Police Corruption and Cover-Up: The Sandra Birchmore Death Investigation Scandal

The tragic case of Sandra Birchmore shook the community of Canton, Massachusetts in early 2021. On February 4th, police discovered the body of the 23-year-old instructional assistant in her apartment during a welfare check requested by her employer. Sandra had not reported to work following a blizzard that had hit the area days earlier. Officers found her on her bedroom floor with a strap around her neck that was attached to the closet door, initially concluding she had taken her own life.

Family members cleaning Sandra's apartment afterward discovered concerning details that challenged this narrative. Sandra was three months pregnant and had been actively preparing for motherhood—purchasing baby items, scheduling medical appointments, and planning a gender reveal. They also found what appeared to be signs of a struggle, including a broken necklace with hair tangled in it. These discoveries raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the death of a young woman who had longstanding connections to local law enforcement through her six years in the Police Explorers program.

Key Takeaways

• Sandra Birchmore was found deceased in her apartment days after a blizzard, with police initially ruling it a suicide despite concerning evidence.

• Family members discovered Sandra was three months pregnant and had been actively preparing for motherhood at the time of her death.

• Evidence including a broken necklace and Sandra's ongoing life plans raised significant questions about the official explanation of her death.

Sandra Birchmore's Last Known Movements

Winter Storm on February 1st, 2021

Sandra Birchmore's final day occurred during the onset of a significant winter storm in Canton, Massachusetts. At 23 years old, Sandra appeared to be actively preparing for the approaching blizzard. Weather forecasts indicated the snowfall would likely keep residents homebound for at least a day, possibly longer. Despite these difficult conditions, Sandra demonstrated responsibility by clearing snow from her vehicle that evening. What makes these routine actions particularly poignant is that Sandra was three months pregnant at the time. Earlier that day, she had been researching pregnancy information online and looking up baby products, showing her commitment to her future child. She had also scheduled an OBGYN appointment for February 10th and made arrangements for a gender reveal celebration and newborn photography sessions.

Security Camera Footage

The apartment building's surveillance system captured Sandra's final documented movements on February 1st, 2021. The footage shows her entering the building early in the afternoon while talking on her phone. At approximately 5:00 PM, cameras recorded her in the main lobby collecting a food delivery. Around 5:45 PM, Sandra exited the building again to remove snow from her car in anticipation of the worsening weather conditions. This security footage represents the last confirmed sighting of Sandra alive by anyone other than her alleged killer. When police conducted a welfare check on February 4th, they discovered her deceased in her bedroom with heavy snow still covering her vehicle, confirming she hadn't left the apartment since that evening. The security recordings have become crucial evidence as investigators attempt to piece together the timeline of her final hours.

The Discovery of Sandra's Remains

Welfare Check at Canton Woods Residence

On Thursday, February 4th, 2021, Officer Card from the Canton Police Department conducted a welfare check at Canton Woods Apartments. The check was initiated after a staff member from Sharon Public Schools contacted authorities with concerns about 23-year-old instructional assistant Sandra Birchmore. A severe blizzard had hit the region earlier that week, causing widespread closures and cancellations. While most facilities had resumed normal operations by midweek, Sandra had not returned to her workplace.

Upon entering the apartment, officers made a tragic discovery. Sandra was found deceased in her bedroom, lying on the floor with a strap around her neck that was attached to the closet door. Based on the condition of her body, investigators estimated she had been deceased for several days, likely since the recent snowstorm.

Investigation and Initial Observations

The responding officers, who included Officer Card and two colleagues, reported finding no immediate signs of suspicious activity at the scene. Despite the apartment being described as cluttered, they noted that items appeared to be in their intended locations. Their initial examination revealed no evidence of a struggle—no knocked-over furniture, no scuff marks on walls, and no drag marks on the carpet.

Based on these preliminary observations, investigators initially leaned toward a conclusion of suicide. However, when family members helped clean the apartment in the days following, they discovered several details that seemed inconsistent with someone planning to end their life:

• Wet clothing in both the washing machine and dryer

• Recently purchased items still unopened

• Packages continuing to arrive, many containing baby items

• A new baby stroller and newborn clothing

Most notably, family members found pregnancy-related items including a congratulatory sign with an ultrasound photo and glitter that appeared to have been prepared as an announcement. Sandra was approximately three months pregnant at the time of her death.

Family members also discovered what they considered potential evidence of a struggle—a broken gold necklace with a pink flamingo charm found on the bedroom floor. The necklace, frequently seen in photos of Sandra, was broken not at the clasp but in the chain itself, with a clump of hair attached to it. When her body was discovered, the broken necklace was hanging from the left side of her neck with the charm resting on her abdomen.

Despite these concerning findings reported by the family, the initial conclusion of no foul play remained largely unchallenged by local law enforcement at this stage of the investigation.

