Brian Walshe pleads guilty to lesser charges related to death of his wife as murder trial is set to begin
By Lauren del Valle, CNN
(CNN) — A Massachusetts man about to go on trial for the murder and dismemberment of his wife has pleaded guilty to misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body.
Brian Walshe, 50, is still set to go to trial for the murder of his wife, Ana Walshe. Jury selection was initially scheduled for Tuesday and has been postponed until Wednesday.
Walshe pleaded guilty to the lesser charges without a plea deal from prosecutors. Prosecutors refused to negotiate, according to a defense filing, “unless negotiations included the indictment charging murder.”
In court Tuesday morning, Walshe’s attorney made clear he is not admitting to murdering his wife.
“Mr. Walshe is prepared to admit to the recitation of facts with respect to the indictment that the government just read in so far as it alleges he did impede and obstruct the criminal investigation into the disappearance of Ana Walshe. We obviously object, and he’s not admitting to … murder,” attorney Kelli Porges said.
A massive search for Ana Walshe, 39, a corporate real estate manager and mother of three, was launched after her employer reported her missing on January 4, 2023, and her husband told investigators he’d last seen her leaving their Cohasset, Massachusetts, home for a work trip on New Year’s Day.
He was arrested on January 8 and charged with misleading police, and later that month he was charged with her murder.
Brian Walshe faces a maximum sentence of 10 years on the misleading police charge with up to a 20-year sentence enhancement if convicted of murder. He faces up to 3 years in prison on the conveyance charge.
In a separate federal case, Walshe pleaded guilty to charges connected to selling forged Andy Warhol artwork. He’s serving a 37-month prison sentence that’s set to run concurrently with his prison time for the state case connected to his wife’s death. He’s been in state detention since his arrest.
Ana Walshe’s body has not been found, but investigators recovered trash bags of evidence they allege Brian Walshe threw away, containing a hacksaw, a hatchet, and several items with Brian and Ana Walshe’s blood and DNA on them, prosecutors have said.
Investigators uncovered a series of chilling internet searches they say Brian Walshe made from his young son’s iPad including: “How long before a body starts to smell?” and “How to stop a body from decomposing,” according to court documents.
At the hearing Tuesday, Walshe acknowledged the prosecutors’ allegations and confirmed to the judge that he disposed of her body.
“Mr. Walshe, did you in fact, willfully remove or convey the body of Ana Walshe or her remains, not being lawfully authorized to do so?” Judge Diane Freniere said.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Walshe responded.
Prosecutors allege Brian Walshe killed his wife because he wanted to end their marriage and that he lied to investigators about some of his actions and whereabouts in the days following her disappearance.
After Walshe’s arrest, his defense attorney noted no body has been found and said there was “no indication of if she died, how she died” and no murder weapon or motive established.
Prosecutors have said they plan to call up to 60 witnesses in the state’s case against Walshe.
Freniere last week ruled Walshe was competent to stand trial after he spent a 40-day stint in a state hospital for mental health evaluation. The judge had delayed the trial – previously set for October 20 – so Walshe could undergo the evaluation.
His attorneys lobbied for the trial delay after he was stabbed in jail in September, expressing concerns that Walshe could not adequately assist in his defense after the attack.
On Friday the judge said she’s accepted a physician’s report deeming Walshe competent after the evaluation period.
Walshe’s attorney Larry Tipton said in open court the defense did not contest his competency.
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
