Ex-officer Faces Trial as Birchmore Texts Emerge in Murder Case
WHO:
Boston.com News - FBI Agent Heidi Kelsch testified about paternity testing.
US Magazine - Matthew Farwell is a former Stoughton police officer accused in the case.
US Magazine - Sandra Birchmore was a 23-year-old pregnant woman.
CBS News US - Matthew Farwell is an ex-Massachusetts police officer; Sandra Birchmore is named in the report about their text messages.
CBS News US - Tom Hanson reports on the trial.
WHAT:
Boston.com News - DNA testing conducted after Sandra Birchmore’s death excluded Matthew Farwell as the father of her unborn child.
Boston.com News - Prosecutors say Farwell believed Birchmore’s unborn child was his.
US Magazine - Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore and allegedly staging her death as a suicide.
CBS News US - Text messages between Farwell and Birchmore emerged during the murder trial.
WHERE:
US Magazine - Farwell’s trial is unfolding in federal court.
US Magazine - Farwell was a police officer in Stoughton, Massachusetts.
WHEN:
CBS News US - Text messages from the weeks leading up to Birchmore’s death emerged Monday as the trial continued.
WHY:
US Magazine - Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore to prevent her from revealing years of alleged sexual abuse.
HOW:
US Magazine - Farwell allegedly staged Birchmore’s death as a suicide to cover up the alleged abuse.
(UPDATED October 21, 2026 01:29 UTC)
DNA testing conducted after Sandra Birchmore’s death excluded Matthew Farwell as the father of her unborn child. FBI agent Heidi Kelsch testified about the paternity testing. Prosecutors say Farwell believed the unborn child was his.
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(UPDATED October 21, 2026 00:45 UTC)
Text messages between former Massachusetts police officer Matthew Farwell and 23-year-old pregnant Sandra Birchmore have emerged at his federal murder trial. Farwell is accused of killing Birchmore to stop her from revealing years of alleged sexual abuse, then staging her death as a suicide. The trial is being held in federal court.