Full Breakdown
Federal Trial of Former Stoughton Officer Matthew Farwell Begins
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell is on trial in federal court for the killing of Sandra Birchmore, 23, and her unborn child in February 2021. Farwell faces a count of killing a witness or victim and a separate count for causing the death of an unborn child. He has pleaded not guilty. Opening statements were delivered on October 9 2026; testimony is slated to begin later that month.
Background & Context
Birchmore entered the Stoughton Police Department’s Explorers program in 2010. Prosecutors allege Farwell, then an instructor, began a sexual relationship with her when she was 15 and he was 27, continuing for years and including encounters while he was on duty. Birchmore became pregnant in early 2021 and reportedly threatened to expose the affair. State investigators originally ruled the death a suicide; a federal grand jury indicted Farwell in 2024, and a superseding indictment in late 2025 added the unborn-child charge. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner changed the manner of death to “undetermined” in 2025.
Timeline
- February 1 2021 – Birchmore is found dead in her Canton apartment; prosecutors say Farwell entered the building wearing a mask.
- August 2024 – Farwell is arrested by FBI agents.
- Late 2025 – Superseding indictment adds the unborn-child count.
- April 28 2026 – Court documents discuss a dispute over consent to search Farwell’s phone.
- October 9 2026 – Opening statements before a 16-person jury.
- October 2026 – Testimony is slated to begin.
Data & Statistics
- Birchmore was approximately eight weeks pregnant at the time of death.
- Prosecutors cite more than 40,000 text messages exchanged between Farwell and Birchmore.
- The prosecution’s witness list contains 67 names; the defense’s list contains 97.
Official Statements & Responses
Assistant U.S. Defense attorney Kimberly Stevens countered that Farwell “did not kill Sandra Birchmore,” framing the death as an “impulsive act of despair” after Farwell told Birchmore the baby was not his. Judge Denise Casper noted that, because the case is in federal court, cameras are prohibited under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 and that the trial is expected to last about five weeks.
Criticism & Opposition
Defense counsel Joanne Daley accused federal prosecutors of acting in bad faith, arguing the government mischaracterized the defense’s opening statement and omitted dates of Farwell’s other affairs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Manner of death: Initially ruled suicide; later changed to “undetermined.”
- Mask purpose: Prosecutors say the mask concealed Farwell’s identity while committing murder; the defense says it was to hide an affair from Farwell’s wife.
- DNA evidence: DNA linked Farwell to the duffel-strap ligature, but no DNA was found under Birchmore’s fingernails, and the ligature contained DNA from multiple individuals.
Why It Matters / Impact
The case tests federal jurisdiction over a death originally handled by state authorities and raises questions about law-enforcement misconduct and the handling of evidence in high-profile murder prosecutions. A conviction could result in a mandatory life sentence and set precedent for prosecuting former officers accused of abusing their positions.
What’s Next
The prosecution has renewed a motion to admit testimony from three women who allegedly had affairs with Farwell, arguing the evidence is needed to rebut the defense’s “mask-wearing” explanation. The judge has yet to rule on the motion. The trial is expected to run for about five weeks, after which the jury will deliberate on the federal charges.