A Stoughton police dispatcher testified Tuesday that less than two weeks before Sandra Birchmore died, he took a call from a woman who referred to a relationship between her friend and Detective Matthew Farwell. He said that when he told Farwell about it, Farwell’s “facial expression changed to anger” and Farwell told him, “Never talk about this again.” Prosecutors also called Birchmore’s OB/GYN. She testified that Birchmore showed no signs of suicidal thinking and had a viable pregnancy. On cross-examination, she agreed that the antidepressant she had prescribed can cause suicidal thoughts.
Day 6 of testimony in United States v. Farwell, on October 20, 2026, also finished the testimony of FBI Special Agent Heidi Kelsch and included a lawyer Birchmore had consulted about the pregnancy. Farwell, a former Stoughton detective, is charged with killing Birchmore and her unborn child in February 2021 to keep her from exposing their sexual relationship, which prosecutors say began when she was 15. He has pleaded not guilty. His defense is that Birchmore took her own life after he ended the relationship.
The January 20 call to the Stoughton police station
James Fitton, a Stoughton police dispatcher, testified about a call that came in around 7:20 p.m. on January 20, 2021, NBC10 Boston reported. A female caller said she wanted to speak with Farwell about her friend and referred to a relationship between the friend and Farwell.
Fitton said he went to the detectives’ office, where Farwell was alone, and told him about the call. According to NBC10, Fitton said Farwell became “visibly and audibly upset” and used expletives. WCVB reported that Fitton said Farwell told him, “Never talk about this again.” Prosecutors then showed a text Farwell sent Fitton afterward. Boston 25 News reported it as: “Let’s never discuss that again. That girl is f***ing insane. Well, both of them are.”
Fitton said he returned to dispatch and told the desk officer, who told him to forget about the call. The paper he had written on was thrown out, NBC10 reported. On cross-examination, he said no crime was reported on the call, as far as he remembered. He said he did not recall how long it lasted or whether he wrote down the caller’s name, and he was not sure any record of it exists.
The testimony fits a date in the government’s case. The indictment alleges that a friend of Birchmore’s disclosed the relationship to the Stoughton Police Department on January 20, 2021. A few days later, prosecutors say, Farwell asked for a spare key to Birchmore’s apartment, WCVB reported. On day 5, jurors heard that after the January 20 call, Farwell sent Birchmore an angry text about her friend calling his job. We covered that testimony here.
Birchmore’s OB/GYN
Birchmore’s obstetrician-gynecologist testified for the prosecution. According to 7News:
- Two weeks before Birchmore died, the pregnancy appeared to be just over six weeks along. Asked whether the fetus had a heartbeat, the doctor answered, “Yes. It was a viable pregnancy.”
- She had prescribed Zoloft for Birchmore’s longtime anxiety. Birchmore scored zero on a screening test for suicidal thinking.
- Of learning that Birchmore had died, reportedly by suicide, the doctor said, “I was surprised. We had no indications of her destabilizing when we last communicated.”
Defense lawyers used cross-examination to build their theory:
- The doctor agreed that Zoloft can cause suicidal thoughts or actions, WCVB reported.
- She acknowledged that Birchmore had a long history of chronic anxiety and depression, listed for insurance purposes, and that the pregnancy was considered high-risk partly because of her mental health, 7News reported.
- According to NBC10, Zoloft and twice-weekly therapy were the treatment plan after a January 21, 2021 visit. The doctor lowered the Zoloft dose after a January 29 telehealth visit, when Birchmore complained of jitteriness.
- The defense asked whether the doctor would have wanted to know about a past suicide attempt. She said she had asked Birchmore whether she had thoughts of harming herself and would have sought psychiatric help immediately if Birchmore had said yes.
On redirect, the prosecution pointed out that the journal entry the defense cited, in which Birchmore wrote about attempting an overdose, was more than four years old. The doctor said it would not have changed her approach, NBC10 reported.