Sandra's Connections to Law Enforcement

Sandra developed significant relationships with law enforcement throughout her young life. These connections began during her early adolescence and continued into her adult years. Her involvement with police organizations would later become a central focus in the investigation of her death.

Police Explorer Program

Sandra joined the Police Explorer Program in 2010 at age 12. She remained an active participant until 2016, spending six formative years in this junior Police Academy program. The program was designed for youths interested in law enforcement careers, providing them opportunities to learn and prepare for potential future positions.

Robert Dine, who headed the program during Sandra's participation, noted that she showed an intense interest in police work. Friends later suggested that her attraction to law enforcement might have stemmed from a desire to find trustworthy figures in her life, particularly after experiencing significant losses.

Sandra's childhood had been marked by tragedy - she lost her mother, with whom she had been extremely close, at a young age. Shortly afterward, her grandmother also passed away. Her father had never been present in her life. These circumstances were known to the adults supervising the Explorer Program, including the officers who ran the academy.

During her time in the program, Sandra formed connections with various officers across the county. One such connection was with Matthew Farwell, a police detective who served as an instructor for the Explorer Program. Sandra first met him in 2012 when she would have been approximately 14 years old, while he was a newly hired officer with the department.

These early relationships with law enforcement would remain significant throughout Sandra's brief adult life.

Questioning the Official Death Determination

Conflicting Physical Evidence

Sandra Birchmore's death on February 1st, 2021, was quickly classified as a suicide by responding officers from the Canton Police Department. However, numerous elements at the scene raised significant questions about this conclusion. When family members cleaned out her apartment after her death, they discovered several indications of ongoing life activities that seemed inconsistent with someone planning to end their life. Wet clothes remained in both the washing machine and dryer, and recently purchased items sat unopened throughout the apartment.

Perhaps most compelling was the discovery of what appeared to be evidence of a physical altercation. Family members found Sandra's favorite gold necklace with a pink flamingo charm broken on her bedroom floor. The necklace had not broken at the clasp but had snapped in another location, with a large clump of hair caught in the chain. When first responders discovered Sandra's body, this broken necklace was hanging from the left side of her neck with the charm resting on her abdomen.

The initial police assessment reported "nothing suspicious" and no signs of struggle despite the apartment being cluttered. Officers stated all items appeared to be in their intended locations, with no evidence of knocked-over objects, wall damage, or carpet drag marks. This cursory examination formed the basis for the quick determination of suicide—a conclusion that would later face significant scrutiny.

Indications of Pregnancy and Future Plans

Multiple pieces of evidence suggested Sandra was not only pregnant but actively preparing for motherhood with enthusiasm. Family members discovered numerous baby items in her apartment, including a brand new stroller, newborn onesies, and various other infant necessities. Some of these items had been recently delivered, while additional packages continued arriving even after her death.

Sandra had created a card reading "Congratulations, you're going to be a father" decorated with glitter and featuring an ultrasound image. She was approximately three months pregnant at the time of her death. Her digital footprint from February 1st—the day she died—showed searches for pregnancy information and baby product brands.

Sandra had scheduled an OBGYN appointment for February 10th, arranged for newborn photography sessions, and organized both a pregnancy announcement and gender reveal party. Her final known activities included collecting a food delivery around 5:00 PM and cleaning snow off her car at approximately 5:45 PM in preparation for an approaching blizzard. These actions strongly suggest a forward-looking mindset rather than someone contemplating suicide.

Evidence of Potential Confrontation

Broken Jewelry and Suspicious Findings

The investigation into Sandra Birchmore's death revealed several concerning elements that family members discovered when cleaning her apartment. Most notably, they found her favorite gold chain necklace with a pink flamingo charm broken on her bedroom floor. The necklace wasn't broken at the clasp but had snapped elsewhere, and disturbingly, contained a large clump of hair tangled in the chain. When authorities initially found Sandra, this broken necklace was hanging off the left side of her neck with the charm resting on her abdomen.

Family members reported these findings to law enforcement, along with numerous indications contradicting the suicide theory. Sandra's apartment contained multiple signs of ongoing life activities: wet clothes in both the washing machine and dryer, newly purchased items left unopened, and packages continuing to arrive after her death. Most significantly, these packages contained baby items including a new stroller and newborn clothing.

Friends discovered a glitter-decorated poster reading "Congratulations you're going to be a father" with an ultrasound photo attached. Sandra, three months pregnant at the time of her death, had scheduled an OBGYN appointment for February 10th and made concrete plans for a gender reveal celebration. She had even contacted a photographer to take newborn photos and conducted online searches for baby products on the very day she died.

Despite these indicators and the potentially suspicious broken necklace, the initial investigation concluded no struggle had occurred at the scene. Officers reported seeing no knocked-over items, wall indentations, or carpet drag marks during their cursory examination, maintaining their initial assessment despite the family's discoveries.

