STOUGHTON – An independent pathologist’s report into the death of Sandra Birchmore has left Stoughton’s police chief “deeply troubled and disturbed,” she said in a statement.
a Internal investigation 2022 The Stoughton Police Department discovered that three of its officers had inappropriate sexual relationships with Birchmore. The officers allegedly met her when she was just 13 as part of the Stoughton Police Explorers program. All three, William Farwell, Matthew Farwell and former Stoughton Deputy Chief Richard Devine, have left the department.
Birchmore, 23, was found dead in her Canton apartment in 2021. She was also pregnant. At the time, her death was ruled a suicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, with no foul play suspected.
Pathologist says cause of death is strangulation
On Monday, a pathologist hired by Birchmore’s family in a civil suit against Stoughton police, the city and the three officers released a report saying Birchmore’s cause of death was strangulation and the manner of manslaughter was homicide, according to the Boston Globe .
In her statement, Chief Donna McNamara said: “While I am not a trained medical researcher and am not qualified to draw direct conclusions, the findings certainly warrant further investigation at the highest level.”
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A spokesperson for the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office also released a statement saying, “This is an active and open investigation and multiple law enforcement agencies continue to review all information as it becomes available.”
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner declined to comment publicly at this time.
Natalia Alves, a Sandra Birchmore family friend, told WBZ she hoped for a development in the case.
‘I don’t think she’s going to kill herself if she wants a baby. Absolutely not, and not how,” Alves said. “I wanted something to happen that would put whoever did it in jail.”
WBZ contacted attorneys for all three accused officers. Attorneys for William Farwell and Robert Devine declined to comment. Matthew Farwell’s attorney could not be reached.
