STOUGHTON, MA — Closing arguments are scheduled to begin on Friday in the federal trial of former Stoughton police detective Matthew Farwell, who is accused of killing Sandra Birchmore and staging her death to look like a suicide.
Closing arguments began at 10 a.m., with prosecutors allotted one hour and 15 minutes to present their case. The defense will then have 90 minutes to deliver its closing argument, followed by a 15-minute rebuttal from prosecutors, according to CBS News.
What To Know
Farwell, 40, is charged with killing Birchmore and causing the death of her unborn child. Prosecutors say he strangled the pregnant 23-year-old in her Canton apartment in 2021 to prevent her from disclosing their relationship, which they say began when she was 15. Farwell has pleaded not guilty and maintains Birchmore died by suicide.
Prosecutors say Farwell killed the 23-year-old to prevent her from disclosing that he had groomed and sexually abused her beginning when she was 15, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The first set of witnesses took the stand on Oct. 13 after a jury of 16 was finalized the week before.
Farwell faces federal charges of killing a witness or victim and causing the death of a child in utero, according to a superseding indictment. Prosecutors claim Farwell strangled Birchmore in her apartment on Feb. 1, 2021, then staged the scene to appear as though she died by suicide.
Farwell's defense acknowledges that he had an affair with Birchmore but maintains that he did not kill her.
Patch put together a roundup of five important things to know about the trial. You can read it here.
Catch up on Patch's previous coverage of the trial with a day-by-day breakdown of testimony:
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