A federal jury in Boston convicted former police officer Matthew Farwell of killing Sandra Birchmore
A federal jury in Boston on Tuesday convicted former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police officer Matthew Farwell of killing Sandra Birchmore and causing the death of her unborn child. Birchmore, 23, died in her Canton apartment in February 2021, and the verdict came after a trial.
Get The Augerton Digest by email.
Prosecutors said Farwell strangled Birchmore and staged her death as a suicide to prevent her from exposing alleged sexual abuse that began when she was 15. His lawyers argued she died by suicide and said their relationship began when she was 16. Later DNA testing found another man was the unborn child’s biological father.
After the FBI re-examined the death, Farwell was indicted in 2024. The state medical examiner changed the manner of death from suicide to undetermined earlier this year. The AP reported the conviction carries a mandatory life sentence.
Was this story useful?
What was the main problem? (optional)
Reporting behind this story
- NBC News — Matthew Farwell convicted in the 2021 deaths of Sandra Birchmore and her unborn baby
- Boston Herald — Ex-Mass cop Matthew Farwell found guilty in Sandra Birchmore killing
- WBUR Public Radio — Jury finds Matthew Farwell guilty of killing Sandra Birchmore and unborn child
- wcvb.com — Sandra Birchmore's family reacts to conviction of Matthew Farwell
- turnto10.com (with Associated Press) — Matthew Farwell found guilty of killing Sandra Birchmore, her unborn baby