By Hannah Parry and Amanda Castro
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Brian Walshe found his wife Ana unexplainedly dead in their bed on New Year's Day, his defense team told day one of his trial on Monday.
"When he entered the bedroom, he sensed something was wrong," defense attorney Larry Tipton said, adding that when Walshe tried to nudge her awake, Ana fell to the floor. Walshe then panicked, leading him to make the Google searches about how to dispose of a human body, as “he wrestled with the fact that Ana Walshe was dead," his lawyer added. "He is panicking and doesn't understand what was happening," Tipton said.
- Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering his wife in 2023. He has denied murder but has pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body.
- Ana Walshe, a 39-year-old immigrant from Serbia, was last seen in her Cohasset home on New Year's Day 2023.
- Her body was never found, but investigators said a search of a trash processing facility near the home of Brian’s mother uncovered bags containing a hatchet, hacksaw, towels, a protective Tyvek suit, cleaning agents, a Prada purse, boots like the ones Ana was last seen wearing and a COVID-19 vaccination card with her name.
- Walshe has claimed they had a happy marriage, but prosecutors say he researched divorce shortly before his wife's disappearance.
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Dec 01, 2025 at 05:16 PM EST
Judge dismisses jury for the day
Judge Diane Freniere has dismissed the jury for the day.
Prosecutors told the judge that they have around 40 minutes left of recorded interviews to play for the jury on Tuesday, plus another 30 minutes of direct questioning of investigator Sgt. Harrison Schmidt. That will be followed by cross examination.
The next witness for the prosecution, after Schmidt, is expected to be another member of law enforcement.
Dec 01, 2025 at 05:03 PM EST
Jurors hear what Brian Walshe told police he did in the days after he said his wife disappeared
Brian Walshe told police, during an interview on January 7, 2023, about his movements after he said his wife Ana had gone missing.
In a recording of the interview, played in court, an officer was heard telling Walshe that they needed to find out "what you did" on January 1.
Walshe said he made breakfast for his kids, before leaving them with a nanny while he went to do some errands. He went to see his mother, visited the grocery store and CVS, but was back in the evening to abide by the home confinement rules as part of his art fraud case.
Dec 01, 2025 at 04:22 PM EST
Jurors hear Brian Walshe deny wife’s affair in police interview
Jurors on Monday listened to an audio recording of Brian Walshe’s January 5, 2023, interview with investigators, in which he insisted his wife Ana was not involved with anyone else in Washington, D.C., where she worked.
Walshe told police that Ana wore her wedding ring and spoke about her husband while in D.C. He listed several of her friends there, including William Fastow. Prosecutors say Ana had a romantic relationship with Fastow, who is expected to testify during the trial.
In opening statements, prosecutors noted that Brian’s cell phone searched Fastow’s name on December 25, days before Ana was reported missing.
During the interview, Walshe also said Ana’s friends described her routine in D.C. as long work hours followed by dinner and bed. He added that his mother had hired private investigators to look into Ana’s disappearance, claiming they believed she had not returned to Washington.
Dec 01, 2025 at 04:06 PM EST
Investigators asked Brian Walshe for his phone
Investigators said they had asked Brian Walshe to take his phone to download the information about it.
Walshe said he wanted to give it to the police but he felt he needed to check with an attorney, who was representing him in the art fraud case.
Police also made plans to interview the Walshe’s three sons, according to the recording.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:59 PM EST
WATCH: Ana Walshe’s husband has ‘well-documented violent tendencies’—January 16, 2023
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:44 PM EST
Jurors hear third police interview with Brian Walshe
Jurors on Monday listened to a third audio recording of Brian Walshe’s interviews with investigators, conducted on January 7, 2023, just days after his wife Ana was reported missing.
In the recording, investigators pressed Walshe to recount his movements on New Year’s Day. He told them he made breakfast for his children, played with them, and later ran errands while a nanny stayed at the house. Walshe said he visited his mother, went to the grocery store, and stopped at CVS before returning home for the evening.
