Closing arguments expected in murder trial of Brian Walshe over wife’s disappearance

BOSTON– The same day his wife was last seen alive, Brian Walshe went to several pharmacies and hardware stores in Massachusetts to purchase heavy-duty cleaning supplies, a Tyvek protective suit and a utility knife, according to prosecutors.

He made these trips after early morning Internet searches, including: “How long before a body starts to smell?” and “Mutilation and Best Ways to Dispose of a Body.” Over the next few days, he continued researching how to dismember a body with a hacksaw, only reporting her missing on January 4, when her employer began searching for her and contacted police.

Closing arguments are expected Friday in Walshe’s first-degree murder trial. He previously pleaded guilty to misleading police and improper disposal of a body on the day jury selection was to begin.

His lawyers rested Thursday without calling any witnesses, despite speculation that Walshe might testify. His lawyers attempted to cast reasonable doubt, acknowledging that he lied to investigators while claiming he panicked after discovering Ana dead following a New Year’s Eve gathering. Since no body was ever found, investigators could not determine the cause of death.

“When he came into the bedroom and started to get into bed, he felt like something was wrong,” defense attorney Larry Tipton told jurors during the first week of the trial, describing a moment when Ana was unresponsive and “fell out of bed.”

Prosecutors, meanwhile, pointed to Walshe’s actions afterward as evidence of premeditation. Jurors saw surveillance footage of him at stores like CVS, Walgreens and Lowe’s and purchasing items including hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Jurors also saw photos of tools that investigators said tested positive for blood, including a hacksaw and a hatchet.

When questioned, Walshe told police that Ana had left Massachusetts on New Year’s Day for a work emergency in Washington, D.C., although witnesses said there was no record of her booking a ride or boarding a flight. He only contacted his employer on January 4.

Prosecutors also linked him to items found at a waste facility near his mother’s home, including a hatchet, a hacksaw, towels, a Tyvek suit, cleaning supplies, a Prada handbag, boots like the ones Ana was last seen in and her COVID-19 vaccination card. Investigators said Ana also took out a $2.7 million life insurance policy naming him as the beneficiary.

Friends described Ana’s final weeks as emotionally tense. Gem Mutlu, who spent New Year’s Eve with the couple, said they seemed “very in love”, although he later learned Ana and another man had exchanged messages that night.

Another friend, Alissa Kirby, told jurors that Ana seemed exhausted from traveling and stressed about her marriage. The two had recently grown closer, walking together and going to karaoke; Kirby cried when he was shown photos of them. She testified that Ana considered moving her family to Washington and said Brian often wondered if she loved him.

Kirby also recounted two messages from Brian shortly before Ana was reported missing – one at Christmas, when he asked her if she knew where Ana was, and another on January 3: “I know we did this a week ago, but have you heard from Ana?