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A former Massachusetts police officer is facing charges for allegedly murdering a pregnant woman who had accused him of sexual abuse and for staging her death to appear as a suicide.
Sandra Birchmore, 23, died in 2021, as previously reported by PEOPLE. The Stoughton, Mass., police department had claimed that three former officers were involved in inappropriate relationships with Birchmore starting when she was 15.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts has now indicted one of those officers, Matthew Farwell, 38, on a charge of killing a witness or victim. Farwell was arrested on Wednesday, August 28, according to the Justice Department.
It is not yet known whether Farwell has entered a plea or secured legal representation.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell killed Birchmore with the intent to obstruct law enforcement from discovering his involvement in federal offenses or potential offenses, as stated in a press release.
Birchmore's death was initially ruled a suicide, but a federal investigation revisited old evidence and uncovered new information, leading to Farwell's indictment.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell started a relationship with Birchmore when she was 15, which continued into her adulthood. Birchmore reportedly became pregnant in December 2020 with a child she claimed was Farwell's, according to a press release.
At the time their relationship began, Birchmore was involved in Stoughton's Explorers program—a program designed to give young people insight into law enforcement careers. Farwell, a former Stoughton officer, served as an instructor in that program.
Federal authorities allege that Farwell murdered Birchmore in Canton, Mass., on February 1, 2021, nearly two weeks after a friend of Birchmore reported their relationship to the Stoughton Police Department.
If convicted, Farwell could face either a mandatory death sentence or life imprisonment, according to prosecutors.
The Boston Globe previously reported that Birchmore's family hired Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner for New York City, to review the cause of death. In a letter dated June, Baden disputed the original suicide ruling, asserting that Birchmore had been strangled, as reported by The Globe.
In June, Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara addressed the renewed focus on Birchmore’s death, stating:
"Every good and decent police officer should be aware of and outraged by the injustices suffered by Sandra Birchmore. Sandra admired police officers and what policing represents in America, and she was victimized as a result."
The other two former officers accused by Stoughton police of inappropriate relationships with Birchmore are not currently facing charges.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to connect with a certified crisis counselor.