Ex-Massachusetts Cop Accused of Murdering Pregnant Woman to Stand Trial in 2026

Trial Date Set for Ex-Officer Accused of Murder

• 🗓️ A federal judge has set October 5th, 2026, as the trial date for former Stoughton, Massachusetts, Police Officer Matthew Farwell.
• 🎯 Farwell is accused of murdering Sandra Birchmore, who was 23 and pregnant at the time of her death in 2021.
• 💔 The case involves allegations of long-term sex abuse by Matthew Farwell and his twin brother, William Farwell, who is also a police officer, as well as ex-deputy police chief Robert Divine.

Allegations of Grooming and Abuse

• 👧 Prosecutors allege that Farwell groomed Sandra Birchmore when she was an underage member of a youth program at the Stoughton PD.
• 📱 Text messages suggest William Farwell had sex with Birchmore just 22 days before her death.
• 📞 Deputy Chief Robert Divine allegedly contacted Birchmore on the day she died, for reasons yet unknown.

Staged Suicide and Medical Examiner Discrepancy

• 🚪 Police initially found Sandra Birchmore hanging from a door handle in her apartment, a scene staged to look like a suicide.
• ⚠️ Despite expert opinions and evidence suggesting murder, the death certificate still lists her death as suicide, a decision the medical examiner has refused to change.
• ⚖️ This discrepancy is expected to be a significant point of contention during the trial, potentially creating a battle of experts.

Potential Death Penalty and Victim's Family Wishes

• ⚡ Federal prosecutors have until January 20th to decide whether to pursue the death penalty against Matthew Farwell if he is convicted.
• 🙏 Sandra Birchmore's mother figure, Barbara Wright, stated she does not want the death penalty due to her faith, but desires a sentence of life without parole.
• 🗣️ The court proceedings also touched upon discussions of cooperation between the prosecution and defense, which piqued the interest of those present.

Support for Sandra Birchmore

• 🧑‍⚖️ Many people were present in the courtroom to support Sandra, including her cousin Barbara Wright and victim advocate Melissa Berry.
• 📰 Melissa Berry operates the Justice for Sandra Birmore Facebook page and was in the courtroom to witness the proceedings.