Murder charge for man with town ties

Brian Walshe, a former Edgewood Road resident, was charged on Tuesday with the murder of his wife, Ana Walshe, the Norfolk district attorney’s office said Tuesday.

Brian Walshe was arraigned Wednesday morning in Quincy District Court and was also charged with improper transport of a body.  Prosecutors said that he dismembered and discarded Ana Walshe’ body.

He lived with Ana Walshe and their three young children in Marblehead for nearly six months before moving to Cohasset on Dec. 10, 2020. Edgewood Road is located off Prince Street, and the property — a split-level ranch — is situated right behind Veterans Middle School on the dead end street.

The family moved to Cohasset after selling their property in Marblehead. Ana Walshe was last seen on New Year’s Day near her Cohasset home. She was reported missing on Jan. 4.

“The continued investigation has now allowed police to obtain an arrest warrant charging Brian Walshe with the murder of his wife,” Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said in a video Tuesday announcing the new charge.

Walshe reportedly searched multiple terms online using one of his son’s iPads that included “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell,” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember.”

Prosecutors also presented a number of items that were recovered at a Peabody transfer station last week including a hatchet, a hacksaw, towels and a protective Tyvek suit, cleaning agents, a Prada purse, boots that resembled ones that Ana Walshe was last seen wearing, and a COVID-19 vaccination card with her name.

Some of the items had what looked like human blood on them and both Brian and Ana Walshe were deemed “contributors” to the DNA on the items through testing.

Brian Walshe has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bail.

Last week, investigators were seen taking away a dumpster located outside of The Landing at Vinnin Square apartment complex in Swampscott where Brian Walshe’s mother lives. He was also seen on surveillance footage in close proximity to a dumpster located just outside Vinnin Liquors.  He was arrested on Jan. 8 and charged with misleading a police investigation. Prior to his arrest, Brian Walshe was on house arrest awaiting sentencing for a case involving Andy Warhol paintings that he pleaded guilty to attempting to steal and sell back in April 2021.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.