BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Brian Walshe was convicted Monday of murdering his wife, Ana Walshe, who disappeared from their Massachusetts home on New Year’s Day nearly three years ago, and whose body has never been recovered.
Ana, a Serbian immigrant, was last seen early on Jan. 1, 2023, following a New Year’s Eve celebration at the couple’s residence. Walshe was found guilty of first-degree murder after previously pleading guilty to lesser charges involving misleading police and illegally disposing of her body.
In court, there was no visible reaction from Walshe as the verdict was read. He remained expressionless, staring straight ahead while handcuffed and shackled before being led out.
Prosecutors presented evidence from Walshe’s online searches, which included queries about dismembering bodies, cleaning up blood, and disposing of remains. Examples included “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell,” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember.”
During initial questioning, Walshe claimed his wife had been called to Washington, D.C., on a work emergency. However, witnesses testified that there was no indication she had taken transportation to an airport or boarded a flight, and Walshe did not contact her employer until Jan. 4.
He later admitted to dismembering Ana and disposing of her body in a dumpster, stating that he acted in a panic after discovering she had died in bed. Walshe’s defense did not call any witnesses and argued that he found his wife deceased and reacted out of fear and confusion.