Medical Examiner changes Sandra Birchmore’s official cause of death. What it means for the case

BOSTON — In a rare move, a state Medical Examiner has changed Sandra Birchmore’s official cause of death from “suicide” to “undetermined.”

Sandra Birchmore’s family is elated with the ruling.

“It’s about time,” Barbara Wright said. “It’s an amazing step towards getting justice for Sandra and her son, her unborn son.”

Barbara Wright never thought her cousin, Sandra Birchmore, killed herself.

And now the Medical Examiner agrees, changing Sandra’s official cause of death from “suicide” to “undetermined.”

Federal prosecutors believe Matthew Farwell, a former Stoughton Police Officer, strangled Birchmore and staged her death to look like a suicide to cover up their affair, which started when Sandra was 15.

Matthew Farwell has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Wright says the Medical Examiner’s ruling is vindication.

“She was very excited about life. She was excited about her job. She was excited about being a mom, becoming a mom, and going to nursing school, her first apartment. She was just over the moon about everything,” Wright said.

The Medical Examiner’s original finding of suicide, months after Birchmore’s death, was a factor in the Norfolk County DA’s office’s decision not to bring any criminal charges in Birchmore’s case.

Now, the US Attorney’s Office has the case, and Farwell is facing federal charges, including murder.

“How significant, legally, is it that this change has been made?” I asked Boston Attorney Peter Elikann.

“That is significant, and it really does undercut the defense argument,” Elikann said.

Elikann believes the Medical Examiner’s new finding is a big win for federal prosecutors.

“Until now, the defense could just keep pointing and say, ‘Hey, the Medical Examiner who looked at everything firsthand said it was a suicide. So now you’re trying to bring in your experts and argue differently.’ Now that it’s changed. The cause is undetermined, that puts them on a much on equal footing. It definitely does help the prosecution.”

Authorities say, according to DNA, Matthew Farwell was not the father of Sandra Birchmore’s unborn child, but his DNA was found at the crime scene.

Matthew Farwell’s trial begins in October.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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