Local News
Matthew Farwell pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Birchmore’s unborn son.
A former Stoughton police detective accused of killing Sandra Birchmore pleaded not guilty Friday on new charges of allegedly killing her unborn son.
Last month, a federal grand jury indicted Matthew Farwell, 40, on a charge of causing the death of a child in utero in connection with Birchmore’s alleged murder.
Farwell did not appear at the brief arraignment in federal court, according to a Boston Globe report. However, he submitted paperwork entering not guilty pleas to the two-count indictment and waived his right to be present in court.
Federal prosecutors alleged Farwell strangled 23-year-old Birchmore to death in her Canton apartment on Feb. 1, 2021, and arranged the scene to look like a suicide. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges and remains in custody while awaiting trial.
Farwell is accused of grooming Birchmore from the time she was 15, when she was enrolled in the Stoughton Police Department’s youth mentor program, where Farwell was an instructor. Prosecutors say Farwell committed statutory rape and carried out a sexual relationship with her for several years. Birchmore told Farwell she was pregnant with his child in late 2020. Prosecutors allege he killed her to cover up the relationship.
In June, DNA testing showed that Farwell was not the father of Birchmore’s unborn child, according to officials. It’s not clear whether investigators have yet determined paternity.
The state medical examiner ruled Birchmore’s death a suicide a few months after she died, and Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey brought no charges. However, the FBI arrested Farwell on Aug. 28, 2024, following a federal indictment.
If convicted, Farwell faces life in prison or a possible death sentence.
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