Content material warning: This story comprises particulars of sexual abuse and suicide.
Matthew Farwell introduced ginger ale.
Sandra Birchmore, 23, texted a good friend the information in late January 2021. Farwell, then a police officer in Stoughton, Massachusetts, close to Boston, had visited Birchmore’s residence the evening earlier than, based on an affidavit accompanying Farwell’s indictment and arrest for killing her.
She thought Farwell bringing soda could be an indication that their relationship was enhancing. “He’s coming round,” her good friend texted. “Much more than I believed he was going to sure,” Birchmore wrote again. His habits towards her that evening had been markedly totally different, a “full 180 from the place we had been at,” Birchmore texted one other individual, based on the affidavit filed in federal court docket this week.
The court docket information allege in disturbing element that Farwell had, for a couple of decade, groomed, managed and eventually killed Birchmore. The indictment of Farwell, 38, this week is a serious twist in a case that has garnered nationwide hypothesis into the circumstances of her demise. The 2 met when Birchmore was a 13-year-old participant within the Stoughton Police Division’s Explorer put up, a mentorship program created by Scouting America (previously referred to as the Boy Scouts) that teaches younger individuals about regulation enforcement. Farwell was an teacher and was later employed as a police officer. The Marshall Challenge featured Birchmore’s case earlier this yr as a part of an investigation that discovered almost 200 allegations of abuse and misconduct in police Explorer packages throughout the nation.
Earlier than his indictment, Farwell had acknowledged to investigators that he visited Birchmore’s residence on the evening of her demise and that they’d an argument. However he mentioned she was alive when he left, based on police information. The lawyer representing Farwell in a civil lawsuit filed by Birchmore’s household didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Farwell had intercourse with Birchmore when she was 15, and couldn’t legally consent, based on the federal indictment. Farwell had beforehand instructed investigators that he first had intercourse with Birchmore seven years later, in 2020, however the indictment alleges that was a lie. Investigators cite textual content messages exhibiting the sexual relationship continued for years. Prosecutors contend that Farwell tracked Birchmore’s telephone location, punished her with violent intercourse acts for perceived misbehavior and have become indignant when somebody knowledgeable the police division of their relationship, based on the affidavit.
In January 2021, Birchmore was newly pregnant and believed Farwell was the daddy, since he had agreed to impregnate her as a part of a deal they made, court docket information allege, for Birchmore to remain quiet about their relationship.
When Birchmore instructed Farwell in regards to the being pregnant, he turned indignant, based on court docket information. She instructed a good friend that Farwell allegedly mentioned “he wished [she] simply would die and he desires nothing to do with the infant,” based on the affidavit.
However then the married father introduced her the ginger ale she had requested for that evening in January. He was coming round to the concept of being a dad to the kid they’d have collectively, Birchmore texted her good friend. He additionally requested for a key to her residence after by no means wanting one earlier than, based on court docket information.
Farwell did one thing else unusual that evening, Birchmore texted her good friend. He opened her closet door and seemed in her lavatory, and she or he didn’t know why. “That’s bizarre,” her good friend texted. “Yeah, it was actually bizarre,” she responded.
Twelve days later, Birchmore was discovered lifeless in her residence, hanging from the door deal with of her bed room closet. The medical expert dominated her demise a suicide. However in a federal indictment launched earlier this week, prosecutors allege the evening Farwell introduced Birchmore ginger ale, he was truly planning to kill her and was scoping her residence for tactics to stage her demise as a suicide.
“We allege that Sanda Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape after which sexual violence, all by the hands of Matthew Farwell,” mentioned Joshua Levy, the appearing U.S. Lawyer for the District of Massachusetts, at a press convention on Wednesday, including that when Farwell might not management Birchmore, he “silenced her, completely.”
In court docket information newly launched as a part of the legal case, which incorporates detailed textual content messages between Farwell and Birchmore, prosecutors paint Farwell as a controlling predator who was fixated on enjoying out violent rape fantasies with Birchmore, ever since she was a younger teenager within the Explorer program.
In a single textual content trade months earlier than her demise, court docket information allege the sexual relationship they’d. Birchmore texted Farwell, “Would you like me to simply take what you do or try to say no? I do know being instructed no is your favourite,” to which he responds: “Say no.”
He was additionally controlling, authorities allege, monitoring her telephone location and questioning her when she turned it off.
The investigation by The Marshall Challenge revealed earlier this yr detailed the historical past of sexual abuse and misconduct allegations inside regulation enforcement Explorer packages. We discovered that officers didn’t at all times face legal prosecutions for his or her actions, and amongst those that did, about half had been sentenced to time behind bars — starting from weekends in jail to years in jail.
Birchmore can also be not the one sufferer of alleged grooming and abuse on account of her participation in Explorers. Our reporting discovered her case is amongst almost 200 allegations that regulation enforcement personnel — principally officers — have groomed, sexually abused, or engaged in inappropriate habits with contributors for the reason that Seventies. The vast majority of the victims are teenage women. (Because the publication of our story this spring, extra survivors alleging abuse and misconduct by cops in regulation enforcement Explorers packages have contacted us.)
