shopping, trips to D.W. Field Park in Brockton, the beach and Castle Island and spending time with her family.
Mrs. Gaudet was the aunt of Alice McKain and Darlene Smith both of Stoughton and the late Denise Birchmore and Stephen Gaudet.
Timeline
Sandra Birchmore Timeline
2018
- Sandra Birchmore graduated from Massasoit Community College with associate’s degree in criminal justice.
Sandra worked as an Uber Driver to support herself.
2019
- In 2019, Sandra took the Massachusetts Civil Service exam and was placed on the eligibility list for the Stoughton police force. (Note: According to Globe)
- In the Fall of 2019 Sandra Birchmore met Joshua Heal when she came to the shelter to adopt a cat. They became friends and later engaged in a consensual sex act once after working hours at the animal shelter. Sandra started to confide in him about intimate details of her life including her relationship with Farwell brothers and Devine.. According to Joshua, they engaged in a consensual sex act once after working hours at the animal. Joshua Heal is friends with Sandra on Facebook
- October 12, 2019 Sandra lost her favorite aunt Alice.
2020
- May 19, 2020,
- the police were called to Sandra Birchmore’s home for a well-being check. A dispatcher informed the officers that Birchmore was expressing a desire to harm herself, according to police radio call recordings. According to police records and information disclosed by a friend, on that day, Birchmore had gotten into a fight with a family member, who called the police and reported Birchmore was going to harm herself. The police took Birchmore to the hospital, where she was evaluated and deemed not at risk for self-harm. She was released a few hours later.
IA Report
- May 24, 2020
- an ambulance was called to the Sandra Birchmore home again, this time she was found unconscious and possibly experiencing anxiety. She was subsequently transported to a hospital in Brockton.
- She was a former graduate of Stoughton High School and an employee. (according to the Officer Cotard Supplemental Report
- September 2020,
- Sandra applied for housing and secured her own place. (Note: Statement from Apartment Complex manager)
- October 2020,
- she started working at East Elementary School in Sharon, she moved out of her aunt’s place she was very upset that her aunt was selling a house, Sandra stayed with a friends and later on into an apartment with the assistance of Matthew Farwell according to a maintenance worker.
- 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 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.”
- October 12, 2020
- Birchmore presented Farwell with an ultimatum: Matthew Farwell would have to agree to engage in unprotected sex with Birchmore with the goal of conceiving a child; and in return, Birchmore would not disclose their relationship. Birchmore had already told others that Farwell had been having sex with her since before she was 16 years old, which she knew was a crime, and Birchmore knew that Farwell was leaving work to have sex with her while he was on duty as a Stoughton police officer.
- October 14, 2020
- Sandra asked if Farwell would like a copy of the key, Matthew Farwell told her that he did not think it was a good idea for him to keep a key to her new (Canton) apartment
- November 3, 2020,
- she asked Farwell if they could try again that month or whether they would need to talk “in person about that.” Farwell responded, “that’s an in person discussion.”
- 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
Sandra: 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.
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?
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 27, 2020
- Sandra spoke with Robert Devine aka Marty Riggs via Facebook messenger.
- December 21, 2020
- Sandra spoke via Facebook messenger while Robert Devine 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.
- 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.
- December 29, 2020
- Matthew Farwell was at Sandra’s apartment. Sandra mentioned to a friend that she had talked to Matthew Farwell about her pregnancy a few days before Christmas. They had an argument, and she asked him to leave the apartment. But before he left, Sandra said Farwell told her “I wish you would kill yourself”..
Sandra 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.
- December 30, 2020,
- she went to a hair salon to get ready for a New Year’s Eve Celebration.
2021
- January 3, 2021
- Sandra Birchmore asked Matthew Farwell if their child could have his last name. However, he told her he would not discuss that issue via text message
- January 4, 2021,
- Sandra Birchmore told Matthew Farwell that she was going to the doctor the next day and asked if he wanted to know how the appointment went. Farwell did not directly respond to that question.
- January 5, 2021,
- Sandra Birchmore asked Matthew Farwell to come over so they could discuss her estimated due date, the week of her first ultrasound, her conversation with her doctor, and her first appointment. FARWELL did not respond directly to that request.
- 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 [the town where Farwell’s family resides.]
- BIRCHMORE: 2. 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 3. 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 8, 2021
- Sandra Birchmore meet with Matthew Farwell at her apartment to discuss the pregnancy, they ended up arguing, Farwell has pushed her and shoved her and put her in a choke hold,and Sandra kicked him out of her apartment.
