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>theMassachusetts General Court transferred control of the lab to theMassachusetts State Policeforensics unit in 2011

Mass. State Police terminate Trooper Michael Proctor, former lead investigator in Karen Read case

By Ted Daniel, Boston 25 News and Frank O'Laughlin, Boston 25 News

March 19, 2025 at 8:01 pm EDT

NOW PLAYING ABOVE

Mass. State Police terminate Trooper Michael Proctor, former lead investigator in Karen Read case

DEDHAM, Mass. — Disgraced Trooper Michael Proctor, who served as the lead investigator in the Karen Read murder case, has been fired from his role within the Massachusetts State Police.

Family of suspended Trooper Proctor says Karen Read’s lawyers are ‘creating false narratives’

Colonel Geoffrey Noble accepted the Massachusetts State Police Trial Board’s recommendation to terminate Proctor from his position as trooper, the law enforcement agency announced Wednesday morning.

“Our mission to deliver the highest level of police services depends on the public’s trust in our professionalism and integrity. It is incumbent upon me, as well as every member of this Department, to hold one another accountable when any member compromises our mission by failing to uphold our values,” Noble said in a statement.

Proctor came under fire for a series of disparaging texts he sent about Read, which he read aloud in court during witness testimony at her first trial. Proctor admitted on the stand that the texts were “unprofessional.”

He called Read things like a “whack job” and other derogatory words, he talked about her medical issues and wrote, “No nudes so far,” while going through her phone.

In a statement issued in response to his firing, Proctor’s family expressed disappointment with Noble’s decision.

“We are truly disappointed with the trial board’s decision as it lacks precedent, and unfairly exploits and scapegoats one of their own, a trooper with a 12-year unblemished record. Despite the Massachusetts State Police’s dubious and relentless efforts to find more inculpatory evidence against Michael Proctor on his phones, computers, and cruiser data, the messages on his personal phone – referring to the person who killed a fellow beloved Boston Police Officer - are all that they found. The messages prove one thing, and that Michael is human - not corrupt, not incompetent in his role as a homicide detective, and certainly not unfit to continue to be a Massachusetts State Trooper,” the family statement read

https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/mass-state-police-terminate-trooper-proctor-former-lead-investigator-karen-read-case/R3VXOUTHBBDYNKCPD6RAKYLKX4/

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>Mass. State Police terminate Trooper Michael Proctor, former lead investigator in Karen Read case

Norfolk DA investigated Sandra Birchmore and Karen Read cases. What's same and different?

Portrait of Chris Helms Chris Helms

The Enterprise

STOUGHTON — News that feds charged former Stoughton cop Matthew Farwell with killing Sandra Birchmore after state and local probes ruled her death a suicide has people buzzing about parallels with a separate case: the death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors say his girlfriend Karen Read hit him with her SUV in front of a fellow Boston cop's house and left him to die.

Both cases involve alleged homicides that occurred in the same town, Canton. Both cases involve — in very different ways — off-duty police officers. And both cases have caused media firestorms and public protests online and in person, with supporters demanding “Justice for Sandra Birchmore” and “Free Karen Read” adherents saying she was framed.

Some see corruption in both cases, a willingness to go easy on fellow law enforcement officers. Let's take a closer look at what we know so far from the public record.

A "Justice for Sandra Birchmore" standout is held in Stoughton Center on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Karen Read listens to arguments over whether the judge should drop some of the charges against her during a hearing in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. A mistrial was declared in July, when she stood trial for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend John O'Keefe and related charges.

Is the Norfolk County DA's office involved in both cases? Why?

Canton police found Birchmore dead on Feb. 4, 2021 in her Canton apartment.

Canton police found O'Keefe dying the morning of Jan. 29, 2022 on the Canton front yard of a fellow Boston cop.

Both deaths occurred in Canton, so Canton police were the first responders in both cases.

Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey oversaw both cases, initially. Massachusetts State Police assigned to his office investigated both cases.

The state's medical examiner ruled in May 2021 that Birchmore died via suicide by hanging.

In September 2022, Morrissey said the investigation to that point "did not produce evidence of criminality in her death," according to the Boston Globe.

Early state police investigations of Farwell's phones, using data extracted by State Trooper Nicholas Guarino, produced zero messages between Birchmore and Farwell. Investigators later found 32,709 messages between the two from December 2019 to her death.

Guarino also worked the Read case and testified in court.Critics point to him missing key data in that case as well.

Morrissey's office said Wednesday — after Farwell was indicted on federal charges of killing her and staging it to look like a suicide — that the investigation into the death of Birchmore "has remained open and active," adding that "We look forward to supporting and assisting Federal authorities as they pursue this prosecution." Farwell has pleaded not guilty.