He emphasized that he remained at home that night due to strict confinement rules tied to his federal art fraud case. His attorney in that matter was present during the interview.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:36 PM EST
Defense and prosecution present conflicting narratives in Walshe trial
The murder trial of Brian Walshe opened with starkly different accounts of what happened to his wife, Ana, who vanished around New Year’s Day 2023.
Defense attorney Larry Tipton told jurors that Ana died suddenly and unexpectedly in the couple’s Cohasset home after a quiet New Year’s Eve with a friend. He argued Walshe panicked, fearing no one would believe Ana had died without explanation, and chose to conceal what happened to protect their three young sons. Tipton insisted Walshe “never killed Ana” and emphasized that despite her affair, she was committed to her family.
Prosecutors countered that Walshe fabricated a story about Ana leaving for a work trip to Washington, D.C., though she never arrived and her body has not been found. Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor pointed to internet searches Walshe allegedly made about dismemberment and disposal, as well as Ana’s life insurance policies naming him as beneficiary. Connor reminded jurors to weigh the evidence carefully and “use common sense.”
Walshe has pleaded guilty to misleading police and improperly conveying a human body, admitting he dismembered Ana and disposed of her remains. He continues to deny murder. His trial follows a prior federal conviction for art fraud, for which he was sentenced in 2024 to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:27 PM EST
Schmidt says he found Lowes receipt in Walshe’s Volvo
Sgt. Schmidt said that looked around the Walshe home again on January 5 and found a receipt for a Weymouth Lowes dated January 4.
He added that he also found a Volvo that Walshe said belonged to his son, in the family Volvo.
Digital devices were collected from Walshe by Lt. Fanning of Massachusetts State Police.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:24 PM EST
Investigators detail second interview with Brian Walshe amid ongoing trial
By January 6, 2023, authorities had launched a large-scale search for Ana Walshe, according to testimony from Cohasset Police Sgt. Harrison Schmidt. That same day, Massachusetts State Police Lt. Fanning collected digital devices from Ana’s husband, Brian Walshe, as part of the investigation.
The following day, investigators returned to the Walshe home for another interview. Present were multiple law enforcement officials, Walshe’s then-attorney Tracy Miner, and former state trooper Michael Proctor, who has since been fired.
Prosecutors told jurors they are preparing to play audio of that interview, which is expected to shed further light on Walshe’s account of events in the days surrounding his wife’s disappearance.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:15 PM EST
Jurors hear end of Brian Walshe’s police interview
Jurors on Monday finished listening to the hour-long recording of Brian Walshe’s January 5, 2023, interview with investigators, played in court as part of the prosecution’s case.
During the interview,the police asked Walshe to provide his phone so they could download data. He replied that he wanted to cooperate but needed to consult an attorney representing him in a separate federal art fraud case. Investigators also arranged to interview the couple’s three young sons the following day.
Cohasset Police Sgt. Harrison Schmidt testified that after the interview, he joined other officers in a walkthrough of the Walshe property. Schmidt said he noticed black trash bags in the basement, one of which felt like it contained a carpet, though the bags were not opened at the time.
When examining the family car, Schmidt said investigators recovered a Lowe’s receipt dated January 4, 2023, a detail now included in the evidence presented to jurors.
Dec 01, 2025 at 03:05 PM EST
Court hears Brian Walshe’s account of delay in reporting Ana missing
Jurors on Monday listened to an audio recording of Brian Walshe’s January 5, 2023, interview with police, in which he explained why he waited several days before reporting his wife Ana missing.
Walshe told investigators he hesitated because Ana had previously been upset when he contacted friends and family after she missed a Christmas flight. He admitted he “held off too long” and should have acted sooner. Prosecutors, however, noted in opening statements that Ana was ultimately reported missing by a security company, not her husband.
In the recording, Walshe denied that Ana had ever spoken about suicide. He also recounted that family friend Gem Mutlu, who was at the Walshes’ home on New Year’s Eve, told him Ana had been stressed and planned to seek help from a psychiatrist—something Walshe said he had not known before.
The interview is part of the evidence prosecutors are using to challenge Walshe’s account of events in the days surrounding Ana’s disappearance.