- January 9, 2021
- Sandra Birchmore called Joshua Heal and stated that, after telling Matthew Farwell about the baby, Matthew Farwell told her that “he wished [she] just would die and he wants nothing to do with the baby.” According to the information Birchmore shared, Farwell put Birchmore in a headlock and grabbed her cell phone from her hand. Joshua Heal told Birchmore to distance herself from Matthew Farwell, given that he was dangerous, a police officer, and obviously did not care about the law. However, Matthew Farwell was also aware that Birchmore appeared to be attached to Matthew Farwell because he had taken her virginity when she was 15 years old.
- January 10, 2021
- Sandra met with William Farwell in the parking lot of her apartment building after midnight on January 10, 2021 IAB Report
- January 16, 2021
- Sandra spoke with her friend about money she promised to pay back a few month before. After receiving no response from Birchmore, friend got irritated and asked Sandra why she only stopped responding when she requested that Birchmore pay her back.
- January 20, 2021
- Sandra’s friend is angry with Sandra because Sandra had owed her the money for a couple months. She called the Stoughton Police and informed them about the monetary dispute, and was advised that this was a civil matter. She became upset and responded to the officer on phone by insinuating that the Stoughton officer or detective Matthew Farwell is engaged in a sexual relationship with Sandra Birchmore should tell her to pay back the money she owes.
Later that day Matthew 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 [sic] 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 21, 2021
- Sandra called her friend and told her that she didn’t respond to her because she had hit her head on her car door and then again on the pavement and had to go to the hospital.
- January 22, 2021,
- Sandra had an ultrasound.
- January 23
- Sandra Birchmore and a friend went to Walmart to buy a baby stroller for Birchmore’s future child. Sandra Birchmore was excited about the baby and asked her to be the child’s godmother. In the conversation Sandra Birchmore told her the day prior, Matthew Farwell had gotten angry with her for showing him a fetal sonogram and he said “that’s not my child. I don’t want anything really to do with you,” and then Matthew Farwell pushed her to the ground.
- January 24, 2021,
- Matthew Farwell request for a key for Birchmore’s apartment in which Sandra gave him the pass code to her building’s front door and told him, “I have your key too when you want it”. Sandra Birchmore payed $2.00 to have a key copied at a11:10 a.m.
on January 24, 2021, Birchmore indicated that she was surprised that Farwell had a sudden change about the pregnancy:
- Farwell was now requesting a key to her apartment:
- FRIEND: 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
- FRIEND: I get it are you gonna give him a key
- BIRCHMORE: I just made a copy of it yeah
- FRIEND: 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
- FRIEND: 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
- FRIEND: That’s weird
- BIRCHMORE: Yeah it was really weird
- January 29, 2021,
- Matthew Farewell asked Sandra if the code was the general one given to the entire building, not just one assigned to her.
- January 31, 202
- Sandra saw a Therapist. During this session, she was screened for depression and suicidal ideation and Therapist concluded no signs of depression or suicidal ideation.
- February 1, 2021
- 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,
- 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 and returning with a snow brush at 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
- 9:00 PM Sandra spoke with a coworker asking to help shovel out her car during the impending snowstorm.
- Sandra was doing laundry – she the key, Matthew Farwell phone.
- 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.
- 9:14 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.
- 9:43 PM Matthew Farwell was seen exiting Sandra’s lobby at 9:43 PM
Surveillance footage of Sandra Birchmore’s apartment complex, showing the last time she was seen alive and the last person to see her alive, Matthew Farwell, entering and leaving the building on February 1, 2021.
Weeks Before Matthew Farwell arrived at Sandra Birchmore’s apartment, he instructed her to delete evidence of their sexual relationship, which included proof that he had raped her when she was 15 and had repeatedly engaged in sexual violence against her.
Matthew Farwell told troopers he visited Birchmore’s apartment on the evening of February 1, 2021, telling her that he wasn’t the father of her baby, records show. Birchmore was upset, Farwell told the troopers, but didn’t make “any suicidal statements.”
“Matt said that he was straightforward in his conversation with her, and told her that it was all over and he was blocking her from all forms of communication,” Fanning wrote.
Surveillance footage from Birchmore’s apartment complex showed Matthew Farwell entering her apartment building and then exiting 28 minutes later, State Police records show.
February 1, 2021
Surveillance Video – Matthew Farwell
On February 1, 2021 9:08 p.m, 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.
February 1, 2020: After leaving Sandra, Matthew Farwell drove to Newton-Wellesley Hospital, situated in a wealthy suburb 12 miles outside of Boston. It was at this hospital, on February 2, 2021, at 9:25 a.m., that Michelle Farwell gave birth to a son.

February 2, 2021
February 2, 2021 at 9:25 a.m
Surveillance footage from Birchmore’s apartment complex captured Matthew Farwell entering her building and exiting 28 minutes later.
