Brian Walshe sentenced to life in prison for murdering and dismembering wife

He, however, denied killing Ana and claimed that he did so only after panicking when he found she had died in bed.

Ana Walshe, a real estate agent who immigrated from Serbia, was last seen early Jan. 1, 2023, after a New Year’s Eve dinner at the couple’s home.

How Walshe’s claims fell apart

During the trial, prosecutors leaned heavily on digital evidence found on devices connected to Walshe, including 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.”

Investigators also found searches on a laptop that included “how long for someone missing to inherit,” “how long missing to be dead,” and “can you throw away body parts,” prosecutors told the jury.

Why did Walshe kill his wife

Prosecutors floated several possible motives for the killing.

An insurance executive testified that Brian Walshe was the sole beneficiary of Ana Walshe’s $1 million life insurance policy, suggesting a financial motive. But prosecutors also portrayed a marriage that was falling apart.

Brian Walshe was confined at their home in the affluent coastal community of Cohasset, about 24 kilometers southeast of Boston, awaiting sentencing on an art fraud case.

Ana Walshe meanwhile, commuted from their home to Washington, D.C., where she worked. The year before she died, his wife had started an affair, details of which were shared in court by her boyfriend William Fastow.

Brian Walshe’s attorney denied that his client knew about the affair.

Walshe’s attorney, Larry Tipton, had argued it was not a murder case but what he called a “sudden unexplained death.”

He said the couple loved each other and were planning for the future.

When initially questioned by investigators, Walshe said his wife had been called to Washington on New Year’s Day for a work emergency. But witnesses testified there was no evidence Ana Walshe took a ride service to the airport or boarded a flight.