Sandra Birchmore Was 12 When a Cop Allegedly Started Grooming Her. 13 Years Later, Prosecutors Claim He Killed Her Hours Before His Wife Gave Birth

Sandra Birchmore was 23 years old and pregnant when her life was tragically taken.

Birchmore, who grew up in a suburb outside of Boston, learned she was pregnant with her first child in late 2020. Her friends said she was excited about the news.

A few months later, in February 2021, her family received the devastating news that she had been found dead in her apartment. At first, police ruled her death a suicide, but her friends and family didn’t believe she would take her own life while pregnant. They demanded that authorities investigate it as a homicide.

When police reopened the case, they discovered that Birchmore had allegedly been in a nearly 10-year relationship with married police officer Matthew Farwell, who was almost 15 years older than her at the time of her death. In August 2024, Farwell was arrested and charged with strangling Birchmore and staging the scene to look like a suicide. He has pleaded not guilty.

“When it became clear to Mr. Farwell that he could no longer control [her], he allegedly silenced her permanently,” then acting-U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said at the time of the arrest.

Here’s what is known about Sandra Birchmore’s death and her family’s fight for justice.

Sandra Birchmore’s Early Life

Birchmore was raised by her mother, Denise, in Stoughton, Mass. Because Denise had a chronic illness, Sandra often helped care for her.

“She was never brought up like a child,” relative Kellie Nee told The Boston Globe in December 2024. “She was a young adult at an early age.”

Although Sandra and her mother had their own apartment, they were very close with Denise’s aunt and uncle, who were like grandparents to her. “Her grandmother was her best friend,” William Kilroy, Birchmore’s ex-boyfriend, told The Boston Globe.

Sadly, Denise had a stroke in May 2016 and died just days after Sandra’s 19th birthday. One month later, her grandmother also passed away. These losses deeply affected Birchmore.

Meeting Officer Matthew Farwell

Both Birchmore and her mother had close ties with the Stoughton Police Department because they often relied on help from officers during Denise’s health emergencies.

Starting as a young child, Sandra took part in programs with the police to learn skills in safety and communication. When she was 12, she joined the Stoughton Police Explorers, a mentorship program. There, she became friends with Officer Farwell, a volunteer instructor in his 20s at the time.

Alleged Grooming and Abuse

Farwell, an alum of the Explorers program, allegedly began grooming Birchmore soon after they met, according to Boston.com and the FBI. In 2012, they connected on Facebook and started meeting for “tutoring sessions.”

By the time Birchmore was 15, Farwell was 27, and FBI investigators claim he committed statutory rape for the first time. Text messages reportedly showed Farwell tracking her phone, punishing her with sexual violence, and asking her to play a rape victim during the abuse.

One month after their alleged first sexual encounter, Farwell married another woman. Prosecutors claim he continued his predatory relationship with Birchmore until her death.

Pregnancy and Final Months

In October 2020, Birchmore learned that Farwell’s wife was expecting their third child. Birchmore wanted a child of her own and allegedly asked Farwell to impregnate her, promising to keep their affair secret. On December 28, 2020, she told Farwell she was pregnant. Prosecutors say he was angry and did not want anything to do with the baby.

Despite this, Birchmore shared her excitement with friends and family. Her friend Barbara Wright told PEOPLE in September 2024 that Birchmore “was over the moon” about the pregnancy. Birchmore had planned to announce it on social media on Valentine’s Day 2021.

Discovery of Her Death

On February 4, 2021, after Birchmore missed work at East Elementary School, her coworkers called the police. Officers found her body in her apartment, seated on the floor with a luggage strap around her neck attached to a closet doorknob.

Authorities initially ruled the death a suicide, estimating she died around 9 p.m. on February 1, 2021, based on cell phone records.

Family Fights for Justice

Birchmore’s family insisted Farwell was involved. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Stoughton Police Department and alleged Birchmore had been in abusive sexual relationships with Farwell, his brother William, and former deputy chief Robert Devine, according to NBC News.

Internal affairs confirmed some of these claims. William admitted to having sex with Birchmore as an adult, while Devine denied it.

The FBI later investigated and uncovered the extent of Birchmore and Farwell’s alleged relationship, as well as her pregnancy, mainly through text messages. On August 28, 2024, prosecutors charged Farwell with strangling Birchmore to death to prevent her from exposing him and staging the scene as a suicide. Farwell pleaded not guilty.

“Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape and then sexual violence, all at the hands of Matthew Farwell,” Levy said after the arrest. “He allegedly attempted to cover his tracks to literally try and get away with murder. And he almost did — until today.”

How the FBI Says Farwell Allegedly Committed the Murder

Prosecutors say text messages indicate Farwell asked Birchmore if he could stop by her apartment around 9 p.m. on February 1, 2021. Security cameras reportedly showed him wearing a mask, baseball cap, and hoodie when he entered. He allegedly strangled her with a duffel bag strap and then staged the scene to look like a suicide. Hours later, he reportedly went with his wife to deliver their third child, according to Boston.com.