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CrimeQuiet 9d · day 10

Former cop on trial for murdering pregnant woman, hiding abuse dating to when she was 15

Matthew Farwell, 40, faces federal charges that he killed Sandra Birchmore to conceal a sexual relationship that began when she was a child.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 8d ago6 pieces NewswiresMastodonGoogle NewsReddit

What to know

  • Former detective Matthew Farwell is on trial for murdering pregnant 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore to hide a sexual relationship that began when she was 15; police initially ruled her death a suicide despite thin investigation.
  • Federal prosecutors argue state police quickly closed the case as suicide to protect Farwell, a fellow officer; they did not examine him for injuries, take notes during a 15-minute interview, or sample his DNA.
  • An FBI-retained expert concluded Birchmore was strangled with a duffel bag strap and struggled before dying, contradicting the original suicide determination.
  • The defense admits Farwell had an affair with Birchmore but argues he did not kill her; the trial is ongoing in federal court.
most voices

Police deliberately protected a colleague by falsely ruling the death a suicide and suppressing investigation.

  • “This? Oh, just cops protecting their pedophile murderer buddies. Just standard stuff.”

    blueemu · Mastodon ↗

“I'll grab your throat and say you won't say a word to anyone or you will be sorry.”

Matthew Farwell, Former detective, in text message · Philadelphia Inquirer ↗

Matthew Farwell Former Stoughton police detectiveSandra Birchmore VictimBrian Holmes Former Stoughton Police Deputy ChiefDr. William Smock Expert witness for federal authoritiesTorey Cummings Assistant U.S. Attorney

Former cop on trial for murdering pregnant woman, hiding abuse dating to when she was 15
Philadelphia Inquirer

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Oct 29, 11 PM; 6 pieces over 10 days (2 articles · 4 posts) Oct 29, 11 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Oct 30, 2 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 30, 5 AM — quietOct 30, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Google News 1, Mastodon 1Oct 30, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Oct 30, 2 PM — quietOct 30, 5 PM — quietOct 30, 8 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 2 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 8 AM — quietOct 31, 11 AM — quietOct 31, 2 PM — quietOct 31, 5 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietOct 31, 11 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 7 AM — quietNov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 1 PM — quietNov 1, 4 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quiet 12
Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6yesterdaynow · 11:27 AM ET
  1. 2

    Defense argues Farwell had affair but did not kill

    One of Farwell's attorneys, Kimberly Stevens, acknowledged to jurors that her client 'had an affair' but insisted he is no killer, telling the jury 'He has made regrettable mistakes. He is human. Matthew did not kill Sandra Birchmore.'

    “He has made regrettable mistakes. He is human. Matthew did not kill Sandra Birchmore.”
    — Kimberly Stevens
  2. 1

    Farwell trial opens in federal court

    The former detective, now 40, is on trial charged with killing Birchmore and staging her death as a suicide to hide that he had begun sexually abusing her when she was 15. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings told jurors that police 'very quickly told others, including the medical examiner, that this was definitively a suicide and there was no foul play.' An expert brought in by federal authorities, Dr. William Smock, concluded Birchmore was strangled with a duffel bag strap and that she struggled before dying.

    “Not only did they not investigate, they very quickly told others, including the medical examiner, that this was definitively a suicide and there was no foul play.”
    — Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey Cummings
    • blueemu@shakedown.social

      This? Oh, just cops protecting their pedophile murderer buddies. Just standard stuff. https:// apnews.com/article/police-offi cer-massachusetts-killing-sandra-birchmore-76069b1c984c3add28879970bcdf1764?utm_source=app&utm_medium=android_share&utm_campaign=copy_link

      blueemu@shakedown.socialMastodon9d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  3. background

    FBI opens investigation into Birchmore's death — The FBI began examining Birchmore's death partly at the urging of Deputy Chief Brian Holmes, a former deputy chief at the Stoughton Police Department where Farwell worked.

  4. background

    Stoughton Police Deputy Chief Holmes conducts internal affairs investigation — Deputy Chief Brian Holmes led an internal investigation that concluded Farwell had a sexual relationship with Birchmore. Farwell resigned before Holmes released the findings.

  5. background

    Birchmore's friends reject suicide conclusion — Friends disputed police determination of suicide, telling investigators that Birchmore had recently learned she was pregnant and was thrilled about it. They identified Farwell, the married detective she had been seeing, as the person upset about the pregnancy.

  6. background

    Sandra Birchmore found dead; police rule it suicide — The 23-year-old Birchmore was found dead in her Massachusetts home. Police quickly determined it was a suicide without thorough investigation—Farwell was interviewed for only 15 minutes in a parking lot, notes were not taken, he was not examined for injuries, and his DNA was not sampled. Investigators only looked at his phone after he had deleted texts with Birchmore.

  7. background

    Birchmore becomes pregnant; Farwell resists — After Birchmore pressured Farwell to get her pregnant and threatened to tell his wife about their relationship, she became pregnant late in the year. She texted him an image saying 'Congrats, we are going to be parents,' but Farwell responded negatively when she suggested he be present at the baby's birth.

  8. background

    Farwell begins sexually abusing Birchmore at age 15 — Matthew Farwell, then 27, has sexual contact with 15-year-old Sandra Birchmore for the first time, according to a text Birchmore sent in 2020 recalling the date.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets The police said Sandra Birchmore's death was a suicide. Then the FBI accused a cop of murder

    first by AP News, 9d ago · also Philadelphia Inquirer

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