In fall 2023, Morrissey handed the Birchmore investigation to Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

"While today's indictment does not bring back the precious life of Sandra Birchmore," Campbell said in a Wednesday statement, "these charges are an important step in holding Matthew Farwell accountable for his malicious, predatory, and horrific actions. I applaud the U.S. Attorney's Office and look forward to continuing to collaborate with them as my office continues its investigation into this matter.

https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/news/crime/2024/08/31/karen-read-sandra-birchmore-murder-investigations-canton-ma-police-stoughton-massachusetts-scandals/74999823007/

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>Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey oversaw both cases, initially.Massachusetts State Police assigned to his office investigated both cases.

iled 6:00 a.m. EDT

08.30.2024

Feature

How a Massachusetts Cop Allegedly Groomed, Controlled and Killed Sandra Birchmore

Matthew Farwell met her in a police Explorer program. Prosecutors say he abused her for years before she became pregnant and he killed her.

Signs lie on the ground as a person hovers over one on the left side of the photo, and another person holds one with a gloved hand. A sign in the center reads: "Justice for Sandra Birchmore", and shows a picture of Sandra, a White young woman with brown hair and red-rimmed glasses.

People set up signs during a protest for Sandra Birchmore at Stoughton Town Hall in April. In August, the FBI arrested former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell for allegedly killing Birchmore.

By Lakeidra Chavis

Republish

Content warning: This story contains details of sexual abuse and suicide.

Matthew Farwell brought ginger ale.

Sandra Birchmore, 23, texted a friend the news in late January 2021. Farwell, then a police officer in Stoughton, Massachusetts, near Boston, had visited Birchmore’s apartment the night before, according to an affidavit accompanying Farwell’s indictment and arrest for killing her.

She thought Farwell bringing soda might be a sign that their relationship was improving. “He’s coming around,” her friend texted. “A lot more than I thought he was going to yes,” Birchmore wrote back. His behavior toward her that night had been markedly different, a “complete 180 from where we were at,” Birchmore texted another person, according to the affidavit filed in federal court this week.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/08/30/police-explorer-sexual-abuse-massachusetts-birchmore

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Obamas' family chef found dead in pond on Martha's Vineyard, police say

Massachusetts officials are investigating the incident

ByTeddy Grant and Joshua Hoyos ABCNews logo

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

The body of a missing paddleboarder recovered from a pond in Martha's Vineyard on Monday morning was an employee of former President Barack Obama, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) said.

MASSACHUSETTS – The body of a missing paddleboarder recovered from a pond in Martha's Vineyard on Monday morning was an employee of former President Barack Obama, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) said.

Divers for the MSP Underwater Recovery Unit retrieved the body of 45-year-old Tafari Campbell at Edgartown Great Pond.

"Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House –creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together," President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said in a statement. "In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter."

The Obamas asked Campbell to continue working with them after they left the White House and he "generously agreed," they said in a statement.

"He's been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he's gone. Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man."

Campbell was visiting Martha's Vineyard at the time of his death, police said. The Obamas were not at the home when the incident occurred, according to MSP.

The victim's body was located by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers, according to MSP.

The underwater recovery unit retrieved the victim's body about 100 feet from the shore and 8 feet underwater, according to state police.

The paddleboarder went missing in the pond on Sunday, but authorities suspended the search after several hours to "allow dive teams, flight crews, and other responders to re-equip and assess next steps" after they could not find the man, MSP said.

The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit is investigating the incident for the Cape and Islands District and Edgartown Police.

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A running list of the recent scandals embroiling the Massachusetts State Police

From the probes into alleged overtime pay theft to troopers saying they were ordered to alter the arrest report of a judge’s daughter.

Massachusetts State Police Headquarters in Framingham. Jessica Rinaldi / The Boston Globe

By Dialynn Dwyer

July 2, 2018

7 minutes to read

Share

…

The arrests last week of three recently retired or suspended state troopers, accused of purloining thousands of dollars in 2016 for shifts they didn’t work, is just the most recent development in months of scandals for the law enforcement agency.The rumblings over the theft of overtime pay by members of the Massachusetts State Police began more than a year ago, and, in that time, other claims of misconduct and issues in the department’s payroll and financial accounting have emerged.Here’s a timeline of when the prominent controversies and investigations the embattled department is facing surfaced in the public view.

March 2017:

Highest paid trooper in 2016 placed on desk duty amid investigation into overtime pay

WCVB reported that the highest paid trooper was placed on desk duty while the department investigated whether he worked all the hours he claimed in 2016. It was the second year that Trooper Eric Chin topped the state police payroll, earning $131,654 in overtime and $66,094 in other pay on top of his $104,653 base salary. Chin was later suspended without pay.

