A Massachusetts jury has found Brian Walshe guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of his wife, Ana Walshe.
39-year-old Ana was last seen in Cohasset, Massachusetts on January 1, 2023. She disappeared after leaving her home in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
On January 17, 2023, Brian Walshe was charged with the murder of Ana. Prosecutors say he was motivated by money, as he was the sole beneficiary of her $2.7 million life insurance policy.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Brian searched the internet for information related to disposing of and identifying dead bodies. He also bought hundreds of dollars worth of cleaning supplies, cutting tools, and a Tyvek suit.
Ana’s body has never been found.
Brian is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday following victim impact statements.
The Disappearance of Ana Walshe
At the time of her disappearance, Ana Walshe was living with her husband, Brian Walshe, and their three young sons in a house along 500 Chief Justice Cushing Highway in Cohasset, Massachusetts.
During the week, Walshe worked as an executive and regional general manager at Tishman Speyer, a commercial real estate company in Washington, D.C., where she owns a townhouse and car.
Walshe speaks with an Eastern European accent. She also speaks English, Spanish, Siberian, and French.
Disappearance
On January 1, 2023, Ana Walshe was last seen in the early morning hours at her home in Cohasset, Massachusetts.
Around 4:00 am, Walshe reportedly left to take a rideshare vehicle to Logan Airport in Boston for a flight to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., according to a relative.
Ana Walshe never boarded her scheduled flight that day and has never been heard from again.
On January 4, 2023, her employer filed a missing person’s report with the Cohasset Police Department when Ana failed to show up.
Investigation
Authorities believe Ana Walshe was called out to work in Washington DC to handle an emergency at one of the properties she manages. She had previously booked a flight to DC on January 3, but authorities believe the work emergency prompted her to leave earlier.
Authorities confirmed with the airlines that Walshe did not board a plane on the morning of her disappearance, but have been unable to determine if she ever got in a rideshare vehicle to Logan Airport.
On January 7, 2023, authorities conducted an extensive search for Ana in the woods near her home with the help of search and rescue teams, K-9 units, and State Police Air Wing units, but found no signs of her.
Authorities also searched her townhouse in Washington DC, but found no signs of Ana. Her vehicle was left at the property.
There’s been no activity on Ana’s phone, credit cards, bank accounts, or social media since she disappeared on January 1.
Husband Arrested
On January 8, 47 year old Brian Walshe was arrested for misleading a police investigation. Police say he gave them a false timeline of his activities and whereabouts during the time his wife went missing.
According to a news release, the Cohasset and Massachusetts State Police say they have “developed probable cause,” believing that that Brian Walshe had misled police investigators when they took him into custody while investigating his wife’s disappearance.
At the arraignment on January 9, the District Attorney’s office said Brian Walshe was caught on surveillance video on January 2, buying $450 worth of cleaning supplies, including buckets, tarps, mops and tape, before Ana’s employer reported her missing to the police. Investigators also found blood and a broken knife in the basement of their Cohasset house.
His internet searches also included queries for “how to dispose of a 115-pound woman’s body,” and how to dismember a body, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.
Brian Walshe pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on January 9. His bail has been set at $500,000.
Brian was already on house arrest at the time, pending sentencing in federal court regarding fraud charges that he pleaded guilty to in 2021.
Husband Charged With Ana Walshe’s Murder
On January 17, 2023, Brian Walshe was charged with the murder of his wife Ana Walshe. He is expected to be arraigned on January 18.
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