A former Massachusetts police officer already accused of murdering Sandra Birchmore, a pregnant woman, now faces an additional charge for allegedly causing the death of her unborn child.
Matthew Farwell, 39, of Easton, was indicted on one count of causing the death of Birchmore’s unborn child, according to U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks.
Farwell, who was first arrested and charged in August 2024, remains in federal custody and will be arraigned at a later date.
According to the Department of Justice, Farwell allegedly strangled Birchmore on or about February 1, 2021, and then staged her body and apartment to make it appear as though she had taken her own life.
Prosecutors claim Farwell acted with “malice aforethought”, intending to stop Birchmore from exposing years of sexual exploitation he allegedly committed while serving as a police officer.
The indictment accuses Farwell of using his authority to groom and sexually abuse Birchmore, beginning when she was just 15 years old, and continuing until her death — sometimes while he was on duty.
Court filings also allege that Farwell’s actions led to the death of Birchmore’s unborn child. Investigators say he had agreed to “attempt to impregnate her” in the fall of 2020 to silence her.
When Birchmore later told Farwell she planned to keep the baby and have his name on the birth certificate, he allegedly called her “the worst person on the face of the earth.”
In the weeks before her death, Birchmore reportedly showed excitement about her pregnancy — scheduling ultrasounds, genetic tests, and doctor visits, and even planning a Valentine’s Day pregnancy announcement. She also made prenatal care appointments, purchased baby items, and researched parenting topics online.
The DOJ reports Birchmore was eight to ten weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Under 18 U.S.C. §1841, the charge of causing the death of an unborn child carries a mandatory life sentence. Final sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge in accordance with U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.
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