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Mass. cop faces trial in Sandra Birchmore case after she was 'groomed starting at 12 -then killed' when she got pregnant
New York Post • • nation
Key Points:
- Sandra Birchmore, a former police youth program participant in Stoughton, Massachusetts, was allegedly groomed, sexually abused, and murdered by Officer Matthew Farwell, who staged her death to look like a suicide in 2021.
- Farwell, who began abusing Birchmore when she was 15, strangled her after she claimed to be pregnant with his child, although DNA tests later showed he was not the father.
- Birchmore’s death was initially ruled a suicide, but a 2024 autopsy revealed signs of homicidal strangulation, leading to Farwell’s federal indictment on charges including killing a witness or victim and killing an unborn baby.
- Farwell’s twin brother William and former youth program director Robert Devine were also accused of abusing Birchmore, resigned in 2022, and face a wrongful death lawsuit, though only Matthew Farwell has been criminally charged.
- Jury selection for Farwell’s trial began in 2024, with opening statements scheduled soon; prosecutors have opted not to seek the death penalty, and Farwell maintains Birchmore’s death was a suicide.
