STOUGHTON, MASS. (WHDH) – One of the former Stoughton police officers accused of having an inappropriate relationship with Sandra Birchmore can never again be a police officer in Massachusetts following an announcement from the state POST Commission on Tuesday.
The commission, which certifies police officers in Massachusetts, said William Farwell voluntarily agreed to have his certification permanently revoked.
William was hired as a police officer in 2017 and continued to work in Stoughton until he resigned in 2022.
Birchmore became involved with the Stoughton Police Department’s youth explorers mentor program when she was a child.
Prosecutors said Farwell’s twin brother, Matthew, started grooming Birchmore through his role with the program and started sexually abusing her when she was 15-years-old.
A separate internal investigation found William Farwell also had a sexual relationship with Birchmore for several years while she was an adult.
Birchmore died in 2021. After her death was initially deemed a suicide, federal prosecutors stepped in ultimately charged Matthew Farwell.
In an indictment last month, prosecutors said Matthew Farwell killed Birchmore and staged the crime scene to appear as if she took her own life after Birchmore told him she was pregnant.
Law enforcement officers arrested Matthew Farwell on a charge of killing a witness and he soon made his initial appearance in federal court. Matthew has pleaded not guilty.
In addition to William, Matthew Farwell has also agreed to be decertified as a police officer in Massachusetts.
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