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.
Sandra Birchmore Wellness Check
On February 4, 2021, school officials contacted the School Resource Officer to check on Sandra Birchmore, who had missed a few days of work. Officers Cotard, Brady, and Yeaton responded to 3307 Windsor Woods Way to make contact with Sandra. When they arrived, 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.
11:46 AM, Officers found Sandra in the bedroom, deceased with a black strap around her neck, tied to the bedroom closet door. Sandra was 10 weeks pregnant and The cause of death was determined to be suicide.
Report
12:44 PM ME’s office accepted jurisdiction Case #2021-2032 assigned.
Report
Video from the apartment complex showed a man entering the lobby of Sandra’s building. Detectives learned from maintenance worker Michael that the person in the video looked like the man who helped Sandra move into her apartment.


Responding Officers: Officer Cotard, Officer Brady, Officer Yeaton, Sergeant Michael Lank, Detective McCourt, Trooper Tufts, Trooper Dunn.
Medical Examiner Office: Chris Adams and Caitlyn Bulger of the Medical Examiner’s Office took custody of the body.
- Sandra Birchmore well being check on a party at 3307 Windsor Woods Way.
- Sandra Birchmore well being check on a party at 3307 Windsor Woods Way.
- Sandra Birchmore well being check on a party at 3307 Windsor Woods Way.

The apartment contained two cats, and the conditions were cluttered and unkempt.
The bedroom door was closed, and when opened, revealed a desk lamp and colored Christmas lights around the window, both of which were turned on.
The bed was unmade, with a sheet over the mattress and an exposed box spring. Sandra’s eyeglasses were found on the bed, and among the scattered items in the bedroom was a US Army ACU-pattern duffel bag.
Sandra was discovered in a seated position on the floor, with a scarf/strap (statements varies from a first responders) tightly affixed around her neck and secured to the closet door handle. Another officer noted that the strap was tied to the bedroom closet’s door handle. There were no visible signs of trauma to the head or defensive abrasions on her hands. However, Officer Ensley Cotard observed a large pooling of dried blood around her mouth. The skin discoloration (blue) and lividity indicated that she had been deceased for an extended period.
Cell phone was on the floor located approximately 12 inches from her right hand and 6 inches from her bent right knee. Birchmore was wearing the same clothing when she was seen on video entering her apartment on February 1, 2021, at approximately 5:33p.m.
2021 report, State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne described finding Birchmore’s body in her bedroom on Feb. 4, 2021.
- Trooper Matthew Dunne said he found no indications of physical abuse or bruising, swelling, external trauma, or markings suggesting a struggle, the report said.
- Chris Adams and Caitlyn Bulger of the Medical Examiner’s Office took custody of the body.
- Swabs from Birchmore’s body, hair and fingernail clippings, and clothing she was wearing were taken for a sexual assault kit, but Baden wrote that it “appears” the evidence was not tested.
- A toxicology report found Sandra Birchmore was taking Sertraline, a prescription psychotropic medication usually taken for depression
Later Sandra Birchmore family members found a necklace that belonged to Birchmore lying on the floor of her bedroom. This necklace consisted of a thin gold chain with a pink flamingo charm.16 The family members observed that the necklace’s chain was broken, but not at the clasp. There was also a large clump of hair on the chain. From my review of the crime scene photos, it was observed that, while the strap was still around Sandra Birchmore’s neck, the necklace was broken and hanging from the left side of her neck. The necklace’s charm was on the right side of her abdomen.
Sandra Birchmore Phone Log
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.

February 1, 2021, Sandra Birchmore’s phone:
- 9:13 p.m. Sandra’s phone was locked after sending a final text message to Matthew Farwell, informing him that the door was unlocked.
- 9:18 p.m. The phone recorded a screenshot of a black screen. This action suggests some interaction with the device while it remained locked, potentially triggered unintentionally or by an unknown actor.
- 9:40 p.m. The phone’s motion sensors registered eight steps—the last recorded movement of the phone. At this time, Matthew Farwell was still in the apartment, as confirmed by surveillance video showing him leaving three minutes later.
February 1, 2021, 9:40 p.m. Health Data App:
- Sandra Birchmore’s phone registered eight steps, recorded by its motion sensors. This activity suggests some physical movement during this time. Importantly, this occurred while Matthew Farwell was still inside her apartment, as confirmed by surveillance footage showing him leaving three minutes later.
No Additional Steps Recorded: After the 9:40 p.m. movement, the phone recorded no further activity until the phone was recovered by first responders on February 4, 2021.
Phone
- The locked state of the phone following the final message to Farwell and the black screen screenshot at 9:18 p.m. could indicate that Sandra was no longer actively using the device.
