BOSTON (WHDH) - The jury has found Matthew Farwell guilty of killing Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child.
Farwell, a former Stoughton police officer, was found guilty of 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child, and staging the death to look like a suicide in February 2021. Her body was found in her Canton apartment in a seated position with a strap around her neck and tied to a doorknob. Prosecutors allege Farwell killed her to stop her from exposing federal crimes, including sexual exploitation of a child. They claim Farwell had been grooming her for sex since she was 15 years old and part of the Stoughton Police Explorers mentoring program.
The jury deliberated for roughly 16 hours and at one point declared they were deadlocked. The jury returned on Monday to tell the judge they “weren’t close” on a verdict.
They returned to deliberations Tuesday and were able to return a verdict.
Supporters of Sandra Birchmore were seen fighting back tears as the verdict was read. The judge thanked the jurors for their work, as Matthew Farwell had “no noticeable reaction” to the verdict, according to 7’s Dan Hausle.
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