Matthew Farwell convicted of killing Sandra Birchmore, unborn child

A jury has found former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police officer Matthew Farwell guilty of killing Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child. The verdict was read in federal court in South Boston Tuesday afternoon.Farwell was charged with killing a witness or victim and causing the death of an unborn child. He pleaded not guilty. The jury had previously said in a note on Monday that it was "in a deadlock."There were gasps from Birchmore's family as the verdict was read aloud in court.Farwell faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2027. The Department of Justice could have pursued the death penalty against Farwell, but decided last year it would not.

Jurors heard from 50 witnesses over four weeks of testimony. To convict Farwell on the charge of killing a witness or victim, jurors had to find find that he not only killed Birchmore, but that he did so to prevent her from reporting his crimes to federal authorities. "Today, justice was served for Ms. Sandra Birchmore and her unborn son, both of whom died at the hands of Matthew Farwell. The evidence presented at trial was both shocking and clear," U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said during a news conference, calling Farwell's actions "absolutely diabolical behavior."Farwell and Birchmore met