- The eight steps recorded at 9:40 p.m. are significant, as they suggest movement shortly before Farwell was captured leaving the apartment. These steps may represent Sandra’s movement or someone else handling the phone.
- The phone remained inactive after the last movement, further emphasizing the gap between this event and its recovery by police.
Health App
- The absence of further steps following 9:40 p.m. suggests that the phone—and possibly Sandra—did not experience any movement after this point, which could be critical in determining the time and manner of her death.
- The proximity of this event to Matthew Farwell’s departure, as shown on surveillance video, underscores the importance of his actions and observations during that time-frame.
- The health data serves as an independent and objective record that complements other evidence, such as surveillance footage, to establish a clear sequence of events.
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.
Significance of 9:40 p.m. The eight recorded steps mark the last movement captured by Sandra’s phone. This data aligns closely with Farwell’s departure, raising questions about what transpired during and immediately following this short window of time.
February 6, 2021- Matthew Farwell Interview
On February 6, 2021, two days after police found Birchmore’s body in her apartment, Massachusetts State Police detectives interviewed FARWELL. The interview occurred in the parking lot of a Stoughton elementary school. During this interview, Farwell made several false statements about his relationship with Birchmore.
Farwell told officers that he was involved in a sexual relationship with Sandra Birchmore, but he claimed the relationship only began in 2020. Based on this investigation, Farwell’s statement to detectives was false. Matthew Farwell began having sex with Birchmore in 2013 and continued to have sex with her until near her death.
- Farwell told detectives that he had only had sex with Birchmore two or three times in the previous year. This statement was also false. Based on text messages between Farwell and Birchmore, Farwell had sexual intercourse with Birchmore on at least 10 occasions between January 1, 2020, and February 1, 2021.
- Farwell also told detectives that he could not have been the father of Birchmore’s unborn child because the last time he had intercourse with her was October 2020. This statement was also false. Set forth below is a text message conversation between Farwell and Birchmore:
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.”
February 6, 2021,
- In interview, Farwell told detectives that he had been at Birchmore’s apartment on the night of February 1, 2021. However, he denied having anything to do with her death.
- He told detectives that he had arrived around 9:10 p.m. and left around 9:30 p.m. The review of surveillance footage from Birchmore’s apartment building showed that Farwell actually left at 9:43 p.m. That was after Birchmore’s phone stopped sending messages or recording movement.
- Within approximately 13 hours of Farwell’s visit to Birchmore apartment on February 1, 2021, his wife gave birth to their third child at Newton Wellesley Hospital, adding to the intensifying pressure to ensure that Birchmore would not disclose information regarding Farwell’s conduct.
- Farwell told detectives that he had not seen Birchmore at all in the week leading up to her death, except during the visit to her apartment on February 1, 2021. Based on my review of the text messages between Farwell and Birchmore, Matthew Farwell visited Birchmore at her apartment on January 29, 2021.
- Farwell told detectives that Birchmore had been “sectioned” many times, officers often use to refer to the practice of involuntarily hospitalizing, on a temporary basis, persons with severe mental health issues. However, the Stoughton Police Department, the law enforcement agency in the town where Birchmore lived her whole life before moving to Canton on or about December 1, 2020, has a record of Birchmore being subject to this temporary mental health hospitalization only one time, in May of 2020.
Note: According to police records and information disclosed by a witness, on that day, Birchmore had gotten into a fight with a family member, who called the police and reported Birchmore was going to harm herself. The police took Sandra Birchmore to the hospital, where she was evaluated and deemed not at risk for self-harm. She was released a few hours later. The Canton Police Department has no record of Birchmore being subject to temporary mental health hospitalization.
Sandra Birchmore – First Autopsy
First Autopsy was performed by
Maria Del Mar Capo Martinez, MD.
In early May 2021, an OCME pathologist ruled Birchmore’s manner of death to be suicide
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.
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.
The state medical examiner determined that Birchmore, who was 23 years old and three months pregnant at the time, died by suicide. A subsequent State Police investigation found no evidence of foul play.
Death Certificate Issued on March 4, 2021
- September 2022
- Statement of Chief Donna M. McNamara
Statement
As chief of the Stoughton Police Department, I have directly participated in this lengthy and aggressive internal affairs investigation. In September of 2022, I released an executive summary which revealed for the first time, the horrific injustices including grooming and sexual abuse inflicted upon Sandra Birchmore at the hands of one rogue and corrupt former police officer and additional inappropriate sexual relationships by other former police officers.
It has been my stated mission, guided by both my understanding of the policies and procedures of the Stoughton Police Department and my own moral compass, that this process must be as transparent as possible and that we follow every lead and shine light on all aspects of this horrific chapter in our history, no matter what.
