Boston, MA – A July 5, 2024 traffic accident in Easton has resurfaced as the backdrop to the federal trial of former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell. According to a police crash report obtained by NBC 10, Farwell was driving a 2022 GMC Sierra west on Chestnut Street when a deer entered the roadway. He swerved to avoid the animal, lost control and struck a utility pole, splitting it and causing a brief power outage. The vehicle’s airbags deployed, and firefighters treated a minor wrist wound that the report attributed to Farwell’s bracelet. He declined transport to a hospital, and an officer later drove him home.
Trial Charges and Allegations
Farwell is now on trial in a Boston federal court on charges that he groomed and sexually abused Sandra Birchmore, then 23, beginning when she was 15. Prosecutors allege he killed her to prevent her from disclosing information to federal authorities and staged the scene to appear as a suicide. Birchmore’s body was discovered on February 1, 2021, after her employer requested a wellness check. She was eight to ten weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Medical Examiner’s Findings
State medical examiner Dr. Capo Martinez originally listed the manner of death as suicide. In late spring 2026, the certificate was changed to “undetermined.” The change prompted media attention, and prosecutors noted Farwell’s reaction to the coverage. They cited a pre‑trial detention hearing on April 28, 2026, where they said Farwell wrote a “good‑bye” note to a friend after the story broke, a note the defense later described as a draft that was never acted upon.
Evidence Presented
Testimony at trial included statements from five individuals who claimed they had information about Birchmore’s death. Massachusetts State Police investigator Matthew Dunne testified that he and Sgt. John Fanning interviewed Farwell in a school parking lot on February 6, 2021, two days after the body was found. The interview was not recorded, and no notes were taken. Dunne said the informal setting was intended to keep Farwell from becoming hostile. Surveillance video from Birchmore’s apartment confirmed Farwell entered the building at 9:14 p.m. on February 1 and left at 9:43 p.m.
Family Testimony and Police Conduct
Farwell’s twin brother, William, testified that state police met with him in his truck, assuring him he was not a suspect. He also recounted a remark from Sgt. Fanning that he “needed this like an (expletive) bullet in the head,” and that Fanning promised to leave him out of the report. Later, Farwell told his brother the criminal investigation was “wrapping up.”
Federal Arrest
Federal authorities arrested Farwell on August 28, 2024, at a shopping‑mall parking lot in Revere, Massachusetts. The arrest followed a federal investigation that was reportedly spurred by an internal affairs report from the Stoughton Police Department, which was later obtained by the FBI.
Current Status
The trial continues as prosecutors and the defense present their respective narratives. The prosecution emphasizes the “undetermined” manner of death and the alleged motive to silence Birchmore, while the defense maintains that the note was merely a draft and that Farwell poses no flight risk. The case remains a focal point for the community’s concern over safety, accountability and the handling of violent crimes involving minors.
Original reporting: NBC 10 WJAR (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
