Content material warning: This story comprises particulars of sexual abuse and suicide.
Matthew Farwell introduced ginger ale.
Sandra Birchmore, 23, texted a buddy the information in late January 2021. Farwell, then a police officer in Stoughton, Massachusetts, close to Boston, had visited Birchmore’s condo the evening earlier than, in line with an affidavit accompanying Farwell’s indictment and arrest for killing her.
She thought Farwell bringing soda is perhaps an indication that their relationship was bettering. “He’s coming round,” her buddy 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 have been at,” Birchmore texted one other individual, in line with the affidavit filed in federal courtroom this week.
The courtroom 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 publish, a mentorship program created by Scouting America (previously often called the Boy Scouts) that teaches younger folks 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 practically 200 allegations of abuse and misconduct in police Explorer applications throughout the nation.
Earlier than his indictment, Farwell had acknowledged to investigators that he visited Birchmore’s condo on the evening of her demise and that that they had an argument. However he mentioned she was alive when he left, in line with 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, in line with the federal indictment. Farwell had beforehand informed 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 displaying the sexual relationship continued for years. Prosecutors contend that Farwell tracked Birchmore’s cellphone location, punished her with violent intercourse acts for perceived misbehavior and have become indignant when somebody knowledgeable the police division of their relationship, in line with 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, courtroom information allege, for Birchmore to remain quiet about their relationship.
When Birchmore informed Farwell concerning the being pregnant, he turned indignant, in line with courtroom information. She informed a buddy that Farwell allegedly mentioned “he wished [she] simply would die and he desires nothing to do with the newborn,” in line with 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 thought of being a dad to the kid they’d have collectively, Birchmore texted her buddy. He additionally requested for a key to her condo after by no means wanting one earlier than, in line with courtroom information.
Farwell did one thing else unusual that evening, Birchmore texted her buddy. He opened her closet door and seemed in her lavatory, and she or he didn’t know why. “That’s bizarre,” her buddy texted. “Yeah, it was actually bizarre,” she responded.
Twelve days later, Birchmore was discovered lifeless in her condo, hanging from the door deal with of her bed room closet. The health worker 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 condo 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 performing U.S. Lawyer for the District of Massachusetts, at a press convention on Wednesday, including that when Farwell may not management Birchmore, he “silenced her, completely.”
In courtroom information newly launched as a part of the felony 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, courtroom information allege the sexual relationship that they had. Birchmore texted Farwell, “Would you like me to only take what you do or try to say no? I do know being informed no is your favourite,” to which he responds: “Say no.”
He was additionally controlling, authorities allege, monitoring her cellphone 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 applications. We discovered that officers didn’t at all times face felony prosecutions for his or her actions, and amongst those that did, about half have been sentenced to time behind bars — starting from weekends in jail to years in jail.
Birchmore can be not the one sufferer of alleged grooming and abuse as a result of her participation in Explorers. Our reporting discovered her case is amongst practically 200 allegations that regulation enforcement personnel — principally officers — have groomed, sexually abused, or engaged in inappropriate habits with contributors for the reason that Seventies. Nearly all of the victims are teenage ladies. (For the reason that publication of our story this spring, extra survivors alleging abuse and misconduct by law enforcement officials in regulation enforcement Explorers applications have contacted us.)
“I believe the hurt, potential hurt and the precise hurt by way of these applications outweighs the advantages,” mentioned Phil Stinson, a felony justice professor at Bowling Inexperienced State College, who has documented police sexual violence, together with in Explorer applications. “We’ve acquired to determine different methods to have applications 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 surprising.”
Birchmore joined the Stoughton Police Division’s Explorer program as a younger teenager, hoping to discover a sense of course in regulation enforcement. Each her mom and grandmother died when she was a youngster. In a lawsuit filed by her household following Birchmore’s demise, attorneys for the household described Birchmore as having “deeply revered” and admired law enforcement officials.
Barbara Wright, Birchmore’s cousin, informed 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 discovered what occurred to Sandra, as a result of I knew that it wasn’t a suicide.” she mentioned.
Wright says the affidavit reveals how “sick” Farwell is, and urges mother and father to be extra cautious of applications like Explorers.
“Anybody who’s even contemplating placing their youngster in one in every of these applications [I hope they] make it possible for they examine it, make it possible for this system is being recertified each yr, and coaching is being taken, and that youngsters aren’t going out alone with law enforcement officials,” Wright mentioned, “There’s a number of issues mother and father can do to verify their children are secure after they’re in these applications, and never simply assume that they will be secure — however ensure that to take a look at each element.”
Paperwork supplied by the Stoughton Police Division by way of 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 offers safeguards for youth in Explorers extra broadly.
Regardless of an in depth inner affairs investigation, state police investigation, and information revealed because of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Birchmore’s household, Farwell resigned from the Stoughton Police Division and didn’t face felony fees for years. He was decertified in March.
Textual content messages cited in courtroom 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 provided to tutor her, information present, the place their conversations turned sexual and included discussions about Farwell being Birchmore’s first sexual associate.
In a June 2020 textual content trade a couple of sexual expertise that occurred when she was 15 years outdated and Farwell was 27, Birchmore texted the married father: “I used to be kinda scared to say no to start with not realizing the way you’d take it.” In one other message, Farwell informed Birchmore he would have had intercourse together 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 approach to punish her for dangerous grades or having intercourse with different folks. Authorities additionally say Farwell allegedly left work greater than two dozen instances throughout his police shifts to fulfill, and at instances have intercourse, with Birchmore.
In the previous few 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 have 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 — seemingly someday in late summer time — and that he signal the beginning certificates. He responded: “You might be actually the worst individual on the face of the earth,” in line with the affidavit.
Prosecutors allege that Farwell used his expertise as a detective to plot a plan to kill Birchmore throughout a snowstorm when it may take days for somebody to verify on her. Following the invention of her physique, Farwell allegedly searched after which deleted questions on iPhone message restoration. A colleague informed authorities that Farwell confirmed no unhappiness or grief over Birchmore’s demise, and that he was indignant concerning the state police investigation into his relationship together with her.
Matthew Farwell was not the one officer concerned with Birchmore, in line with 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 performing U.S. Lawyer, pressured that the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.
For those who or somebody you realize 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 together with your native rape disaster middle. You can even entry RAINN’s on-line chat service at https://www.rainn.org/get-help.
For those who or somebody you realize is in disaster, name or textual content 988 to achieve the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline or chat dwell at 988lifeline.org. You can even go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/sources for added help.