- April 4, 2022
- Stoughton Town Manager – “By law, the most we could do is put Mr. Farwell on administrative leave starting the day he was to return to work from some unrelated personal leave.”
First, let me say that at the time of the first call that I received from the Chief regarding the information regarding Mr. Farwell, we determined that the allegations were at a degree of horrific that required us to ensure that
until and if we saw otherwise, he would not wear a Stoughton Police uniform. By law, the most we could do is put Mr. Farwell on administrative leave starting the day he was to return to work from some unrelated personal leave.
Also, by law, we cannot withhold pay during such time as an investigation is being conducted as all we have initially are allegations. However, because this is an Internal Affairs process, and not a criminal case regarding our
jurisdiction, we can at least use the administrative leave process to ensure that any officer who is ever in question of something egregious is “off the streets” until and if we learn otherwise. Prior to the conclusion of the investigation,
Mr. Farwell tendered his resignation. That does not mean that the case is closed. We have a moral and legal obligation to finish the investigation – and subsequently present the report to the new state POST commission. That body
has the authority to decertify officers based on internal affairs investigations – meaning that an officer deemed unworthy of certification may not become a police officer in any other community.
Town Manager Release
- September 13, 2022 Email from Donna McNamara
The Following Officers will not be back for the Stoughton PD Donna McNamara wrote on September 13, 2022 Email
- September 23, 2022 Abington Police Department Press Release: Joshua heal who was the subject of this investigation has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation.
Press Release
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 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.
- September 30, 2022 The Norfolk District Attorney
Press Release
The investigation did reveal activities by Stoughton Police officers that required further investigation by the Stoughton Police department and its outside investigators.
The 60-page report and its conclusions and exhibits are being reviewed by the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office to determine if criminal charges can be brought. Prosecutors are at the beginning of that substantial process, which will take some time to exhaust.
The Norfolk District Attorney urges anyone who believes that they have direct knowledge of misconduct, or is themselves the victim of any similar misconduct, to contact this office directly at 781-830-4990.
Sandra Birchmore
Sandra Birchmore Civil Suit Records
2022 – Sandra Birchmore Estate Civil Lawsuit: Based on Finding from Internal Affair Report Darlene Smith as the Personal Representative of The Estate of Sandra Birchmore filed a Civil Lawsuit
On a chilly February morning in 2021, the Canton Police Department received a call that would set off a chain of events leading to a tragic discovery. Ms. Birchmore, a young woman known for her reliability at work, had not been seen or heard from in several days. Her concerned employer, unable to reach her, requested a welfare check at her apartment in Canton, Massachusetts. When the officers arrived and gained entry, they found Ms. Birchmore lifeless. Paramedics arrived quickly, but it was too late—Ms. Birchmore was gone. It was later believed that she had been three months pregnant, carrying her first child, possibly fathered by one of the men who had long betrayed her trust.
Ms. Birchmore’s death was not a sudden or isolated tragedy but the devastating culmination of nearly a decade of manipulation, grooming, and repeated assaults by police officers she once trusted. Her early years were marked by the profound loss of her grandmother and mother, leaving her vulnerable and struggling to find her way. Despite the hardships, she admired authority figures, particularly police officers, viewing them as protectors and guides. This admiration led her to join the Stoughton Police Department Explorers Program as a teenager, where she met Defendants Devine, M. Farwell, and W. Farwell.
Defendant 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. Their actions went unchecked for years, leaving a trail of emotional and psychological damage in their wake.
On February 1, 2023, Matthew Farwell was seen on video surveillance at Sandra Birchmore’s apartment approximately four days prior to the discovery of her body and, upon information and belief, was the last person to see Sandra Birchmore alive. It was later revealed by the PD internal investigation report that Matthew Farwell had known the Decedent since age 13, due to her participation in the Program, and soon thereafter began an inappropriate sexual relationship with her when she was 15.
The investigation revealed that Matthew Farwell had a continuous inappropriate relationship with Sandra Birchmore that started while she was still a minor.
The same investigation determined that Matthew Farwell later used some type of location sharing application to track and determine Sandra Birchmore’s location.
Adding to the troubling findings, the investigation also revealed that Ms. Birchmore owned a cat at the time of her death, though no adoption records existed in her name. It was suspected that former Animal Control Officer Joshua Heal had arranged for Sandra Birchmore to acquire the cat through a sexual favor, knowing of her ongoing relationship with Matthew Farwell. Heal had been acquainted with Ms. Birchmore since 2015 and was allegedly aware of the exploitation she endured.
