Brian Walshe murder trial: Doctors request to extend psychiatric evaluation

COHASSET, Mass. — Doctors at Bridgewater State Hospital say they need additional time to evaluate Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of murdering his wife, Ana Walshe, in 2023.

According to a court filing obtained by Boston 25 News, a competency hearing scheduled for Oct. 27 has been canceled.

Walshe’s initial psychiatric evaluation had already delayed his trial to November 18, and it’s currently unclear if this latest extension will push the date back again. It was originally slated to start on Oct. 20.

If Walshe is found not competent to stand trial, his charges could be indefinitely suspended. If his competency cannot be restored, the criminal charges could eventually be dismissed.

Earlier this month, lawyers for Walshe asked a judge to change the venue of his trial due to concerns over finding a “fair and impartial” jury.

0 of 59

Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering Ana 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.

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, 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.

0 of 9

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.

Ana’s body has never been found.

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

He has been held without bail since his arrest.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group