MA ANA WALSHE: Missing from Cohasset, MA- 1 Jan 2023 - Age 39 *ARREST* (4 Viewers)

Guess Who said:

Stabbed with a blunt instrument???

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A fork? Or a pen/pencil? Can't think what else inmates have. A toothbrush filed down on a concrete wall or floor is a favourite weapon.

He could also be faking incompetency.

Maybe he stabbed himself in front of his lawyers, grabbed a pen or pencil from them for extra effect ?

ETA I see the link in the article states he was stabbed in the head by another inmate. With a makeshift blunt instrument. Sorry coming into this late and trying to catch up. Michael Proctor phone involved too?

What Brian Walshe said in court as his murder trial was delayed​

In court this week, accused killer Brian Walshe can be heard asking the judge overseeing his murder trial to repeat a couple of questions.

Those responses may have been important, because the judge ultimately determined he needed further evaluation by doctors at Bridgewater State Hospital, pushing back the start date of his trial.

"Mr. Walshe, I want to ask you a few questions. Do you understand that is why we're here today?" asked Judge Diane Freniere.

"Could you repeat the question?" asked Walshe, as heard in audio of the hearing — listen in the video atop this story.

The trial was expected to start Oct. 20, but Walshe's attorneys made the last-minute plea to the judge, citing "grave concerns" about his ability participate after he was stabbed in jail last month.

"If I find that there is a doubt as to whether or not you're competent and can assist in your defense, which seems to be the heart of it here, that I can order an exam and I did this morning," Freniere explained.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that … order something?" Walshe replied.

A doctor testified at the hearing that Walshe seemed to know the charges against him and the rules of the court but is showing signs of stress.

"I did have some concerns however about his ability to engage in back-and-forth conversations with me," the doctor explained.


The commonwealth opposed the postponement, saying "what sounds like traumatic symptoms ... don't rise to the level of lack of competency."

Prosecutors also cited a high number of witnesses set to testify, which will slow down scheduling for a new start date.

"There are huge adjustments that we're going to need to make," she said.

Freniere responded, "None are more important than me assessing the defendant's mental health."

NBC10 Boston legal analyst Michael Coyne said scheduling issues are common in every trial.

"I think it would be very unusual if we extend the trial any significant amount of time," Coyne said. "The fact is is that he is likely depressed. He's been stabbed in prison. If convicted of these charges, he's going to receive a life sentence in prison, and so, as all of us would be, [is] under some significant mental stress these days. But every criminal defendant who faces serious charges is, so that's not the standard, the standard is, can he assist with his defense and is he competent to make important decisions here?"

A competency hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27.

Brian Walshe case: Hospital given more time to complete mental health evaluation of murder suspect​

Bridgewater State Hospital asked a Massachusetts judge for more time to complete murder suspect Brian Walshe's mental health evaluation.


Recordings from an initial hearing about Brian Walshe's mental health include some findings described by Dr. Michael Burke, who conducted a preliminary assessment of the defendant.

"He described interrupted sleep, having nightmares of being stabbed again in the future, and that these problems have given him cause for concern in his ability to participate in the proceedings," Burke said.

A competency hearing was set for Monday, but that appears likely to change as court records show the judge granted Bridgewater State Hospital an extension of the deadline for the evaluation to Nov. 14.

The findings of the competency evaluation and the related hearing, whenever it is held, will determine whether a trial can proceed.

"If there's a question about whether he can do that, it can make the entire trial invalid or create an appellate issue. Even if he were to be convicted, there would be an appellate issue that would say, 'He wasn't able to help himself during trial,'" explained attorney Greg Henning.

Brian Walshe has upcoming hearing canceled, court records show​

A key upcoming hearing in Brian Walshe's murder case has been canceled, according to Massachusetts court records.

Walshe, who's accused of killing his wife Ana on New Year's Day 2023, was due to have a mental competency hearing on Friday, but it was canceled as of Monday, according to the docket for Norfolk Superior Court.

The docket entry didn't list a specific reason, saying only, "Other event activity needed."


But Friday's now-canceled hearing was where doctors would have signed off on whether Walshe is mentally competent to stand trial. A previous competency hearing was already canceled — he's been at Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation.

Guess Who said:

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Good. Let's get on with it.