Over the years, this relentless pattern of abuse and manipulation deepened Sandra Birchmore’s trauma, leaving her increasingly isolated and distressed. The weight of her experiences eventually became too much to bear, leading to her tragic and untimely death. Ms. Birchmore’s story is a harrowing reminder of the profound damage that can be inflicted by those in positions of power, and the tragic consequences that can follow when that power is abused. Sandra’s family kept pushing for justice despite their own life challenges.
Sandra Birchmore Estate – Civil Suit Records
Second Autopsy
Former NY City medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden in a June 18 letter to a lawyer for Birchmore’s estate wrote.
“Ms. Birchmore did not die of suicidal hanging … The cause of Ms. Birchmore’s death is ‘Strangulation’ and the manner of death is ‘Homicide.’”
Dr. Baden said the extent of Birchmore’s right upper chest.
- The pattern imprint was the consequence of a buckle or buckles from the ligature strap being forced downward into Ms. Birchmore’s chest.
- When first responders found Birchmore’s body, the buckle responsible for this imprint was observed just below her right ear.
- the location of the imprint on her chest is not consistent with an incomplete ligature hanging.
- Photos depict Birchmore with areas of skin missing from the inferior and lateral aspects of her nose consistent with abrasions.
- These types of injuries are commonly seen in cases of suffocation when the victim moves their nose back and forth in an effort to breathe.
Dr. Smock noted that Birchmore was in the habit of always wearing a chain necklace with a flamingo pendant.
- The chain was found broken around Birchmore’s injuries, as well as the placement of a ligature found on her body, were among tnek.indent-1″>The breaking of Birchmore’s chain necklace is consistent with a struggle.

Investigation into Sandra’s Death
Investigation – Forensics and Interviews
In Birchmore’s case, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts ruled Birchmore’s 2021 death a suicide. State Investigators later discovered tens of thousands of text messages between Farwell and Birchmore, many of which implied an inappropriate relationship, as well as surveillance video showing him entering and exiting her apartment
In 2022 The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office didn’t bring charges against Matthew Farwell or the other two officers Devine and Matthew Farwell both have denied wrongdoing, and they are not facing charges in federal court. The department turned the results of the investigation over to prosecutors. Investigators said at the time that there was no foul play in Birchmore’s death..

Third Autopsy
As part of this investigation, the government retained Dr. William Smock as an expert to independently review the crime scene photos, autopsy photos, and the Medical Examiner’s autopsy report. Dr. Smock is an emergency medicine
residency and forensics, Dr. Smock has made several observations and conclusions that call into question the prior finding that Birchmore’s cause of death was suicide and instead further
confirm that Birchmore’s cause of death was homicide.
- Sandra 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.
- the fracture of the right superior horn of Birchmore’s hyoid bone is not consistent with the position in which first responders found her: sitting.
- A sitting hanging is called “an incomplete hanging,” meaning only partial body weight is applied to the neck ligature.
Dr. Smock noted that, during the autopsy, a pattern imprint was documented on Birchmore’s right upper chest.
- The pattern imprint was the consequence of a buckle or buckles from the ligature strap being forced downward into Ms. Birchmore’s chest.
- When first responders found Birchmore’s body, the buckle responsible for this imprint was observed just below her right ear.
- the location of the imprint on her chest is not consistent with an incomplete ligature hanging.
- Photos depict Birchmore with areas of skin missing from the inferior and lateral aspects of her nose consistent with abrasions.
- These types of injuries are commonly seen in cases of suffocation when the victim moves their nose back and forth in an effort to breathe.
Dr. Smock noted that Birchmore was in the habit of always wearing a chain necklace with a flamingo pendant.
- The chain was found broken around Birchmore’s neck.
- The breaking of Birchmore’s chain necklace is consistent with a struggle.
Autopsy File
Matthew Farwell was Indicted for the murder of Sandra Birchmore
February 1, 2021 Matthew Farwell killed Sandra Birchmore by strangulation, He used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer to stage her death to look like Sandra Birchmore committed suicide.
Detective Matthew Farwell Charged in Sandra Birchmore’s Death
Detective Matthew Farwell has been charged in connection with the death of Sandra Birchmore. He is accused of killing Birchmore “with malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation” to prevent her from providing information to law enforcement regarding potential federal crimes. According to the indictment, the possible charges Farwell could have faced include deprivation of Birchmore’s rights, coercion and enticement, and wire fraud. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Ms. Birchmore’s death was not a sudden or isolated tragedy but the devastating culmination of nearly a decade of manipulation, grooming, and repeated assaults by police officers she once trusted. Her early years were marked by the profound loss of her grandmother and mother, leaving her vulnerable and struggling to find her way. Despite the hardships, she admired authority figures, particularly police officers, viewing them as protectors and guides. This admiration led her to join the Stoughton Police Department Explorers Program as a teenager, where she met Defendants Devine, M. Farwell, and W. Farwell.
