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True Crime Obsessed · True Crime Obsessed

Dateline: The Betrayal of Sandra Birchmore (S33E87)

October 16, 2025·1 hr 13 min·5 clips
The same corrupt cops from the Karen Reid trial are now implicated in Sandra Birchmore's mysterious death.
This episode covers the Dateline NBC investigation into the death of 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore in Canton, Massachusetts. Hosts Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle, the creators of True Crime Obsessed, react to and analyze the documentary. The case intersects with the high-profile Karen Read trial, involving some of the same Massachusetts police departments. Sandra Birchmore was a teacher's assistant found deceased in her apartment on February 1, 2021, after a nor'easter. Police initially ruled her death a suicide, noting a duffel bag strap around her neck. Her family, including cousins Justine and Antoinette, and her boss, assistant principal Cheryl Carlson, immediately found this suspicious. Sandra was happily pregnant and had just seen her therapist, who reported she was in good spirits. The investigation reveals Sandra was in a police "Explorers" program from age 13, designed to mentor youth interested in law enforcement. The hosts describe this program as a potential "hotbed for grooming" due to a lack of oversight. The father of Sandra's baby is identified as Matthew Farwell, a married Stoughton police detective who knew Sandra since she was in the Explorers program. A major insight is that the same medical examiner from the Karen Read case worked on Sandra's case, and the state police investigator, John Fanning, was the supervisor of the disgraced trooper Michael Proctor. The hosts express admiration for Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara, who appears in the Dateline episode to acknowledge departmental failures. Sandra's cousin Angelique conducted her own research and contacted investigators about Farwell, a move the hosts caution against when reporting potential police misconduct. The physical fitness test for Massachusetts police officers is detailed, including an obstacle course and a dummy drag, which the hosts critique as insufficient. The tone is conversational, humorous, and deeply critical of systemic police corruption, with the hosts frequently interjecting personal anecdotes and jokes. The style blends recap with passionate commentary, emphasizing the roles of the women involved in seeking justice. This episode will appeal to listeners fascinated by intricate true crime stories, institutional corruption, and the hosts' signature comedic and outraged reactions. Those sensitive to discussions of suicide, grooming, or strong criticism of law enforcement may find it challenging.

As heard by us

A brisk, furious Dateline recap that keeps returning to Sandra Birchmore, Stoughton PD, and Matthew Farwell.

True Crime Obsessed approaches Dateline's The Betrayal of Sandra Birchmore with a brisk, pointed energy, keeping the focus on the corruption around Stoughton PD and on Matthew Farwell, who is tied to Sandra's years in the Explorers program.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want Sandra Birchmore's case, a corrupt-cops rant, and a very loud Stoughton PD thread.

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