Sandra Birchmore was found dead at her apartment in Canton, Massachusetts, in 2021. She was three months pregnant; her death was ruled a suicide.

Matthew Farwell, one of three former Stoughton police officers who've been accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships with Birchmore, has now been accused in federal court of killing Birchmore and making her death look like a suicide.

Matthew Farwell, 38, of North Easton, is accused of having a sexual relationship with Birchmore from the time she was 15 years old until she was 23, killing her sometime after she told him she was pregnant with his child. Federal prosecutors say he did so to prevent her from revealing their relationship and his alleged crimes tied to it.

"Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape and then sexual violence, all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout the relationship as an officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department," acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said at a news conference on Wednesday.