Defendant 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.
After Birchmore’s death, law enforcement agents obtained Birchmore’s cell phones, both Apple iPhones, and laptop and reviewed the data on those devices. During that review, agents discovered messages between Matthew Farwell
and Birchmore. The messages confirmed that Matthew Farwell frequently communicated with Birchmore for years. The messages also indicate that Matthew Farwell had sex with Birchmore when she was a minor, starting in or around
April 2013, when Birchmore was 15 and Matthew Farwell was 27.
Matthew Farwell Indictment
Sandra Birchmore Death Investigation
Surveillance footage of Sandra Birchmore’s apartment complex, showing the last time she was seen alive and the last person to see her alive, Matthew Farwell, entering and leaving the building on February 1st, 2021. Surveillance
footage from Birchmore’s apartment complex showed Matthew Farwell entering her apartment building and then exiting 28 minutes later, State Police records show.
Video
First Autopsy was performed by
Maria Del Mar Capo Martinez, MD. 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.
2021 report, State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne described finding Birchmore’s body in her bedroom on Feb. 4, 2021.
First Autopsy was performed by Maria Del Mar Capo Martinez, MD.
May 2021, the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Birchmore, 23, a former participant in a Stoughton police youth program who was pregnant when she died: killed herself by hanging, according to her death certificate
Second Autopsy
Former NY City medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden in a June 18 letter to a lawyer for Birchmore’s estate wrote.
“Ms. Birchmore did not die of suicidal hanging … The cause of Ms. Birchmore’s death is ‘Strangulation’ and the manner of death is ‘Homicide.’” Baden said the extent of Birchmore’s injuries, as well as the placement of a ligature found on her body, were among the reasons for his determination.
Dr. Smock has made several observations and conclusions that call into question the prior finding that Birchmore’s cause of death was suicide and instead further confirm that Birchmore’s cause of death was homicide.
May 2021, Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Birchmore, 23, a former participant in a Stoughton police youth program who was pregnant when she died: killed herself by hanging, according to her death certificate
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.
Report
On Feb. 1, 2021, surveillance cameras captured Matthew Farwell arriving and then leaving Birchmore’s apartment building in Canton, and he was the last known person to see her alive, a Stoughton police internal affairs report
said. Birchmore’s body was found there three days later.
Report
Chief Donna McNamarra results of internal affairs investigation. Evidence uncovered in the investigation found that William Farwell had engaged in “multiple inappropriate encounters” with Birchmore and had sent explicit messages and photos to the girl while he was on duty. IAB Report
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
September 23, 2022, Chief McNamara held a press conference with many media outlets in attendance. After extensive preparation, the Chief made a statement related to former members of the Stoughton Police Department who had been involved with the late Sandra Birchmore
During our recent conversations, you asked Mr. Farewell to submit a DNA sample and participate in a polygraph interview. I advised my client to decline these requests and the request for a further interview (not a polygraph)
that accompanied them.
Letter
Brought by the Plaintiff, Darlene Smith as the Personal Representative of the Estate of Sandra Birchmore, (hereinafter referred to as “Plaintiff”), for wrongful death, negligence, negligent supervision, negligent retention,
pain and suffering, and emotional distress as against the Defendants, Matthew Farwell, William Farwell, Robert Devine, the Town of Stoughton, and the Stoughton Police Department for claims arising out of an ongoing scheme
of grooming Sandra Birchmore and misconduct that ultimately led to the loss of Ms. Birchmore’s life on
February 4, 2021
Matthew Farwell has been charged in connection with the death of Sandra Birchmore. He is accused of killing Birchmore “with malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation” to prevent her from providing information to law enforcement regarding potential federal crimes. Farwell could have faced include deprivation of Birchmore’s rights, coercion and enticement, and wire fraud. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Murder Indictment
Defendant Matthew Farwell, a former Stoughton police officer, has been charged with killing Sandra Birchmore to prevent her from communicating information about his commission or possible commission of federal crimes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(a)(1)(C). The government moves to detain Farwell pending trial because he is a danger to community and poses a serious risk of flight and obstruction. The Court is authorized to conduct a detention hearing and detain Farwell on each of those independent bases because Farwell has been charged with a crime of violence that carries a mandatory life sentence.
DECERTIFICATION ORDER 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 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, in the Agreement.