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:48 PM EST
Trial resumes after short lunch break
The court is continuing to hear from Brian Walshe's police interview on January 5.
In the recording, Walshe is heard saying that he had never had any physical interaction with his wife Ana.
Instead, he told the police sergeant, “I love my wife” adding that the family "doesn’t work without her.”
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:46 PM EST
Sentencing timeline unclear in Brian Walshe case
As Brian Walshe’s murder trial continues, questions remain about when he will be sentenced for the two charges he has already admitted to—misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body.
The court may choose to sentence him before the trial concludes, or wait until the end if jurors return a murder conviction. In that scenario, sentencing could be consolidated for all three charges.
Judge Diane Freniere noted that she intends to give the Commonwealth adequate time to collect victim impact statements before any decision is made, leaving the sentencing timeline unresolved.
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:44 PM EST
Brian Walshe told police why he’d waited so long to report his wife missing
Ana Walshe was reported missing on January 4 2023 after her Ana Walshe employer, Tishman Speyer, called police to request a welfare check when she failed to show up for work.
Her husband Brian didn't report her missing until that same day.
In a police interview the following day, on January 5, Brian Walshe said he should have called the authorities on January 3, but that Ana had been upset that he'd called her friends and family looking for her the previous week when she missed a flight to Massachusetts.
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:41 PM EST
Court hears Brian Walshe deny conflict with wife
Jurors on Monday listened to an audio recording of Brian Walshe’s January 5, 2023, interview with investigators, in which he insisted he never had a physical altercation with his wife, Ana.
In the recording, Walshe emphasized his devotion to her, saying, “I love my wife” and adding, “This family doesn’t work without her.” The statements were made just days after Ana was reported missing, as police questioned Walshe about their relationship and her disappearance.
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:22 PM EST
Brian Walshe’s past legal troubles resurface amid murder case
Brian Walshe, charged in connection with the disappearance of his wife Ana Walshe, has a history of fraud and family disputes that prosecutors say underscore his pattern of deception.
Court records show Walshe pleaded guilty in 2021 to wire fraud after selling counterfeit Andy Warhol paintings online. Investigators said he stole the artwork from a friend in South Korea and later sold one piece for $80,000 to a California gallery owner, who discovered the painting was fake. Walshe repaid only part of the money, leaving the dispute unresolved.
He has also been accused of interfering with his late father’s estate. Family members alleged he destroyed the will and took control of assets, with relatives claiming he had previously stolen nearly $1 million from his father.
Beyond financial misconduct, court filings describe Walshe’s troubled upbringing, including psychiatric treatment and accounts of emotional abuse. A sentencing memorandum noted he was “neglected, unloved, and emotionally damaged” from an early age.
Walshe, 47, was arrested in January 2023 for misleading investigators after Ana vanished from their Cohasset, Massachusetts home. He was later charged with murder and remains held on bail as the case continues.
Dec 01, 2025 at 02:12 PM EST
Brian Walshe named his wife’s alleged affair partner as a friend
Brian Walshe told investigators, in a recorded interview, that he had called a D.C. friend of Ana, William Fastow, looking for his wife after he claimed she'd disappeared.
Prosecutor Greg Connor testified earlier today that Ana had been having a secret affair with Fastow in Washington, where she was commuting to for work.
After Walshe called Fastow, Fastow went to Ana's D.C. townhouse to look for her.
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:52 PM EST
What was Brian Walshe’s search history in 2023?
Prosecutors told jurors that Brian Walshe conducted a series of alarming internet searches beginning on January 1, 2023, the same day his wife Ana was last seen.
According to investigators, Walshe searched for “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell,” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember.”
Prosecutors say the searches continued for several days, forming part of the digital evidence they argue points to his involvement in Ana’s disappearance.
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:50 PM EST
Brian Walshe was researching divorce to protect his family as he faced possible prison time for art fraud case: Defense
Defense attorney Larry Tipton claimed Monday that Brian Walshe's Google searches, that included “best strategies to divorce for a man” and “Washington, DC, divorce laws” days before his wife went missing, were his client trying to make arrangements in case he went to prison over an art fraud case.
