Brian Walshe Searched ‘Best Ways To Dispose Of A Body’ On Day Wife Ana Walshe Disappeared, Prosecutors Say

Topline

Brian Walshe pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of assault with intent to murder and unlawfully handling a dead body, as prosecutors unveiled evidence against him in the death of his wife Ana Walshe, a 39-year-old mother of three who went missing on New Year’s Day.

Key Facts

Brian Walshe, who was previously being held on a $500,000 bail after being charged with misleading investigators in the case, will be held without bond prior to a second court appearance on February 9 at Quincy District Court.

Assistant District Attorney Lynn Beland alleges Walshe dismembered his wife’s body and displaced evidence in different locations, referencing internet searches from January 1 that included “dismemberment and the best ways to dispose of a body,” “can you throw away body parts” and “how to clean blood from wooden floor.”

Beland claims Brian killed his wife instead of filing for divorce, after a December 27 Google search for “What’s the best state to divorce?” was found on an iPad belonging to his son.

Both Brian and Ana Walshe’s DNA were found on blood samples from items discovered inside a trash bin in Peabody, Massachusetts, which included tape, gloves and a hacksaw, Beland said.

Surprising Fact

Ana Walshe’s former home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, burned down in a fire on January 7, an incident Police Chief William Quigley deemed a “very strange coincidence”—though police have not said whether the fire was connected to her disappearance, according to CBS affiliate WBZ.

Key Background

Brian Walshe told police he last saw his wife, Ana, on New Year’s Day, though she was first reported missing by her coworkers at the real estate agency Tishman Speyer on January 4. Brian told police that his wife was flying to Washington, D.C, and was on her way to the airport via taxi, a claim that has been disputed after her phone last pinged near the Walshe family home on January 1 and 2, according to CNN. Brian claimed he had to run errands at Whole Foods and CVS on January 1 for his mother, who lived 40 miles north of the Walshe family home, in Swampscott. Surveillance footage did not place him at either location, though it does show he went to Home Depot on January 2 as he reportedly purchased $450 worth of cleaning supplies, including buckets, mops and tarps, according to footage obtained by WBZ. Police said in an affidavit the timeline Brian had provided for the day of her disappearance “caused a clear delay” in her search. A search warrant for the Walshe family home was acquired after police say they recovered an internet search by Brian for “how to dispose of a 115-pound woman’s body.” The search resulted in a bloody knife being found in the basement.

Further Reading

What To Know About Ana Walshe: Missing Massachusetts Woman Whose Husband Is Charged With Misleading Investigators (Forbes)

Massachusetts Man Brian Walshe Charged With Murder After Wife’s Disappearance (Forbes)