October 2017:

WCVB finds several troopers used ‘questionable methods’ to collect extra pay for work not performed

The station found during the course of a six-month investigation that several officers in the department’s Troop E, the unit assigned to patrolling the Massachusetts Turnpike, collected “extra pay for work not done.” Chin’s lawyer told the station that manipulating tickets to boost overtime pay was a common practice by many troopers and supervisors within Troop E.

November 2017:

Two troopers file federal lawsuits alleging they were ordered by top commanders to alter a report on the arrest of a judge’s daughter

Troopers Ryan Sceviour and Ali Rei filed federal lawsuits within days of each other alleging that top commanders in the department pressured them to alter the report on the arrest of Alli Bibaud, the daughter of a Worcester County judge, to remove embarrassing information.

Alli Bibaud, in court on Nov. 17, 2017.

Sceviour and Rei alleged they were forced to falsify the report by removing references to comments made by Bibaud about sex and her father’s position during her arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs after she crashed her car on I-190. Rei alleged she was told to shred and redact reports containing crude statements by Bibaud, but she refused.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, and the state Ethics Commission launched investigations into the altered report within the month. State police Col. Richard McKeon abruptly announced his retirement amid the allegations that he ordered Sceviour to alter the report.

Former state police Col. Richard McKeon.

Bibaud ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges against her and was sentenced to a total of 14 months probation, had her license suspended for a year, and ordered to complete a residential treatment program.

November 2017:

Kerry A. Gilpin is selected by Baker to take over leadership of the state police

On her first day, the new commander launched an investigation into the altered arrest report scandal.

January 2018:

Massachusetts State Police announce launch of investigation into whether officers were paid for shifts they didn’t work

The department released few details but said that an ongoing internal audit revealed “payroll discrepancies” for officers assigned to patrol shifts designed to reduce accidents, according to The Boston Globe.

February 2018:

Trooper placed on paid leave after internal investigation into her hiring is launched

State police placed Trooper Leigha Genduso on leave and launched an internal affairs investigation after reports surfaced that the 36-year-old had been hired by the department as a dispatcher just a year after she had testified as a co-conspirator in a federal drug case, according to the Globe.

Trooper Leigha Genduso.

After being initially hired as a dispatcher, she became a trooper in 2014. She told the Globe that no one asked about her federal testimony during the hiring process.

According to the newspaper, she had been living with Daniel Risteen, then a state police major, for three years at the time of her application to the department in 2012. Risteen was one of the top officials accused of taking part in ordering the scrubbing of information from Bibaud’s arrest report in the fall. He retired abruptly on the same day that Genduso was placed on leave.

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>A running list of the recent scandals embroiling the Massachusetts State Police

March 2018:

State police announce that 20 troopers are under investigation as a result of the internal audit of Troop E overtime patrols

The department said the audit “revealed apparent discrepancies between overtime earnings paid to members and actual patrols worked” by 19 members of Troop E holding the ranks of trooper, sergeant, and lieutenant. Another trooper was already suspended for another issue and a retired member of the unit was also being investigated, the department said.Gilpin said the audit would be expanded, and Healey’s office also launched an investigation into the issue, according to the Globe.In the following months, additional troopers in the unit would be accused of falsifying overtime records.

March 2018:

A Globe investigation shows payroll records for Troop F were hidden from public view

The Globe reported that payroll records for Troop F, the 140-trooper division that patrols parts of the Seaport and Logan International Airport, had not been filed with the state comptroller for several years. Fourteen of the troopers in the unit earned more in overtime than their base pay, with 54 earning more than $200,000 last year. The Globe later reported that troopers in the unit received a $40 per diem for driving their own cars to work, with some cashing in on the option and earning up to $13,000 a year in per diems alone.

April 2018:

The Globe reveals that the department’s Troop E was under investigation by the inspector general for irregularities in awarding towing contracts

The inspector general’s report found that troopers had the power to play favorites in how the contracts were awarded, pushing thousands of drivers away from some companies and steering motorists toward a different contractor, according to the Globe. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation told the newspaper that the agency had adopted “significant changes and improvements” for procuring towing contracts following the report.

April 2018:

Director of payroll for state police charged with stealing from department

Denise Ezekiel was charged with larceny, with authorities alleging she misappropriated more than $23,000 in public money over the last two years related to travel and reimbursement expenses.

Denise Ezekiel, former state police payroll director, in court on June 25, 2018.

In June, Ezekiel pleaded guilty and plans to pay back the stolen money, according to MassLive. The 50-year-old, currently listed as being on unpaid leave with the department, has filed a retirement application, but state police say they are “moving forward with plans to terminate her employment.”