Walshe pleaded guilty in 2021 to selling forged Andy Warhol artwork.
Tipton said that Walshe and Ana had been discussing the sale of one of their properties as they contemplated his potential sentence, when he began researching divorce.
Brian Walshe was thinking, “how is it that I make sure that my wife and my three sons are financially secure if I have to go to prison?” Tipton said. “That’s what they were talking about.”
Tipton said that Walshe had then lied to police about his wife’s death to protect his family.
“What would happen to their three boys now that Ana is no longer here? What will happen if they think he did something bad to Ana? Where will those three boys go?” Tipton told the jury.
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:37 PM EST
What to know about Brian Walshe’s art fraud
At the time of Ana’s disappearance, Brian was awaiting sentencing for an unrelated art fraud case involving the sale of two fake Andy Warhol paintings.
The buyer paid Brian $80,000 but could not find any Warhol Foundation authentication stamps on the paintings, prosecutors said. The buyer tried and failed to get his money back.
Brian was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution.
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:20 PM EST
Brian Walshe murder trial opens with competing narratives
Brian Walshe went on trial Monday for the murder of his wife, Ana Walshe, who vanished in January 2023. Both sides are set to deliver opening statements in a case that has drawn national attention.
Prosecutors say Ana’s employer reported her missing on January 4, sparking a massive search. Walshe told investigators he last saw her leaving their Cohasset home for a work trip on January 1, but prosecutors argue there is no evidence she ever reached Washington, D.C.
Walshe has already pleaded guilty to misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body but continues to deny killing his wife. Prosecutors allege he wanted to end the marriage, pointing to her affair and $2.7 million in life insurance policies naming him as beneficiary.
Investigators say they uncovered disturbing internet searches on Walshe’s devices, including queries about decomposition and dismemberment. They also recovered 10 trash bags containing a hacksaw, a hatchet, and items with DNA from both Brian and Ana.
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:06 PM EST
Investigators noted car with plastic lining in the trunk, and hole in bedroom ceiling when they came to interview Walshe
Investigator Sgt. Schmidt testified Monday that after he had conducted an interview with Brian Walshe, that he did a walkthrough of their home, in which a few unusual things stood out.
They included a large hole in the bedroom ceiling and a Volvo XC-90, parked at the home, which had plastic lining in the trunk.
In a clip of Schmidt's interview with Walshe, he is heard telling him, "I don't want to hid anything from you, if that could lead to finding my wife sooner."
Dec 01, 2025 at 01:04 PM EST
Prosecutors detail digital evidence in Walshe case
Prosecutors told jurors that investigators recovered trash bags allegedly discarded by Brian Walshe containing a hacksaw, hatchet, and items bearing DNA from both Walshe and his wife, Ana.
They also highlighted a series of disturbing Google searches made in the hours after Ana’s disappearance. At 4:55 a.m. on January 1, Walshe searched “how long before a body starts to smell,” followed by queries about dismemberment, decomposition, and inheritance. The searches continued into January 2, including “Can you be charged with murder without a body?” and “Hacksaw best tool to dismember.”
Prosecutors said they now have “binders” of electronic evidence to present, including a 1,000‑page report recovered from a MacBook Pro in Walshe’s home. They argue the digital trail provides critical insight into his actions in the days surrounding Ana’s disappearance.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:57 PM EST
Defense claims Brian Walshe found his wife dead in bed
Defense attorney Larry Tipton said Brian Walshe found his wife unexplainedly dead in their bed.
"When he entered the bedroom, he sensed something was wrong," Tipton said, adding that when Walshe tried to nudge her awake, Ana fell to the floor.
Walshe then panicked, leading him to make the Google searches about how to dispose of a human body, as “he wrestled with the fact that Ana Walshe was dead.”
"He is panicking and doesn't understand what was happening," Tipton said.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:51 PM EST
Disappearance of Ana Walshe: A timeline—Part 2
January 1, 2023
- Brian claims Ana left early for the airport. Prosecutors say his devices show disturbing Google searches, including “How long before a body starts to smell” and “10 ways to dispose of a dead body.”