Jury selection to begin in Brian Walshe murder trial Tuesday​

Brian Walshe is set to return to court Monday, with jury selection in his upcoming murder trial slated to begin on Tuesday.

If jury selection goes according to schedule, Walshe's trial could start Dec. 1.

Dead businesswoman's rug found near mother-in-law's home after husband uncovered affair: prosecutors​

A Massachusetts judge overseeing the murder trial of Brian Walshe ruled Monday that prosecutors may show jurors a still image taken from video of his missing wife playing with their children on a rug inside the family’s Cohasset home, after defense attorneys argued the footage was too inflammatory.

Prosecutors had wanted to show the entire video to illustrate a connection between the victim and the rug itself. They said in court that the rug seen in the clip is identical to one later recovered 40 miles away from a dumpster near the home of Brian Walshe’s mother, Diana, along with a saw and a "bone fragment."


But Ana Walshe had plans to move with the kids to Washington, D.C., where she worked and where she was carrying on the affair, according to prosecutors.

Her alleged paramour is on the witness list, according to defense attorneys, and he is expected to testify.

He declined to answer questions about the case when approached Sunday.

Alleged killer husband Brian Walshe doesn’t want anyone at trial talking about his missing wife as loving mom, dedicated employee​

Alleged wife-killer Brian Walshe wants witnesses at his upcoming Massachusetts murder trial to be barred from telling jurors that his missing wife, Ana, was a loving mother and dedicated employee.

Walshe’s lawyer, Kelli Porges, Monday morning raised concerns with Judge Diane Freniere that it would be “inflammatory and prejudicial and invoke sympathy of the jury to hear that [Ana] was a great mother and a great employee.”


Porges was also worried that prosecutors would raise testimony that Ana “would never abandon her children.” She was last seen Jan. 1, 2023.

The defense attorney argued that this type of testimony would not only be inflammatory but is irrelevant to the allegations against Walshe.

Freniere told Porges to “make a real-time objection” during the trial but warned Porges, “I will probably allow observations … general observations as to the victim’s interactions with her children.”

BREAKING: Brian Walshe was in court on Tuesday and entered a guilty plea. He pleaded guilty to willfully misleading a police investigation and willfully conveying away a human body. He is still pleading not guilty to the murder charges.
Last edited9:31 AM · Nov 18, 2025
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3 more jurors seated in second day of selection for Brian Walshe murder trial​

Twelve of the 16 jurors sought for the murder trial of Brian Walshe are now seated after two days of work in a Massachusetts courtroom. Brian Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering his wife in 2023.

Nine people were seated during the first day of jury selection on Tuesday. Three more were selected on Wednesday.

"Jury selection is also an opportunity for parties to get to know jurors, start to build connections and relationships," said legal analyst Greg Henning. "It's not friendships, but it's an opportunity to show how you're going to operate. Your demeanor. Your affect."

https://www.wcvb.com/article/brian-walshe-trial-ana-walshe-murder-timeline/68152561
Before the start of jury selection, Brian Walshe entered guilty pleas on two counts: willfully conveying a human body in violation of state law and misleading police. Judge Diane Freniere accepted Walshe's change of plea.

According to court records, Walshe is maintaining his claim of innocence on the charge of murder. The documents also indicate that the prosecution did not want to negotiate a plea agreement unless it included the murder charge.

"Remember, in a traditional homicide case, the goverment only has to prove that a person has committed the murder. In this case, the government has to prove there was a murder, and then they have to prove that Brian Walshe committed it," said Henning. "What the defense is doing is trying to set up the assumption that most people might be following — that Brian Walshe's wife was murdered — to challenge that assumption. How do you know that happened?"

The court's goal is to have 12 jurors and four alternates seated for the trial before Thanksgiving. Anyone selected will be ordered to avoid consuming news and social media platforms.

"During the course of the trial, they need to agree not to be on any social media, and they need to agree not to watch the news in any medium. That’s a big ask," Freniere said Monday.

The judge ruled Monday on several issues regarding what evidence and testimony the jury can hear, including statements from Ana's friend about a fight the couple had just days before she was killed. Brian Walshe's online searches are also under scrutiny, including "ten ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to" and searches related to pornography involving a cheating wife.

