Brian Walshe, man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, wants trial site moved

DEDHAM, Mass. — Lawyers for Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Ana, in January 2023, have asked a judge to change the venue for his fast-approaching murder trial due to concerns over finding a “fair and impartial” jury.

In a recent motion filed in Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court, Walshe’s attorneys, Larry Tipton and Kelli Porges, asked Judge Diane Freniere to either change the venue for the high-profile trial or select jurors from outside the area.

Tipton and Porges argue that the extensive media coverage of their client, the shocking allegations against him, and Walshe’s recent involvement in a jailhouse attack have tainted the local jury pool, making it impossible for him to receive a fair and impartial trial in the county where the alleged murder occurred.

Earlier this month, prosecutors in the case asked for a buffer zone in case demonstrators show up at the courthouse during Walshe’s trial. Prosecutors have reportedly cited concerns that some high-profile witnesses, particularly law enforcement officials who testified in Karen Read’s trial and retrial, could draw public attention and crowds.

Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering Ana Walshe with a hacksaw and disposing of her remains after using his son’s iPad to Google the best ways to get rid of a body.

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In March 2023, a Norfolk County grand jury indicted Walshe on a charge of murder, misleading a police investigation/obstruction of justice, and improper conveyance of a human body in connection with his wife’s death. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Ana Walshe, a mother of three young children and a real estate professional who worked in Washington, D.C., vanished on New Year’s Day 2023 and was reported missing a few days later, authorities said.

Prosecutors have alleged that Walshe killed his wife in their Cohasset home on New Year’s Day. The couple’s three young boys were reportedly home at the time.

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Days after Ana’s disappearance, a hacksaw and a blood-soaked rug believed to contain biological evidence were recovered from their home by investigators.

Police later searched trash bins, dumpsters, trash trucks, and trash facilities in the areas where Brian Walshe traveled following her disappearance.

Prosecutors have also previously said that a broken knife with blood on it was found in the basement of the Walshe family home.

Walshe has been held without bail since his arrest.

He is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for selling fake Andy Warhol paintings.

Walshe is slated to go to trial for murder on Oct. 20.

Ana’s body has never been found.

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