- Surveillance footage shows Brian visiting dumpsters and stores, buying cleaning supplies, buckets, and hydrogen peroxide.
January 2–3, 2023
- More searches are made, including “Hacksaw best tool to dismember” and “Can you be charged with murder without a body.”
- Surveillance shows Brian discarding heavy garbage bags at multiple apartment complexes. Police later say those bags were incinerated before they could be recovered.
January 4–5, 2023
- Ana’s employer reports her missing. Police visit the Cohasset home and note unusual details in Brian’s vehicle.
- Investigators later recover trash bags containing blood, cleaning materials, a hacksaw, Ana’s belongings, and her vaccination card.
January 6–7, 2023
- Police conduct large-scale searches near the Walshe home.
- Investigators receive a suspicious ransom-style email demanding $127,000, which they dismiss as a hoax.
January 8–9, 2023
- Brian is arrested for misleading police after inconsistencies in his statements. A search of the home uncovers blood and a bloody knife. He pleads not guilty.
January 17–18, 2023
- Brian is charged with murder and disinterring a body without authority. Prosecutors cite his Google searches and recovered evidence. He pleads not guilty.
March 30, 2023
- A grand jury indicts Brian on murder, misleading investigators, and improper conveyance of a human body.
April 27, 2023
- Brian is arraigned in Norfolk County Superior Court and pleads not guilty. Prosecutors reveal Ana had taken out $2.7 million in life insurance, naming Brian as beneficiary.
February 20, 2024
- Brian is sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $475,000 restitution in the federal art fraud case.
September–November 2025
- Brian undergoes a mental health evaluation after being attacked in jail. On November 14, he is ruled competent to stand trial.
November 18, 2025
- Just before jury selection, Brian pleads guilty to misleading police and improper conveyance of a human body. He maintains his not guilty plea to murder.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:38 PM EST
Disappearance of Ana Walshe: A timeline—Part 1
Brian Walshe, now 50, is on trial for the murder of his wife Ana Walshe. The case has drawn national and international attention, with prosecutors citing digital evidence, surveillance footage, and recovered items as proof, while the defense disputes the allegations.
September 2018
- Brian Walshe’s father, Dr. Thomas Walshe, dies. His will leaves Brian nothing, sparking a legal dispute over the estate. Court filings describe years of estrangement and alleged financial misconduct by Brian.
October 2018
- Brian is indicted on federal fraud charges for selling fake Andy Warhol artwork online. Investigators allege he used Ana Walshe’s eBay account to facilitate sales. He pleads not guilty.
April 2021
- Brian pleads guilty to three federal counts related to the art fraud scheme. He is placed on house arrest while awaiting sentencing.
November 2022
- Court documents later reveal Ana Walshe was in a romantic relationship with a man in Washington, D.C., and spent Thanksgiving with him in Dublin, Ireland.
December 2022
- Prosecutors say Brian suspected Ana was having an affair and hired a private investigator to watch her in D.C.
- On December 27, Brian searches online for “best state to divorce for a man.”
- On December 28, Ana tells a friend she is prepared to leave Brian and take the children.
- On December 30, Ana returns to Massachusetts for the holiday weekend.
- On December 31, the Walshes host a New Year’s Eve dinner. Brian later tells police Ana planned to fly to D.C. the next morning for work.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:32 PM EST
Surveillance footage will show a man buying a hack saw, rugs and cleaning equipment from retailers to be played in court
ADA Eric Connor says prosecutors plan to show surveillance footage from several retailers showing a white man buying a hack saw, area rugs, cleaning equipment, a Tyvek suit, and other cutting equipment.
Connor added that DNA testing of several items found in a nearby trash processing facility, including a Tyvek suit, matched both Ana and Brian Walshe.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:27 PM EST
Prosecutors say Ana Walshe was having an affair
ADA Greg Connor told the court that Ana Walshe had been having an affair shortly before she disappeared.