“I feel the hurt, potential hurt and the precise hurt by these packages outweighs the advantages,” mentioned Phil Stinson, a legal justice professor at Bowling Inexperienced State College, who has documented police sexual violence, together with in Explorer packages. “We’ve obtained to determine different methods to have packages the place adolescents can discover totally different profession paths and publicity to profession alternatives — however that is one thing we’ve seen earlier than, and I dare to say we’ll see once more,” he mentioned.
Stinson known as the Birchmore case “completely horrific and stunning.”
Birchmore joined the Stoughton Police Division’s Explorer program as a younger teenager, hoping to discover a sense of path in regulation enforcement. Each her mom and grandmother died when she was a young person. In a lawsuit filed by her household following Birchmore’s demise, legal professionals for the household described Birchmore as having “deeply revered” and admired cops.
Barbara Wright, Birchmore’s cousin, instructed The Marshall Challenge on Wednesday that information of Farwell’s arrest is a “very long time coming.”
“I have been praying for it for the reason that day I came upon what occurred to Sandra, as a result of I knew that it wasn’t a suicide.” she mentioned.
Wright says the affidavit exhibits how “sick” Farwell is, and urges mother and father to be extra cautious of packages like Explorers.
“Anybody who’s even contemplating placing their little one in one in every of these packages [I hope they] ensure that they examine it, ensure that this system is being recertified every yr, and coaching is being taken, and that children aren’t going out alone with cops,” Wright mentioned, “There’s a whole lot of issues mother and father can do to ensure their youngsters are protected after they’re in these packages, and never simply assume that they are going to be protected — however ensure to take a look at each element.”
Paperwork supplied by the Stoughton Police Division by a public information request present a program run with little oversight. Regardless of working this system for about 15 years, the police division supplied solely a single one-year settlement with Studying for Life, a Scouting America affiliate that oversees the nationwide Explorer program. The division couldn’t find any youth security coaching — as inspired by Scouting — that Farwell or different officers accomplished as instructors. Earlier this yr, Scouting America didn’t reply to our questions on its oversight of the Stoughton Explorer program, or questions on the way it supplies safeguards for youth in Explorers extra broadly.
Regardless of an in depth inside affairs investigation, state police investigation, and information revealed on account of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Birchmore’s household, Farwell resigned from the Stoughton Police Division and didn’t face legal prices for years. He was decertified in March.
Textual content messages cited in court docket paperwork present a troubling relationship that started when Farwell met Birchmore when she was a 13-year-old of their city’s Explorers program. He then supplied to tutor her, information present, the place their conversations turned sexual and included discussions about Farwell being Birchmore’s first sexual companion.
In a June 2020 textual content trade a couple of sexual expertise that occurred when she was 15 years previous and Farwell was 27, Birchmore texted the married father: “I used to be kinda scared to say no to start with not understanding the way you’d take it.” In one other message, Farwell instructed Birchmore he would have had intercourse along with her when she was even youthful.
The affidavit additionally alleges that he would “have interaction in forceful oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse acts,” as a technique to punish her for dangerous grades or having intercourse with different individuals. Authorities additionally say Farwell allegedly left work greater than two dozen instances throughout his police shifts to satisfy, and at instances have intercourse, with Birchmore.
In the previous couple of years of Birchmore’s life, Farwell turned cautious about placing particulars of their relationship in writing, usually telling the younger lady to delete textual content messages or to attend till they had been in individual to debate one thing.
As Birchmore turned extra enthusiastic about changing into a mom, Farwell grew extra upset. In a textual content trade in December 2020, Birchmore demanded Farwell be current throughout labor — doubtless someday in late summer season — and that he signal the delivery certificates. He responded: “You’re really the worst individual on the face of the earth,” based on the affidavit.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell used his expertise as a detective to plan a plan to kill Birchmore throughout a snowstorm when it might take days for somebody to test on her. Following the invention of her physique, Farwell allegedly searched after which deleted questions on iPhone message restoration. A colleague instructed authorities that Farwell confirmed no disappointment or grief over Birchmore’s demise, and that he was indignant in regards to the state police investigation into his relationship along with her.
Matthew Farwell was not the one officer concerned with Birchmore, based on a police investigative report.
His twin brother, William, was additionally an Explorer program teacher and Stoughton police officer. This system was run by veteran officer Robert Devine, who introduced the Farwells on as mentors.The police investigation discovered that Devine and William Farwell additionally had sexual relationships with Birchmore when she was an grownup. Each William Farwell and Devine have denied wrongdoing.
At a press convention on Wednesday, Levy, the appearing U.S. Lawyer, confused that the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.
Should you or somebody you understand has been sexually assaulted, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Phone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, run by the Rape, Abuse, & Incest Nationwide Community (RAINN), can put you involved along with your native rape disaster middle. You too can entry RAINN’s on-line chat service at https://www.rainn.org/get-help.
Should you or somebody you understand is in disaster, name or textual content 988 to succeed in the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline or chat reside at 988lifeline.org. You too can go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/assets for extra assist.
Correction: This story has been up to date to appropriate the variety of days between the time that, prosecutors allege, Matthew Farwell scoped Sandra Birchmore’s residence and when her physique was found. It was 12 days later, not 8.
