Authorities indicted a Massachusetts man Thursday for the murder of his wife and mother of three after her mysterious disappearance on New Year’s Day.
A Norfolk County grand jury formally indicted Brian Walshe for the murder of his wife, Ana, the improper conveyance of a human body and misleading a police investigation after authorities claim they discovered evidence he killed and dismembered her, CNN reported. (RELATED: Husband Of Missing Massachusetts Woman Arrested For Allegedly ‘Misleading’ Police)
“Brian Walshe entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of murder at his Quincy District Court arraignment in January,” Norfolks District Attorney Michael Morrisey told Boston 25 News. “This indictment moves the case to the Norfolk Superior Court, where it will be arraigned anew in the coming weeks. That date has not yet been set.”
DA: Brian Walshe indicted on murder charges of wife Ana Walshe
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— Boston 25 News (@boston25) March 30, 2023
Ana Walshe was reported missing in early January after failing to make a flight to Washington, D.C., for an alleged business trip. In the weeks that followed, the circumstances surrounding Walshe’s disappearance took a grisly turn when investigators discovered trash bags containing blood, a hatchet, a hacksaw, a rug and used cleaning supplies. Prosecutors alleged that Walshe had purchased $450 worth of cleaning supplies in the days following Ana’s disappearance and searched topics like “How long before a body starts to smell?” on his computer.
“This is only a step in a long process, during which Brian Walshe enjoys the Constitutional presumption of innocence and all of the protections afforded him under the Constitution,” Morrissey told Boston 25. “We are thankful to the detectives who have put so many hours into assembling the evidence in this matter and the witnesses who have assisted us in coming to this step.”
The arraignment date will be made available as soon as it is finalized in the Norfolk Superior Court, Morrissey noted, according to the outlet. Walshe remains in custody without bail. If convicted for the murder of his wife, Walshe faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, the outlet reported.