Former Stoughton Officer Farwell on Trial for Death of Sandra Birchmore
Day three of Matthew Farwell's federal murder trial in Boston featured testimony from five witnesses, including the Stoughton police chief and a digital forensics examiner.
Five Witnesses Take the Stand in Farwell Murder Trial
Five witnesses testified on Thursday during the third day of the federal trial of former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police officer Matthew Farwell, cbsnews.com reports. The proceedings continued at a South Boston courthouse, with testimony covering cellphone evidence, internal affairs findings, and personal accounts from a childhood friend of the victim.
Farwell is charged with killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child in her Canton apartment in February 2021. Her death was initially ruled a suicide. In 2024, Farwell was charged federally with killing a witness or victim, and in 2025 a second charge was added for causing the death of an unborn child. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts and faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted.
Digital Forensics Examiner Details Password Evidence
Nicholas Guarino, a digital forensic examiner from the Norfolk District Attorney's office, testified for several hours about data extracted from Birchmore's devices. Guarino, formerly a Massachusetts State Police trooper assigned to the Norfolk DA's office for more than a decade, examined five devices in total, including Birchmore's phone.
He told the court that the password to Birchmore's laptop was "Mfarwell1," and the password for the DoorDash account on her phone was "mfarwell1." Guarino also searched Farwell's phone for Birchmore's number but said it did not appear. The phone was subsequently returned to Farwell.
During cross-examination, the defense pressed Guarino on deleted files. He acknowledged that data had been removed to conserve server space, noting that the case had initially come to him as a suicide. He also disclosed that investigators lost files when an external hard drive failed.
"There's no evidence I'm withholding. I did not purposefully come in and say 'I'm not going to write a report,'" Guarino told the defense attorney. On re-direct, he confirmed he did not destroy the hard drive. Guarino, who also testified during Karen Read's high-profile trials, where he read text messages between Read and John O'Keefe for the jury, completed his testimony around 3:20 p.m.
Stoughton Police Chief Describes Internal Investigation
Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara, currently on administrative leave, testified as the third witness of the day. McNamara was serving as chief in 2021 when Farwell was one of approximately 60 sworn officers in the department.
She confirmed that Stoughton police did not investigate Birchmore's death, as it fell outside the department's jurisdiction. The department did, however, launch an internal affairs investigation. In 2022, McNamara announced that the probe had determined Farwell, his twin brother William Farwell, and former Stoughton deputy police chief Robert Devine had each maintained an inappropriate relationship with Birchmore.
The report concluded that all three men "should never have the privilege of serving any community as a police officer."
Reading Farwell's personnel records in court, McNamara noted he participated in the police explorers program from 1998 to 2010, attended Stoughton High School without graduating, completed 11th grade, then obtained his GED, and was hired as a patrol officer in March 2012. The police explorers program was later disbanded in September 2022.
McNamara said the first time she saw surveillance footage of Farwell entering the lobby of Birchmore's apartment building was when it was published online. She said Massachusetts State Police investigator John Fanning had kept her updated on the death investigation "on occasion, at the beginning." McNamara concluded her testimony around 12:40 p.m.
Friend Recalls Birchmore's Relationship With Farwell
Lesley Davis, 30, who met Birchmore in middle school at a gym in Stoughton, took the stand Thursday morning. She told prosecutors that Birchmore first mentioned Farwell when she was 15 years old.
"She said that he was someone who would always help her with her homework and he paid a lot of attention to her, like he would always text her and wonder where she is," Davis testified.
Davis said Birchmore spoke openly about a sexual relationship with Farwell. "When I would talk about mine, she would talk about hers with Matthew Farwell," Davis said. "She would have sex with him in his police vehicle as well as his personal truck."
Davis recalled that Birchmore frequently spoke about wanting to become a mother. In 2020, Birchmore told Davis she was pregnant and asked her to serve as godmother.
"She was so happy, maybe the happiest time in her life, she was very excited for the baby," Davis said.
Davis also described one occasion on which Farwell pushed Birchmore to the ground, after which Birchmore ordered him out of her apartment. Davis and Birchmore spoke by phone the night of Birchmore's death.
Final Witness Carries Over to Friday
Brian Holmes, currently police chief of the Kingston Police Department and formerly Stoughton's deputy police chief, was the final witness called on Thursday. He had been responsible for conducting the internal investigation following Birchmore's death.
Like several earlier witnesses, Holmes testified that Farwell was openly critical of COVID-19 pandemic precautions, including the use of masks. Prosecutors have established through multiple witnesses that it was unusual for Farwell to be wearing a mask when he entered Birchmore's apartment on the day she died.
Court adjourned for the day with Holmes still on the stand. His cross-examination is set to continue Friday morning.
Source: Google News JM — Kingston