BOSTON — Text messages, Google searches, and an iPhone note with potential baby names for baby 2021 — Friday testimony in the trial of Matthew Farwell was focused on digital forensic evidence.
It was also the first time jurors heard from the FBI.
By the end of the day, the government had called their 14th witness in the case, Special Agent Heidi Kelsch.
Kelsch is assigned to the Boston area.
Agent Kelsch said she first began her investigation in October 2023 after it was brought to the attention of the FBI by three people, Stoughton Deputy Chief Brian Holmes, a member of the public, and a third local law enforcement officer who was being interviewed in another matter.
“We were first looking to see if anyone had used their authority as a police officer to deprive Ms. Birchmore of her constitutional rights,” said Kelsch.
She continued, “it transformed into an investigation of killing of a potential witness of a federal crime.”
The prosecution asked, “Who was that witness?”
“Sandra Birchmore,” said Kelsch.
Kelsch said they subpoenaed the records of Birchmore and Farwell and their devices.
Special Agent Kelsch and prosecutor Elizabeth Riley assumed the roles of Birchmore and the defendant and read graphic text messages between the two back and forth.
In one of the texts, Birchmore talked about Farwell taking her virginity, writing, “That’s not a date I’ll ever forget; it was April 10, 2013.”
Agent Kelsch said this would have been aggravated rape, as Birchmore was 15 and Farwell was 27 at the time.
In another text exchange between the two, Farwell wrote: “I absolutely would have f***ed you in 12.” Birchmore responded, “In 12?”
Riley stopped Kelsch from reading further and asked the FBI Agent, “In 2012, Ms. Kelsch, how old was Ms. Birchmore in 2012?”
“She was 14, turning 15,” responded Kelsch.
The prosecution asked Kelsch if she was able to verify that Farwell and Birchmore did have sex around that time.
“I looked at Ms. Birchmore’s medical records,” said Agent Kelsch.
A new exhibit of a medical record was shown from March 13, 2013 that included Birchmore saying she was “getting help at the library from a local
policeman.”
Another medical record where Birchmore’s mother was the historian from May 1, 2013 showed the chief complaint was “patient
complains of sore throat, also would like to discuss birth control.
A third medical record from May 30, 2013 showed Birchmore had irregular menses, “patient would like birth control pill” when she was 16.
Additional texts from Sept. 16, 2020 were also read aloud in court, in which Farwell talks about how they should have skipped using a condom when they first started having sex.
Birchmore responded, “I’d be homeschooling an 8-year-old.”
The prosecution asked Kelsch, “When Ms. Birchmore says on September 16, 2020, that ‘I would have been homeschooling an 8-year-old,’ does the defendant deny that?”
“No,” said Kelsch.
The prosecution says that Farwell would instruct Birchmore to delete her text messages
“How many times?” the prosecution asked.
“Multiple,” Kelsch responded.
Some of this data was also reviewed by Christopher Beckstrom with the FBI, who testified before Kelsch Friday.
Beckstrom is a Master Digital Forensics Examiner, and he took the stand to share what he found on cell phones and a laptop.
He described when Sandra Birchmore’s cell phone was last unlocked, and the last time it moved steps.
Beckstrom also said he found about 240,000 communications on her phone and estimated roughly 10% or 24,000 were with Matthew Farwell.
Jurors learned from Beckstrom that Matthew Farwell friend-requested Birchmore in 2012.
The defense pointed out that Farwell deleted her as a friend two months later, and when Birchmore tried to add him again three years later, Farwell did not accept it.
An additional device Beckstrom looked at was an iPhone XR, believed to be Farwell’s phone.
There were at least two Google searches done on Feb. 9, 2021 after Birchmore died.
The prosecution asked what were the search terms of the first Google search?
“Can you revoke consent in Massachusetts?” said Beckstrom. The second search, he said, “Can delete iMessage be recovered by Cellebrite?”
Cellebrite is the software tool law enforcement uses to extract data from devices.
Birchmore’s cousin Barbara Wright spoke outside of court Friday on learning about those searches. “That was eye-opening, very eye-opening, but not surprised,” she said. Wright continued, “That says a lot. I mean, when you make a search, you don’t think anyone’s going to see it. And there it is for everyone to see.”
Matthew Farwell’s defense is that Birchmore died by suicide.
One of the data points they highlighted Friday was that Birchmore searched for the color of the suicide ribbon on the day she died.
Special Agent Kelsch will resume her testimony on Monday morning.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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