Ana had begun a romantic relationship with the man who sold her D.C. townhome, after the family lived in Cohasset, Massachusetts, while Brian Walshe was under house arrest for a pending fraud case, the court heard.
Connor added that Ana had missed a lot of the Christmas festivities that year while commuting the seven hour drive from D.C. to Cohasset.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:25 PM EST
About the investigation into Brian Walshe
Brian Walshe, husband of missing Massachusetts mother Ana Walshe, was first arrested on January 8, 2023, for misleading investigators after police determined he had fabricated details about his whereabouts. Prosecutors later alleged that he visited a Home Depot on January 2 and spent hundreds of dollars on cleaning supplies. A search of the family’s home uncovered blood and a damaged knife in the basement.
On January 18, Walshe was charged with murder and disinterring a body without authority. Prosecutors cited disturbing Google searches from multiple devices, including queries about dismemberment and disposing of a body. He pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
By March 30, Walshe was formally indicted on counts of first-degree murder, misleading police, and improper conveyance of a human body. Nearly three years later, on November 18, 2025, he changed his plea to guilty on the two lesser charges of misleading investigators and improper conveyance, while continuing to contest the murder allegation.
The case has drawn widespread attention in both the United States and Serbia, where Ana was born. Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with Massachusetts prosecutors to keep Ana’s mother informed about the investigation.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:13 PM EST
Walshe described his wife’s activities, mood on New Year’s Eve 2022, in police interview
Brian Walshe told Sgt. Schmidt in the 2023 police interview, being played in court, about his wife's schedule on December 31, 2022.
Walshe said that Ana had a Barre workout class and got her nails done, before the couple hosted a New Year's Eve dinner party with her friend and former boss Gem Mutlu.
He said that Anna had seemed "under pressure" during the party but he put that down to her having issues at work.
"The only problem we had in our marriage is we weren't spending time together," Walshe said. "I think I was putting more pressure on her for more family time."
Walshe said that Ana had warned him on New Year's Eve that she would need to leave early in the morning on New Year's Day. He then told the investigator that a work emergency had come up New Year's Day morning which meant she rushed out to Washington D.C.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:12 PM EST
What to know about the disappearance of Ana Walshe
Ana Walshe, a 39‑year‑old Serbian‑American real estate executive, was reported missing on January 4, 2023, by both her employer and her husband, Brian Walshe. She was last seen in the early hours of January 1 at the family’s home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, after celebrating New Year’s Eve with Brian and a friend.
Brian Walshe initially told police that Ana had left for Washington, D.C. due to a work emergency. Still, investigators later determined she never boarded her scheduled flight and her bank cards had not been used since January 1.
Days later, Brian was arrested for misleading investigators about his whereabouts. On January 18, he was charged with murder and disinterring a body without authority. Prosecutors allege he killed Ana, dismembered her, and disposed of her remains. Walshe has pleaded not guilty.
Ana, born Ana Ljubičić in Belgrade, emigrated to the United States in 2005 and built a career in hospitality before becoming a regional general manager at Tishman Speyer in 2022. She and Brian married in 2016 and had three young sons. At the time of her disappearance, Brian was on house arrest following a federal fraud conviction tied to counterfeit Andy Warhol artwork.
Dec 01, 2025 at 12:04 PM EST
Police sergeant becomes first witness to take the stand
Cohasset Sgt. Harrison Schmidt, the lead investigator into the disappearance of Ana Walshe, has taken the stand as the first witness to testify in today's murder trial.
An interview that Sgt. Schmidt conducted with Brian Walshe, at his Cohasset home on January 4, 2023, is played in court.
Walshe can be heard discussing text messages shared between himself and Ana during the interview, as his children play in the background.
The texts include discussions around travel arrangements.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:59 AM EST
Prosecutors highlight divorce searches in Walshe trial
Prosecutors in Brian Walshe’s murder trial told jurors that the defendant portrayed his marriage to Ana Walshe as happy in interviews with police, even as digital evidence suggested otherwise.