The lawyer Birchmore consulted
A lawyer who had advised Birchmore by phone and text testified that they spoke in January 2021, NBC10 reported. Birchmore asked about her pregnancy and about visitation rights. She said the baby’s father was married and that she hoped he would be involved in the child’s life. She did not mention a romantic relationship. She also asked about putting the father’s last name on the birth certificate, which she wanted to do. The lawyer said Birchmore seemed optimistic. Jurors heard Birchmore’s voice for the first time, in a voicemail she had left the lawyer.
The defense has said Farwell told Birchmore the night she died that he would not sign a birth certificate naming him as the father, 7News reported. A paternity test later identified another man as the father, as the FBI agent testified on day 5.
The FBI agent finishes
Kelsch finished her third day on the stand. According to WCVB:
- Of roughly 40,000 messages between Birchmore and Farwell, Birchmore started about 60 percent of the conversations, a share that later grew to 70 percent. Farwell often blocked her on his phone.
- In many texts, Farwell said their conversations should happen in person rather than by text. In one exchange, he said he was ready to take a DNA test to prove he was not the father.
- Suicide memes were found on Birchmore’s phone.
- Kelsch testified that none of Birchmore’s devices found in her home had been manipulated or damaged.
A childhood friend also testified. She said Birchmore had contacted her about a custom painting, and she was working on a pregnancy announcement Birchmore planned for Valentine’s Day 2021, Boston 25 News reported.
Two pictures of the same evidence
Boston 25 News legal analyst Elyse Hershon described the competing approaches. “The prosecution is painting this picture that she would not have committed suicide because this was a happy time in her life. And the defense is pointing out things that could show the possibility that maybe it could have been suicide, maybe it could have been even somebody else,” she said. She noted that the government carries the burden of proof. “The ultimate question is can a jury look past very strong evidence of rape and of a very improper relationship, but be able to draw the line at murder,” she said.
Under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(a)(1)(C), the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Farwell killed Birchmore and that he did so with intent to prevent her from communicating information about a federal offense to a federal law enforcement officer. Evidence of the relationship and of her age when it began goes to motive. It does not prove the killing by itself.
What comes next
Court resumes Wednesday, October 21, Boston 25 News reported. Expected witnesses include:
- a forensic psychologist;
- a former member of the Stoughton Police Explorers program from Birchmore’s time;
- Birchmore’s hairstylist;
- a friend Birchmore wrote to on February 1, 2021 about shoveling around her car; and
- a State Police crime lab criminalist who did DNA testing.
Cameras are not allowed in the federal courtroom, so coverage comes from reporters in the room.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Stoughton dispatcher testify in the Farwell trial?
James Fitton testified that on January 20, 2021, he took a call from a woman who referred to a relationship between her friend and Detective Matthew Farwell. He said Farwell became angry when told about it and told him never to talk about it again. Farwell later texted him, “Let’s never discuss that again,” according to Boston 25 News.
What did Sandra Birchmore’s doctor say?
Her OB/GYN testified that Birchmore scored zero on a screening for suicidal thinking, had a viable pregnancy about six weeks along two weeks before her death, and showed no signs of destabilizing. On cross-examination, she agreed that Zoloft, which she had prescribed, can cause suicidal thoughts, and that the pregnancy was considered high-risk partly because of Birchmore’s mental health history.
What is Matthew Farwell’s defense?
The defense argues that Birchmore took her own life after Farwell went to her apartment on February 1, 2021 to end their relationship. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent.
Who testifies next in the Farwell trial?
Boston 25 News reported that witnesses expected on October 21, 2026 include a forensic psychologist, a former Stoughton Police Explorer, Birchmore’s hairstylist, a friend she messaged on February 1, 2021, and a State Police crime lab criminalist.
Sources: WCVB, NBC10 Boston live coverage, 7News (WHDH) and Boston 25 News, October 20, 2026. 18 U.S.C. § 1512(a)(1)(C). Quotations are as reported by those outlets. We have not named private witnesses who are not public employees. Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. General information, not legal advice.