May 2018:

Gilpin and Baker announce the elimination of Troop E

State police Col. Kerry Gilpin, at a March 20, 2018, press conference.

The head of the scandal-plagued department and governor said, in addition to the dissolution of the unit tasked with patrolling the Mass. Pike, more than 1,000 state police cruisers would be tracked by GPS systems and dozens of troopers were being shifted to Troop F in an effort to cut back on overtime in that unit, according to the Globe.

June 2018:

Reports reveal a federal grand jury is investigating the alleged overtime theft

The Globe reported that prosecutors were investigating whether members of the unit responsible for patrolling the Mass. Pike committed fraud by collecting overtime pay for shifts they did not work and whether supervisors were aware of the practice.

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June 2018:

Lawsuit alleges Worcester district attorney ‘directed’ effort to discredit trooper in altered arrest report scandal

In his lawsuit, Sceviour alleged Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. “initiated and directed” a conspiracy to defame him in connection to the arrest report of Bibaud in October 2017. The trooper, who says he was forced to alter the report to remove embarrassing information, is seeking unspecified financial damages, expungement of his reprimand, and a public apology from those he’s accusing of mistreatment, according to the Globe.

June 2018:

Federal authorities arrest three state troopers, two retired and one suspended, in overtime theft probe

Former lieutenant David W. Wilson, 57, of Charlton, former trooper Paul E. Cesan, 50, of Southwick, and Trooper Gary S. Herman, 45, of Chester were arrested June 27, accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in 2016 through the submission of fake traffic citations, putting in for shifts they didn’t work, and deliberately taking steps to hide the fraud.

[bdc-gallery id=”8981468″]

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling said during a press conference that the embezzlement charges against the three men, who were released on bail, were just the start of the federal investigation.

“We plan on looking back as far as we can, a number of years,” Lelling said. “We’ll see where it goes.”

State investigations into the alleged overtime thefts are also ongoing.

“As part of the ongoing implementation of our wide ranging reforms, we continue to audit overtime payments received by department members, and to provide the results of those audits to prosecutors for their review for potential criminality,” Gilpin said in a statement following the arrests. “We fully support and will continue to cooperate with the ongoing investigations being conducted by the US Attorney and the Attorney General.”

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2018/07/02/massachusetts-state-police-scandals-timeline/

Got those responsible for the shooting at The Rac (Katy). Prayers for the coach and hopefully a speedy recovery.

All reactions:

140

Comments

Cara Burger Millas

3 of the 5 men. 2 fled the scene.

20h

Doug Bailey

Cara Burger Millas, the release indicates there were no other suspects involved. 2 might have originally fled the scene, but were later identified, charged, and arrested.

Unless I missed an article that said there were 5 suspects.

13h

Cara Burger Millas

Doug BaileyThe adults that went to tell the shooters they were firing towards kids on baseball fields and shot someone saw 5 men. 2 quickly packed up and left.

2h

Doug Bailey

Cara Burger Millas, thank you ma’am. I’ve seen several people comment about 2 people leaving and I’ve asked, but you’re the first to respond. 👍🏻

2h

Ashley Borden Solano

Doug Baileyyes 2 men took off with ARs and target dummies in a white Honda Accord 2 door, possibly 2003 model.We don't know why the sheriff's office isn't reporting this at all.

53m

Doug Bailey

Ashley Borden Solano, thank you for the extra info! Like I said, nobody else was answering when I asked.

Also appreciate both of y’all not thinking I was being an ass by asking! 👍🏻😂

36m

Doug Bailey

Cara and Ashley, it might also be a tactic to not mention the 2 that fled. If they think they’re not being looked for, they relax, and do something that makes it easier to identify & find them.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10172217672135459&set=gm.1129631158665740&idorvanity=226125735682958

PB

>>23651026, >>23651034, >>23651038, >>23651041, >>23651043, >>23651466 Three men have been arrested in Texas after they reportedly shot a youth baseball coach

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Robyn Filipowsky Martin

What property were they shooting on? Was it private property? Theirs or trespassing? I have so many questions ….

20h

Ashley Borden Solano

Robyn Filipowsky Martinsupposedly one of their uncle's property. I'm wondering if police or news has contacted the owner

May be an image of map, floor plan and text

18h

Amber Allison Smith

Ashley Borden Solano it was a family members property. Just purchased it. Also supposedly they told police they have not shot guns before that’s why they were shooting at targets to practice.

17h

Heather Rodriguez

Ashley Borden Solano it would be good to know how far the bullets reach in that particular gun used and location of their little target practice was set up

2h

Ashley Borden Solano

Heather Rodriguez they were ARs, i believe they can travel up to 3,000-4,000 yards which is about the distance they were shooting from