COHASSET, Mass. (WPRI) — The Massachusetts man accused of killing his wife, Ana Walshe, and dismembering her body earlier this year is facing new charges.
The Norfolk County Grand Jury handed up an indictment Wednesday charging Brian Walshe, 46, with first-degree murder, misleading a police investigation, and improper conveyance of a human body.
Ana Walshe, 39, was reported missing back in January, when it was believed she was heading to Logan Airport. Investigators at the time confirmed the mother of three had booked a flight to Washington, D.C., for work, but never boarded the plane.
Brian Walshe, of Cohasset, has been in custody since he was arrested in connection with the disappearance of his wife, who has since been presumed dead. He’s pleaded not guilty.
Detectives later uncovered a series of gruesome internet searches he’d made shortly after reporting her missing, including “10 ways to dispose of a body,” and “can you be charged with murder without a body.”
Investigators uncovered a mountain of evidence pointing to Ana Walshe’s murder, including a bloody knife found in the couple’s basement, as well as a hacksaw and other suspicious items at a transfer station in Peabody.
Brian Walshe was also seen on surveillance video at a home improvement store buying hundreds of dollars’ worth of cleaning supplies the day after his wife was last seen.
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said the indictment is “only a step in a long process.”
“We are thankful to the detectives who have put so many hours into assembling the evidence in this matter and the witnesses who have assisted us in coming to this step,” he said.
Brian Walshe is expected to be arraigned on the new charges in the coming weeks. Morrissey said an exact date has not been set yet.
If convicted, Brian Walshe faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
