Episode Details

Sandra Birchmore’s friend called the Stoughton Police Department to report a relationship involving officer Matthew Farwell. The federal indictment alleges someone working at the department told Farwell about the call. The government has not identified that employee in the indictment, leaving an important gap in the story of how the warning was handled.

Prosecutors allege Matthew later killed Sandra and made the scene look like a suicide. He has pleaded not guilty and his defense says Sandra took her own life. Bob Motta examines how investigators should preserve complaints, identify who handled them, and separate an internal policy failure from evidence that a particular person committed a crime.

A department investigation completed in 2022 identified serious misconduct by three former Stoughton officers: Matthew Farwell, his twin brother William Farwell, and former deputy chief Robert Devine. William was permanently decertified in September 2024. The state disciplinary record identifies false information to investigators and other alleged misconduct, but does not establish that William was the source of the warning to Matthew.

The conflict extends to Stoughton’s leadership. Police Chief Donna McNamara alleges Town Manager Thomas Calter demanded that she destroy a report produced in connection with a second internal investigation of the Birchmore matter. Calter denies her allegations. Both officials were placed on administrative leave as the town launched separate investigations.

Tony Brueski and Bob Motta unpack the legal significance of the call and the department’s documented findings. Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott considers the pressure on people who report wrongdoing when their institution is accused of failing to protect them. The central question is what the available records can actually prove about the warning and its aftermath.

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This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

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