Defense Challenges Prosecution Expert in Farwell Trial
Three defense witnesses questioned the testimony of a prosecution expert in the federal murder trial of former detective Matthew Farwell.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Crime — General
Defense attorneys called three witnesses on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, who challenged testimony from prosecution expert Dr. William Smock in the federal murder trial of Matthew Farwell. Farwell is accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore, who was pregnant, and staging her death to look like a suicide in February 2021.
Why it matters
The testimony goes to the central dispute in the case: whether Birchmore died by suicide or was killed. Competing expert interpretations of a hyoid fracture and a chest impression could shape how jurors weigh the evidence.
The defense called three witnesses on Monday and is expected to call four more on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the case possibly reaching the jury by Friday. Smock's findings were challenged by a Kentucky chief medical examiner, who testified Smock is not a forensic pathologist.
The players
Matthew Farwell
A former police detective from Stoughton, Farwell is on trial in federal court for allegedly killing Sandra Birchmore and staging her death as a suicide.
Dr. William Smock
Smock is the prosecution's expert witness who testified that Birchmore's fractured hyoid indicated homicidal strangulation, a finding the defense disputes.
Dr. William Ralston
Ralston is Kentucky's Chief Medical Examiner, who testified that Smock is not a forensic pathologist.
The details
Forensic anthropologist Dr. Heather Garvin of Des Moines University testified that the fracture could not show whether Birchmore died by hanging or strangulation, and could find no example of such a fracture in a seated hanging of a young person. Forensic science professor Dr. Alicia McCarthy of Thomas College said a strap's clasp and buckle were similar in size to an impression on Birchmore's body, but her findings were inconclusive about whether they caused it.
Timeline
February 2021: Birchmore's death was staged to look like suicide.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: Defense called three witnesses challenging the prosecution expert.
Tuesday and Wednesday: Defense expected to call four more witnesses.
Friday: The case could go to the jury.
Legal Context
The dispute turns on whether a hyoid fracture reliably indicates strangulation, a question that forensic experts have long debated in U.S. criminal cases. The qualifications of the prosecution's expert, who the Kentucky chief medical examiner said is not a forensic pathologist, are also central to how jurors will weigh that evidence.
The verdict in this federal case will determine whether a former detective is convicted of murder, a result that could affect how forensic hyoid evidence is weighed in future trials. Residents following the case can track trial developments as jurors may begin deliberations later this week.
The takeaway
Forensic conclusions can hinge on the expertise behind them, so the qualifications of expert witnesses are worth examining closely in any case involving disputed physical evidence.
What happens next
The defense is expected to call four more witnesses on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the case could go to the jury as soon as Friday.
Further reading
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