STOUGHTON — News that feds charged former Stoughton cop Matthew Farwell with killing Sandra Birchmore after state and local probes ruled her death a suicide has people buzzing about parallels with a separate case: the death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors say his girlfriend Karen Read hit him with her SUV in front of a fellow Boston cop's house and left him to die.
Both cases involve alleged homicides that occurred in the same town, Canton. Both cases involve — in very different ways — off-duty police officers. And both cases have caused media firestorms and public protests online and in person, with supporters demanding “Justice for Sandra Birchmore” and “Free Karen Read” adherents saying she was framed .
Some see corruption in both cases, a willingness to go easy on fellow law enforcement officers. Let's take a closer look at what we know so far from the public record.
Is the Norfolk County DA's office involved in both cases? Why?
- Canton police found Birchmore dead on Feb. 4, 2021 in her Canton apartment.
- Canton police found O'Keefe dying the morning of Jan. 29, 2022 on the Canton front yard of a fellow Boston cop.
- Both deaths occurred in Canton, so Canton police were the first responders in both cases.
- Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey oversaw both cases, initially. Massachusetts State Police assigned to his office investigated both cases.
- The state's medical examiner ruled in May 2021 that Birchmore died via suicide by hanging .
- In September 2022, Morrissey said the investigation to that point "did not produce evidence of criminality in her death," according to the Boston Globe .
- Early state police investigations of Farwell's phones, using data extracted by State Trooper Nicholas Guarino, produced zero messages between Birchmore and Farwell. Investigators later found 32,709 messages between the two from December 2019 to her death.
- Guarino also worked the Read case and testified in court. Critics point to him missing key data in that case as well .
- Morrissey's office said Wednesday — after Farwell was indicted on federal charges of killing her and staging it to look like a suicide — that the investigation into the death of Birchmore "has remained open and active," adding that "We look forward to supporting and assisting Federal authorities as they pursue this prosecution." Farwell has pleaded not guilty.
- In fall 2023, Morrissey handed the Birchmore investigation to Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
- "While today's indictment does not bring back the precious life of Sandra Birchmore," Campbell said in a Wednesday statement, "these charges are an important step in holding Matthew Farwell accountable for his malicious, predatory, and horrific actions. I applaud the U.S. Attorney's Office and look forward to continuing to collaborate with them as my office continues its investigation into this matter."
Has the FBI taken over both investigations?
- Wednesday's news confirmed federal involvement with the Birchmore case.
- Rumors persist that the feds have also been investigating the O'Keefe case, possibly as part of a wider corruption probe.
What kinds of questions have been raised about each investigation?
- In the Birchmore case, questions have been raised about why her death was initially ruled a suicide while those close to her said that didn't make sense for someone thrilled to be pregnant and looking forward to raising a child. Federal authorities made the case Wednesday that several elements didn't fit the narrative of a suicide. FBI agent Steven Kelleher said Birchmore had on the day of her death reached out to a photographer to set up a newborn photo shoot and asked a friend for baby clothes. She was doing laundry when she died, with a load in the washer and a load in the dryer, he said. And there was physical evidence that suggested a homicide, as well, they said.
- Farwell allegedly raped Birchmore when she was not yet 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts, according to federal prosecutors. Sex between the two continued until shortly before her death at age 23, federal prosecutors allege.
- In the O'Keefe case, Morrissey's office put O'Keefe's girlfriend, Karen Read, on trial for murder. Their theory is that Read backed into O'Keefe in her SUV in a drunken rage and left him for dead.
- Read's defense team, and thousands of vocal supporters both in person near the courthouse and on social media, argue that authorities framed Read. Her lawyers and "Free Karen Read" adherents say that O'Keefe was instead beaten inside the home and that his attackers put him on the lawn.
- Largely as a result of investigations by independent journalist Aidan Kearney , the case has gained national prominence. He writes under the name Turtleboy. Kearney has also written about the Birchmore case and discussed the parallels with the Read case with podcaster Kirk Minihane .
- The first trial resulted in a mistrial and a new trial is scheduled for January 2025.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Norfolk DA investigated Sandra Birchmore and Karen Read cases. What's same and different?
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