Twice this week, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey was asked about the Sandra Birchmore case, and both times she spoke forcefuly, saying Birchmore's family deserves answers and she deserves justice.
Former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell pleaded not guilty last week after he was indicted on charges he strangled Birchmore in early 2021 and tried to stage her death as a suicide after she told him she was pregnant and he was the father. Birchmore was 23 years old.
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Farwell, 38, worked as an officer for the police department in Stoughton from 2012 until 2022. Birchmore began participating in the department's police explorers program when she was 12 years old. Farwell, who was a police explorers volunteer, used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit and then sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 and that he continued to have sex with her when she became an adult, according to the indictment.
Speaking following an event focused on reduced MBTA fares Tuesday, Healey called the case "horrifying," especially as a former prosecutor and attorney general who worked with many victims.
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"My heart goes out to Sandra Birchmore -- may she rest in peace -- and her family," Healey said. "The idea that somebody in a position of power preyed on her, it disgusts me, and the people and person who did this need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and the Birchmore family deserves justice. We can't bring Sandra back, but it's very important that there be accountability and that justice be done."
A day earlier, Healey was asked a similar question during a media scrum and said she remembered reading about the case and the allegations against Farwell when it first surfaced.
"I was sickened," she said. "Not just as an AG and a prosecutor, but just as a person it's horrifying to know what this young woman went through. I'm glad the U.S. Attorney's Office is investigating and state police and the medical examiner's office will continue to work with them to get to the bottom of what happened. I will say anything and everything should be done to make sure that Sandra Birchmore and her family have the justice they need."
Healey was also asked if the case erodes her confidence in investigators with the state police and the Norfolk District Attorney's Office. Especially seeing that Birchmore's death was initially ruled a suicide.
"Look, I have every confidence in the policing of this state and the good work of the men and women in law enforcement across our 351 cities and towns and the state," the governor replied. "Something happened here. We need to get to the bottom of that and understand that, and I fully support what the U.S. Attorney's Office is doing in pursuing this."
"It just breaks my heart to know that this woman was taken advantage of by someone in a position of power, and maybe others were involved," Healey added. "It's horrible, it's sickening, and yeah, they should be held accountable to the fullest extent under the law. While you can't bring poor Sandra and her baby back, her family deserves answers and she deserves justice."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
