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Sandra Birchmore, 23, was found dead inside her Canton apartment on February 4, 2021. Stoughton Police launched an internal investigation the next day to determine if any misconduct was carried out by officers. What unfolded was a “deeply disturbing pattern of behavior," according to Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara.
"Our investigation discovered that Matthew Farwell exploited Miss. Birchmore, a young woman, who was 13 when she met him until Matthew Farwell decided to end the relationship."
Birchmore met Officer Matthew Farwell when she enrolled in the department's Explorer Program in 2010, McNamara said during a press conference on Friday, Sept. 23. The program is intended for young adults interested in a career in law enforcement.
The duo became romantically involved when Birchmore was 15 and Farwell was 27. They exchanged hundreds of digital messages and "explicit exchanges" over several years, McNamara said.
Farwell even introduced Birchmore to his co-workers, including his twin brother William Farwell and Officer Robert Devine, who led the Explorer Program. The investigation also identified a fourth officer, who is reportedly with the Abington Police Department, and a military recruiter who both had inappropriate contact with Birchmore.
Birchmore and Farwell's relationship ended on February 1, 2021, McNamara said. Afterwards, Farwell went to Birchmore’s apartment where a “pretty nasty argument” ensued. Birchmore was found dead days later.
Several of Birchmore's friends told the Boston Globe that she was pregnant with Farwell's baby, the Patch reports. Farwell resigned from the department after he was placed on leave the same day Birchmore's body was found, the outlet continues. William Farwell and Devine resigned as well.
McNamara has recommended that all three officers have their police certifications permanently revoked and placed on the National Decertification Index, ensuring they never serve again.
"All three men...violated their oath of office and should never have the privilege of serving any community as a police officer," she said. "Through a sustained and deliberate common combination of lies, deceit, and treachery, they violated the policies and the core values of the Stoughton Police Department, not to mention human decency."
The investigation has been handed over to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office. The investigation has also been shared with the police chief of the department where the fourth officer is currently employed, McNamara said.
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