The Farwell Trial — Part One: The Backstory and Week One of the Trial

In February 2021, 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore was found dead inside her Canton, Massachusetts, apartment. She was pregnant, and her death was initially ruled a suicide.

More than five years later, a former Stoughton police detective is standing trial in federal court, accused of murdering Sandra and staging her death to conceal years of alleged sexual exploitation.

How did a young woman who dreamed of becoming a police officer become the center of one of Massachusetts' most disturbing law enforcement scandals?

In Part One of our coverage of the federal trial of Matthew Farwell, host Jonathan Power takes listeners back to where the story began.

We examine Sandra's involvement in the Stoughton Police Explorers program, her relationship with Farwell, the circumstances surrounding her death, and the investigation that ultimately led to federal murder charges.

Then, we turn to Week One of the Trial, which began October 9, 2026, at the federal courthouse in Boston.

Prosecutors presented their theory of a calculated murder and cover-up, while Farwell's defense maintained that Sandra died by suicide. As testimony began, jurors heard from people who knew Sandra, law enforcement officers involved in the original investigation, and witnesses who helped establish the timeline of her final days.

Surveillance footage, questions surrounding the original investigation, and conflicting accounts of Sandra's state of mind became central issues during the opening week.

This is more than a murder trial. It's a case raising difficult questions about trust, authority, accountability, and what happens when the people entrusted with protecting a community are themselves accused of wrongdoing.

Join us as we examine the evidence, the testimony, and the questions at the center of United States v. Matthew Farwell.

Some stories are still being written.

Murders in Massachusetts — Every Town Has a Story.

Editor's Note: Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty. All criminal allegations remain allegations unless established in court. This episode discusses testimony and proceedings from the trial's opening week and does not imply a verdict or determination of guilt.