In his opening statement, prosecutor Greg Connor revealed that Ana was involved in a romantic relationship with William Fastow in Washington, D.C., where she worked. Connor said Ana missed much of Christmas with her family in Massachusetts before arriving late on December 25, and was last seen on New Year’s Eve when the family hosted her former boss.
Investigators later discovered that Walshe’s devices had been used to search Fastow’s name on December 25. Two days later, a MacBook linked to his Apple ID showed searches for “best strategies to divorce for a man” and “Washington, DC, divorce laws.”
Connor argued the searches contradicted Walshe’s statements to police in early January, when he insisted he and Ana were happily married and denied knowledge of any affair.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:53 AM EST
Defense offers first explanation for Ana Walshe’s death
In a dramatic opening statement, defense attorney Larry Tipton told jurors that Brian Walshe discovered his wife Ana unresponsive in their bed, marking the first time the defense has explained her death.
Tipton acknowledged that Walshe lied to investigators in the days following Ana’s disappearance but argued those actions stemmed from panic and grief. He pointed to Google searches Walshe made on January 1, saying they reflected a man “wrestling with the fact that Ana Walshe was dead.”
According to Tipton, Walshe had gone downstairs to clean the kitchen and check emails before returning to bed. When he tried to lie beside his wife, she was unresponsive, and her body rolled off the bed. Tipton described the moment as shocking and unexplained, insisting Walshe intended nothing more than to be with “the woman he loved.”
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:50 AM EST
Brian Walshe’s art fraud case: What to know
At the time of Ana’s disappearance, Brian Walshe was awaiting sentencing for an unrelated art fraud case involving the sale of two fake Andy Warhol paintings.
The buyer paid Brian $80,000 but could not find any Warhol Foundation authentication stamps on the paintings, prosecutors said. The buyer tried and failed to get his money back.
Brian was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:47 AM EST
Brian Walshe’s search history: What to know
Prosecutors alleged that Brian made online searches for “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember” beginning on January 1, 2023, and for several days after.
The court also heard that Walshe had researched divorce shortly before his wife disappeared.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:47 AM EST
Defense links Walshe’s divorce searches to family concerns
Brian Walshe’s defense attorney told jurors that his client’s prior federal conviction strained his marriage and prompted discussions with his wife, Ana, about financial security if he went to prison. Attorney Larry Tipton argued that online searches for divorce strategies and Washington, D.C. divorce laws, highlighted by prosecutors, were isolated and tied to property sales rather than marital breakdown.
Walshe, who pleaded guilty in 2021 to selling forged Andy Warhol artwork, is serving a 37‑month federal sentence alongside state charges connected to Ana’s disappearance. He was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution.
Tipton said Walshe’s focus was on ensuring stability for his wife and three sons, not ending the marriage. He cited Ana’s own comments to a man she was involved with in Washington, suggesting divorce might be considered to “preserve the family essence.”
The defense added that Walshe misled investigators after Ana vanished to protect his children, not to conceal wrongdoing. “What would happen to their three boys now that Ana is no longer here?” Tipton asked the jury, framing Walshe’s actions as misguided attempts to shield his family.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:45 AM EST
What did Brian Walshe do for a living?
Brian Walshe previously worked as a chief financial officer and international business strategist for consulting companies, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:43 AM EST
What did Brian Walshe plead guilty to?
Walshe appeared in Norfolk Superior Court last month and pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of to misleading a police investigation and willfully conveying a human body, without a plea deal from the prosecution.
The maximum sentence for misleading a police investigation is 10 years in prison and three years for willfully conveying a human body, according to CBS News.
Dec 01, 2025 at 11:42 AM EST
Court plays interview with Brian Walshe in missing person case
Jurors on Monday heard audio from a January 4, 2023 interview between Brian Walshe and Sgt. Schmidt at the Walshe family home in Cohasset, Massachusetts. The interview was conducted as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Walshe’s wife, Ana.
In the recording, the couple’s children can be heard in the background while Walshe shows the officer text messages exchanged with Ana. The messages included details about travel arrangements. At one point, Walshe tells Schmidt, “Look at anything that’s going to help you,” as he provides access to the communications.
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