The Matthew Farwell trial is unfolding without cameras in the courtroom. There is no livestream, no video, and no audio of the proceedings. For viewers following the case, in which the former Stoughton police officer is accused of strangling 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and causing death to her unborn child, that means much of what happens inside the courtroom is happening out of public view.
In this episode of Criminally Obsessed, investigative reporter Anne Emerson speaks with Nicole Moeder, a reporter for NBC10 who has been inside Boston Federal Court covering the trial. Nicole shares what she has witnessed during weeks of testimony, from the evidence being presented to the jury to the reactions she has observed from jurors, Matthew Farwell, his defense team, and Sandra Birchmore’s family and friends.
Nicole discusses some of the most significant testimony so far, including 40,000 graphic text messages between Birchmore and Farwell that started when she was a teenager; testimony from Farwell’s twin brother William “Billy” Farwell, who was granted immunity; and evidence prosecutors say points to a staged suicide. She also discusses testimony that multiple people contacted law enforcement after Birchmore’s death was ruled a suicide, telling investigators they believed her relationship with Farwell warranted further scrutiny.
Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty and maintains that Birchmore died by suicide.
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