Naman Shrestha
The death of Sandra Birchmore in her apartment in Canton, Massachusetts, in early February 2021 sent shockwaves across the entire community. While grief and hurt took over her family and friends, the detectives investigated the case thoroughly over the next few years until the primary suspect was taken into custody. In the episode titled ‘The Betrayal of Sandra Birchmore’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ all the intricate details of the case and investigation are explored comprehensively.
Sandra Birchmore’s Upbringing Was Defined by the Love of Her Mother and Grandmothers
Sandra Marie Birchmore was born on May 13, 1997, in the town of Stoughton in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Her mother, Denise F. McKain Birchmore, brought her up as a single parent, as her father was reportedly absent and had no real connection with her. Since Denise faced a lot of hardships due to her chronic illness, her mother, Grace Theresa Coughlin, was more than happy to extend a hand in helping her raise her beloved granddaughter. Thus, Sandra’s early years were shaped mainly by the love and care of her mother and grandmother. Sadly, Grace met her demise when Sandra was just around 4 years old. Not long after her demise, Grace’s sister, Claire G. Coughlin Gaudet, showed up to be there for the mother-daughter duo.
With Claire’s entry into their lives, the Birchmore household was filled with joy and warmth again. However, Denise continued to deal with the challenges due to her health issues. Sandra was a bright young girl with an inclination towards serving her community by becoming a part of law enforcement. To explore that, she joined the Stoughton Police Explorers youth program at the mere age of 12. Several years later, while Sandra was working towards her future, her mother suffered a sudden stroke and passed away on May 18, 2016. While she had not even begun processing the grief from the loss, another tragedy struck in just over a month with Claire’s passing on June 24, 2016.
Sandra Birchmore’s Cause of Death Was Revised After a Federal Investigation
Four years later, in 2020, Sandra relocated to Canton to start afresh. While her pregnancy seemingly provided a ray of hope, the subsequent miscarriage dimmed the light. As a result, she spiraled further into grief and harbored a growing sense of loneliness. Through it all, she had managed to buy a place for herself. On the professional front, she embarked on a new chapter in her life that fall by bagging the position of Teacher’s Assistant at East Elementary School in Sharon. Alongside that, Sandra reignited her long-held passion for serving others by enrolling in nursing courses at Massasoit Community College. By the time 2021 rolled around, the 23-year-old had gotten pregnant again. It is imperative to note that she kept the details of her partner under wraps.
With immense hope in her heart, Sandra was looking forward to building a fulfilling life for her child. Unfortunately, everything came crashing down on February 4, 2021, when her concerned colleagues contacted the authorities. She had reportedly not turned up at work for days, which was quite uncharacteristic for the young woman. When the police reached her residence at Windsor Woods complex, they discovered her remains. The officers theorized that the mother-to-be had passed away a few days ago. While Sandra’s cause of death was originally determined as suicide by asphyxia with reportedly no foul play involved, the case saw significant developments in the years that followed. Ultimately, in 2024, following an extensive investigation by federal authorities, it was ruled a homicide.
Sandra’s Accused Killer Allegedly Sexually Abused Her For Nearly a Decade
Soon after Sandra Birchmore’s death was pronounced to be the result of a suicide, her family refused to believe the official ruling and claimed that she had not had any suicidal ideation. As per the surveillance footage from February 1, 2021, Detective Matthew Farwell had walked into her apartment in the evening and left about half an hour later. When the detectives dug deeper, they learned that Matthew, whom Sandra met after joining the Stoughton Explorers Program in 2010, had allegedly been grooming and sexually abusing her since she was 15 years old. Despite being married, it has been alleged he kept engaging in sexual acts with the minor, reportedly concealing it from the department by falsely representing his working hours.
After learning that his wife was pregnant with his child in October 2020, Sandra allegedly blackmailed him to have a child with her by threatening to expose their relationship. A couple of months later, she got pregnant again, and when she allegedly told Matthew that he was the father, he allegedly didn’t take it well. However, Sandra was looking forward to embracing motherhood as she scheduled doctors’ appointments and ordered baby items online. Things took a turn for the worse around January 20, 2021, when one of her friends called the Stoughton Police Department and talked about the alleged sexual relationship between Matthew and Sandra. Furious at this, Matthew allegedly sent Sandra a bunch of angry text messages.
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The Accused Killer is Awaiting Trial
As the days passed by, things supposedly cooled off between the two, as on February 1, Matthew Farwell allegedly texted her that he would be dropping by her apartment that evening. It is alleged that after he was seen entering her apartment building, he proceeded to strangle her to death and staged the crime scene as a suicide in order to prevent his years of alleged sexual abuse from being revealed. With suspicions looming over him, the Birchmore family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Matthew, alongside his twin brother William Farwell and their supervisor Robert Devine. In 2022, when the three of them found themselves in the middle of the investigation, they resigned from their respective positions.
As the FBI got involved in the investigation of the homicide case, various pieces of evidence were uncovered against Matthew. Thus, on August 28, 2024, he was federally indicted on charges of murder in connection with Sandra Birchmore’s killing. He pleaded not guilty and decided to try out his luck in court, while being held in jail without bail. However, in an unexpected turn of events, in June 2025, a paternity test reportedly revealed that the unborn child of Sandra did not belong to Matthew. Following the revelation, the accused filed a motion to have Kimberly C. Stevens appointed as his defense counsel. In case he is convicted of killing a victim or witness, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