Sandra Birchmore
Sandra Birchmore Case Records
History of Stoughton Police Explorers
Police Explorers Established on July 12, 1973, it is one of the programs offered by Learning for Life, a non-Scouting affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is typically open to young adults who have completed the 8th grade and are between the ages of 14 and 21. Since its inception, the program has faced nearly 200 allegations of abuse or misconduct involving adult mentors.
The Stoughton Police Department ran the Explorer program for about 15 years, but could only locate a single one-year agreement with Learning for Life, the Scouting affiliate that oversees the national Explorer program.
Robert C. Devine has led the Stoughton Police Explorers Program since 2003, a youth initiative under the department.
The agreement, signed by Devine in 2010, required the department to encourage officers to take Youth Protection Training and undergo an annual evaluation by Learning for Life. However, the department has not found any records indicating that any officers involved in the program completed the training, nor were any records of evaluations located.
2011 Police Explorers Stoughton
Robert C. Devine has led the Stoughton Police Explorers Program since 2003, a youth initiative under the department. Devine invited former Explorers, Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William, to serve as guest instructors. The Explorers, a co-ed branch of the Boy Scouts, is designed for older teens and often centers on specific fields like law enforcement. While the program existed before Devine became an advisor, it was struggling with low attendance and enthusiasm. To revive interest, Devine surveyed the members, proposing a mock police academy. Initially, the Explorer post had just five participants, but after promoting the academy, the number increased to 14. By 2011, the program was attracting 25 to 30 kids annually. The post met year-round, with the academy running from March to June, two nights a week.
2011-2012
Youth Explorer Program
The Civilian Youth Explorers Program is for motivated teens with a cut off age of 21. It is a ten week, physically and mentally demanding program based loosely on an actual police academy experience. Graduates of the program are eligible for department ride-along during the summer months. The primary purpose is to give the youth of Stoughton and surrounding towns an activity where they are occupied during high risk times of the day and to have non-confrontational interactions with Stoughton Police Officers. The program is geared toward young people with an interest in policing, medical, fire service, military service, or a desire to serve their community.
2014
Come and learn crucial life skills that will serve you well into adulthood. The Police Explorers academy is a demanding ten week course that covers the following:
- Physical Fitness
- Police Customs and Courtesies
- CPR Certification
- Self Defense
- Criminal, Constitutional, Motor Vehicle Law
- Drug Awareness
- The Court System
- K-9 Demonstrations
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Much More!
Orientation and sign ups for the 2014 Explorers Academy will be on March 27U| at 5:00 PM at the Stoughton Police Station.
The Academy is for motivated teens with a cut off age of 21 and will take place Wednesdays and Thursdays- at 5:30 PM starting on April 2nd Graduates will be eligible for the department ride-along program during file summer months. The program is geared toward young people with an interest in policing, medical, fire service, military service, or a desire to serve your community.
1998 – 2016 Police Explorers Stoughton
Robert C. Devine, led the department’s youth program since 2003, the Stoughton Police Explorers Program. Robert Devine brought in former Explorers Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William, as guest instructors.
September 1998 Matthew and William Farwell joined Police Explorers Program, they were 12 years old. Farwell brothers were known to have disciplinary issues while attending school.
In 2022 Matthew Farwell been designated the rank of Deputy Chief within a program and William Farwell been designated to the rank of Lieutenant.
In 2003 Robert Devine brought in former Explorers Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William then 17 years old, as guest instructors. Later that year William Farwell was designated a the rank of Lieutenant within Explorer Program.
Billy has volunteered with the Stoughton Police Explorers program with which he grew up.
He has assisted Stoughton Police Executive Officer Robert Devine with the running of the annual academy, bringing in Army EOD equipment so the kids could try on a bomb suit or drive one of the robots.
Devine said, “All three were in the very first Explorers class 11 years ago. It means a lot to have one of the men in our department. They grew up right before my eyes. If we played even a small part in their success, I’m proud of that.”
Stoughton Police Explorer 2013
- Sandra birchmore 2013
- December 9, 2013, the Stoughton Police Department posted a photo on their official Facebook page
Sandra Birchmore
May 13, 1997 – February 1, 2021
- Sandra Birchmore 2010
- Sandra Birchmore 2010
- Sandra Birchmore 2013
- Sandra birchmore 2013
- Sandra Birchmore 2012
- Sandra Birchmore 2014
- Sandra Birchmore 2015
- Sandra Birchmore 2014
- Sandra Birchmore 2014
- Sandra Birchmore 2019
- Sandra Birchmore 2019
- Sandra Birchmore 2017
- Sandra Birchmore 2016
- Sandra Birchmore Graduation 2015
- Sandra Birchmore
- Sandra Birchmore
- Sandra Birchmore 2019
- Sandra Birchmore
- Sandra Birchmore
- Sandra Birchmore