Sandra's Background and Personal Story

Sandra Birchmore's life journey was marked by significant challenges from an early age. At 12 years old in spring 2010, she joined the police explorers program, where she remained until 2016. According to Robert Dine, who headed the program at that time, Sandra showed an intense interest in law enforcement. Friends later suggested this attraction might have stemmed from her desire to find trustworthy people in her life.

Family Loss and Hardship

Sandra experienced profound loss during her formative years. She was extremely close to her mother, who passed away when Sandra was quite young. Shortly after this tragedy, she also lost her grandmother. Her father had never been present in her life, leaving her without parental figures during crucial developmental years. Until late 2020, Sandra lived with her aunt in Stoten before moving to her own apartment in Canton, demonstrating a step toward independence despite her difficult background.

Emotional and Psychological Support

Following these traumatic losses, Sandra received professional help for emotional and psychological difficulties. She continued seeing a therapist regularly until her death in February 2021. Despite this ongoing support, those who knew her observed that she often interacted socially in ways reminiscent of a younger person—speaking somewhat childishly and sharing personal information too freely.

In her professional life, Sandra worked as a classroom instructional assistant. Colleagues noted she didn't seem particularly invested in this role but was very communicative with coworkers. Beyond her job, she pursued other goals, taking classes in preparation for nursing school and actively planning for her pregnancy. Her online searches and preparations in the days before her death revealed someone excited about motherhood, including scheduling an OBGYN appointment, contacting a newborn photographer, and researching baby products.

At the time of her death, Sandra was three months pregnant and had created a "Congratulations, you're going to be a father" sign with an ultrasound photo, suggesting her positive anticipation of becoming a mother.

Sandra in the Days Prior to Her Passing

In early February 2021, a heavy blizzard swept through Canton, Massachusetts, covering the town in a thick layer of snow. Security footage from February 1st captured Sandra Birchmore, a 23-year-old instructional assistant at Sharon Public Schools, clearing snow from her car before returning to her apartment at Canton Woods. This would be the last time anyone would see her alive, aside from whoever was present during her final moments.

Preparations and Dreams as an Expecting Mother

Sandra was three months pregnant at the time of her death and displayed numerous signs of joyful anticipation about her coming child. In her apartment, investigators later discovered:

• New baby items: A stroller, infant clothing, and onesies

• Continued deliveries: Packages with baby products arriving even after her passing

• Pregnancy announcement materials: A glitter-decorated sign reading "Congratulations you're going to be a father" with an ultrasound photo attached

Her digital footprint from February 1st further revealed her focus on motherhood. She had:

• Researched pregnancy information online

• Searched for various baby product brands

• Scheduled an OBGYN appointment for February 10th

• Contacted a photographer for newborn photos

• Planned both a pregnancy announcement and gender reveal

Despite what authorities initially classified as suicide, these preparations contradicted the narrative of someone planning to end their life. Sandra had wet clothes in her washing machine and another load in the dryer. She had recently purchased items that remained unopened in her apartment.

Family members who cleaned her apartment after her death noted potential evidence of a struggle. Her favorite gold chain necklace with a pink flamingo charm was found broken on her bedroom floor, with a large clump of hair caught in the chain. When authorities discovered her body, the broken necklace hung from the left side of her neck with the charm resting on her abdomen.

Though Sandra had experienced significant trauma in her youth—losing her mother and grandmother at a young age and growing up without a father—she had been taking positive steps forward. She was pursuing nursing school classes while preparing for motherhood, showing clear intentions for her future.

The Person of Interest

Detective Farwell's Suspected Involvement

Matthew Farwell, a 38-year-old detective with the Stoten Police Department, emerged as a key figure in the investigation of Sandra Birchmore's death. Farwell had first met Sandra in 2012 when she joined the Police Explorers program at age 14, while he served as an instructor. At the time of her death, Farwell was married with three children.

According to information gathered by investigators, Farwell told colleagues that he had "reconnected" with 23-year-old Sandra several months before her death in February 2021. Multiple sources—including family members, friends, and co-workers interviewed by Massachusetts State Police—consistently identified Farwell as the man Sandra had claimed was the father of her unborn child.

The timing raises serious questions. Sandra was three months pregnant when she died, and evidence in her apartment suggested she was actively preparing to announce the pregnancy. Items found included:

• A poster reading "Congratulations you're going to be a father" decorated with glitter

• An ultrasound photo attached to the announcement

• Newly purchased baby items (stroller, onesies, clothing)

Sandra had also scheduled an OBGYN appointment for February 10th, contacted a newborn photographer, and planned both a pregnancy announcement and gender reveal celebration. These preparations contradict the initial suicide determination made at the scene.