Prosecutors also alleged that Brian's Google searches are convincing enough of his crime.
Trigger Warning: The following article contains descriptions of intimate partner violence which some readers may find distressing.
Brian Walshe has been accused of killing his wife Ana Walshe, who has been missing since New Year's Day. The 48-year-old Brian Walshe pleaded not guilty to murder in court, misleading the investigation, leading to obstruction of justice and improper conveyance of a human body in connection with Ana's death. The Massachusetts mom-of-three is now presumed dead. Prosecutors allege that he was after her $2.7 million life insurance policy per NBC News. They also believe that the motive to kill her was because he believed she was having an affair.
Have you seen Ana Walshe? The mother of 3 from Cohasset has been missing since New Year’s Day. Right now crews are searching for her. pic.twitter.com/uRaw2HObnE
— Abbey Niezgoda NBC10 Boston (@AbbeyNBCBoston) January 6, 2023
"In December 2022, Mr. Walshe suspected Ana was having an affair," court records read according to WCVB-TV. "During this time, he would repeatedly access the Instagram page of one of Ana's male friends from Washington, D.C."
As claimed by the prosecutors, Brian asked for his mother to hire a private investigator to follow and surveil his wife on December 26 and stated that he was doing this "for the purpose of proving infidelity". Ana worked in Washington D.C. as a successful real estate executive at the time. Even though his mother hired a private investigator a few days before New Year's, she told Mr. Walshe she was doing that. He said she was crazy as Ana was a good girl, and asked her to go ahead as she would be proved wrong anyways, his attorney clarified.
Ana hasn't been seen since the early hours of January 1. Brian told their babysitter that Ana had returned to Washington, D.C., for a work emergency, according to prosecutors, per ABC News. According to the prosecutors, Brian was caught on surveillance video at Lowe's while he was buying items including five 5-gallon buckets, towels, a hacksaw, a Tyvek full coverage suit, a framing hammer, shoe guards, trash bags, a mop, and other products. Later that day, he was also spotted buying hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, they said.
Brian Walshe, the husband of missing Massachusetts mother Ana Walshe, appeared in front of a judge to plead not guilty to first-degree murder.https://t.co/BfGpAC1pAY
— Court TV (@CourtTV) April 27, 2023
Prosecutors also alleged that Brian's Google searches are convincing enough of his crime as they included: "10 ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to"; "how to stop a body from decomposing"; "how long before a body starts to smell"; "what's the best state to divorce" and "how to embalm a body". He allegedly also searched "dismemberment", "what happens when you put body parts in ammonia" and "can you be charged with murder without a body".
Ana Walshe murder: Husband Brian Walshe hired private investigator, suspected she was cheating: prosecutor https://t.co/RXIQTnbslw #news #breaking #fox pic.twitter.com/E4PePYT8o1
— Brandon Thompson (@brandonpromo) April 27, 2023
So far Ana's body has not been recovered. However, it was known that she planned on leaving her husband and moving away a few days before her disappearance. "She intended to relocate her three children to Washington, D.C., and was prepared to leave Mr. Walshe," Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor said.
References:
https://www.instagram.com/anawalshe/
Cover Image Source: Facebook | Cohasset Police Department