Ex-cop's Mass. trial in death of Sandra Birchmore continues with testimony from victim's friend
The federal trial of former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police officer Matthew Farwell continues for a third day Thursday in South Boston. A friend of Sandra Birchmore's death is now on the stand as the second witness of the day.
Farwell is accused of killing the 23-year-old Birchmore and her unborn baby in her Canton apartment in February 2021. Initially, her death was ruled a suicide, but in 2024 Farwell was charged with a federal count of killing a witness or victim. In 2025, he was also charged with causing the death of an unborn child.
The former Stoughton police officer faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Lesley Davis, who was friends with Birchmore, took the stand Thursday morning.
Stoughton police officer testifies
Stoughton Police Sgt. Robert Kuhn was on the stand when court ended for the day on Wednesday. He completed his testimony earlier Thursday morning. Kuhn testified that he was friends with Farwell outside of work. He also met Birchmore when she was in the youth explorers program, and knew her from his job as the resource officer at Stoughton High School.
Kuhn said he attended a homicide conference that was put on by Massachusetts State Police in October 2019, and Farwell attended as well.
After, he continued spending time with Farwell at work and sometimes sociall.
The prosecutor asked Kuhn what behavior he noticed from Farwell in 2021. Kuhn said he was taking a lot of phone calls, was stressed and was drinking more. Kuhn described Farwell as taking "more frequent phone calls than usual."
During the trial, prosecutors have shown surveillance video from the lobby of Birchmore's apartment building on the day of her death. Farwell can be seen wearing a hood and medical mask and leaving about a half-hour later.
Kuhn was asked if Farwell said anything about mask requirements during the COVID pandemic.
"He despised them," Kuhn said. "For him to be wearing a mask was very odd to me, yes," he added. Kuhn later said he never saw Farwell wearing a mask when he was off duty.
On cross-examination, the defense tried to show that Farwell regularly wore jeans, boots and hooded sweatshirts similar to what he was wearing in the video.
Farwell's attorney attempted to ask Kuhn several times if Farwell received his COVID vaccine, but the prosecution objected each time and the judge sustained those objections.
On re-direct questioning, Kuhn was asked when he friendship with Farwell ended.
"I would say the minute the allegation as made," he said.
Kuhn completed his testimony around 10 a.m.
Testimony in Matthew Farwell trial
On Wednesday, testimony focused on the police investigation that prosecutors say was insufficient.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Matthew Dunne completed a second day of testimony after about five hours on the witness stand. Dunne initially investigated Birchmore's death and ruled it a suicide.
Dunne testified that there was no suicide note found in Birchmore's apartment.
He also said he did not record or take notes when interviewing Birchmore's coworkers at the school where she worked. Dunne also said he did not record or take notes during either of the two times he interviewed Farwell.
On cross-examination, Farwell's attorney highlighted that Dunne did not see any signs of a struggle in Birchmore's apartment.
Investigators have said Farwell started sexually abusing Birchmore when she was 15 and he was 27 years old. Prosecutors said Birchmore learned she was pregnant in December 2020 and told Farwell he was the father. The defense said DNA testing confirmed Farwell was not the father.
