After 38-year-old Matthew Farwell confronted a federal decide in Boston Wednesday, safety and authorized consultants guarantee us that is just the start of a deep-dive into years of allegations amongst the Stoughton Police Division.
Farwell, a former Stoughton police officer, was arrested in Revere Wednesday and federally charged with the killing of a sufferer or witness.
He’s accused of grooming Sandra Birchmore by a youth program by the division, having a sexual relationship along with her for years, and killing her on the age of 23 after saying she was allegedly carrying his baby.
A 2022 internal investigation by Stoughton police found that Matthew Farwell, his twin brother and coworker William Farwell, and Robert C. Devine, a former deputy chief in Stoughton, had all had “inappropriate” relationships with Birchmore.
“On this case it wasn’t a foul apple,” stated Dan Linskey, Boston 25 safety analyst. “It appeared like a bunch of dangerous apples.”
Linskey, former Boston police chief, referred to as the allegations a blow to police departments throughout the Commonwealth.
“Everybody has each proper to query regulation enforcement on this incident,” stated Linskey. “It erodes the very belief and material of the neighborhood and policing we’ve within the space and area.”
Farwell is now going through a cost of killing a sufferer or witness.
Legal professional Philip Tracy defined this cost stems from years of alleged abuse.
“There’s been investigation into the abuse of this lady since she was 15 years previous by a number of members of the Stoughton police division. So, she could possibly be characterised as a witness in that investigation of the abuse half.
Due to the federal cost, Tracy says prosecutors might search the dying penalty.
He completed, “With the concept of utilizing and abusing the kid after which killing her whereas pregnant, I believe you can make a case that this can be a dying penalty case.”
Each Linskey and Tracy stated investigators are certainly nonetheless digging into years of allegations stemming from Farwell and the 2 Stoughton officers.
“Each officer in New England and each officer within the nation goes to must work more durable at reestablishing that belief,” Linskey stated.
It is a growing story. Verify again for updates as extra info turns into out there.
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