Several Massachusetts State Police troopers who investigated the Karen Read case are listed as potential witnesses, including former State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, who is listed as a defense witness.https://www.wcvb.com/article/karen-read-brian-walshe-proctor-bukhenik-tully/69462703

So he's admitting he did something to her body but he didn't kill her? Make that make sense because why would you do that to a body if you aren't the reason why it's dead? I'm either not understanding what he pled guilty to or the logic of pleading guilty to that charge before trial for murder.

I watched something last night with two good lawyers discussing and trying to determine the strategy of this. Two cases were mentioned where something similar was tried, it did not work in the one but it did work in the other to the point the jury did not find first degree murder but a lower charge they convicted for.

In essence, their guess was something like if he admits to these (and they can be proven anyhow imo) and doing something that bad and admitting to it that it is hoped the jury then will believe him when he says in essence I did these really bad things BUT I did not murder her... Someone else did, or it was an accident, etc.

Can't know until defense opens and gives a hint of where they are going with it is what I also got out of it...

I don't think it will work but guess we shall see...

GrandmaBear said:

I watched something last night with two good lawyers discussing and trying to determine the strategy of this. Two cases were mentioned where something similar was tried, it did not work in the one but it did work in the other to the point the jury did not find first degree murder but a lower charge they convicted for.

In essence, their guess was something like if he admits to these (and they can be proven anyhow imo) and doing something that bad and admitting to it that it is hoped the jury then will believe him when he says in essence I did these really bad things BUT I did not murder her... Someone else did, or it was an accident, etc.

Can't know until defense opens and gives a hint of where they are going with it is what I also got out of it...

I don't think it will work but guess we shall see...

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Not in my case because his admitting that part is basically admitting the other part. Why would he do the part he admitted to if he wasn't the one that killed her? I hope the jury feels the same way.

Guess Who said:

Not in my case because his admitting that part is basically admitting the other part. Why would he do the part he admitted to if he wasn't the one that killed her? I hope the jury feels the same way.

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Well yeah, that's the problem and they said that too. But it also leaves them with only the murder part for trial. I gather the prosecution wasn't too happy about it either... I wonder if it means certain things won't come in?

I personally don't think it is going to work but that's defense for ya, not much they can try--there is a lot of evidence in this one imo.

GrandmaBear said:

Well yeah, that's the problem and they said that too. But it also leaves them with only the murder part for trial. I gather the prosecution wasn't too happy about it either... I wonder if it means certain things won't come in?

I personally don't think it is going to work but that's defense for ya, not much they can try--there is a lot of evidence in this one imo.

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I bet the prosecutor was giddy if they're thinking the way I am. Sure seems like it would make proving he murdered her far easier.

The only advantage I see is if they go for that to not be able to be mentioned at trial. I don't see that working since it's a related charge. I bet they try.

Guess Who said:

I bet the prosecutor was giddy if they're thinking the way I am. Sure seems like it would make proving he murdered her far easier.

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I don't know if it would make it easier and I've heard from more than one that the P wasn't happy about it...

I just wonder since the various charges tie together as to events, etc. now that he pleaded guilty to some, can they even TELL the jury that for instance??

On the eve of Brian Walshe’s case, challenges ahead for both sides​

On Monday, all eyes will be on Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham for the Murder trial of Brian Walshe. He is charged with killing his missing wife, Ana Walshe, over New Year’s 2023.

Investigators have amassed a mountain of evidence against Brian Walshe, most notably a series of internet searches on a child’s iPad about how to dispose of a body.

They also have surveillance images of Walshe buying cleaning materials at local hardware stores and dumping heavy trash bags at area dumpsters.

Boston criminal defense attorney Elyse Hershon believes prosecutors will need more if they are going to prove that Brian Walshe murdered his wife.

“If a jury doesn’t know how she died, that’s not a conviction. They cannot convict on that,” Hershon said.

Attorney Hershon explains that prosecutors are challenged by the fact that Ana Walshe has never been found.

And, even though Walshe has admitted he illegally disposed of Ana’s body, there are no witnesses to Ana’s death, making it hard to prove a murder charge.

“He could have had nothing to do with how she died, or it could have been self-defense, or it could have been some type of manslaughter, so there are a lot of options still open, which is the definition of reasonable doubt. If you think he caused her death, but you don’t know how, that’s an acquittal,” Hershon said.

Opening statements and first testimony are scheduled to take place on Monday, December 1st.