Brian Walshe, man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, changes plea on some charges

DEDHAM, Mass. — Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man charged with murdering and dismembering his wife in January 2023, changed his plea to guilty on two of the three indictments he faces as jury selection in his murder case got underway on Tuesday morning.

Walshe, appearing before Judge Diane Freniere in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, entered a plea of guilty on charges of misleading police and unlawful disposal of a body.

“I’m here to plead guilty,” Walshe told Freniere. She then allowed the changes after asking him a series of questions.

Freniere asked Walshe if he willfully removed the body of his wife, Ana Walshe, from their home. Walshe said, “Yes, your honor.”

Walshe will still stand trial on the charge of murder, as he has previously pleaded not guilty to that offense.

After the court discussed and accepted the plea changes, Freniere announced that jury selection would get underway.

Watch: Court discusses Brian Walshe’s change of pleas

Walshe is charged with murdering and dismembering his wife over New Year’s Eve 2023 at their Cohasset home. He was deemed competent to stand trial last week. Had Walshe been found not competent, his charges may have been suspended indefinitely or even dismissed if his competency could not have been restored.

Last month, lawyers for Walshe asked Freniere to change the venue of his trial due to concerns over finding a “fair and impartial” jury. Freniere denied that motion on Friday, ordering the trial to go on as planned in Dedham.

This all comes after Walshe was stabbed inside the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Correctional Center in September.

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.

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 49

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.

Opening statements and testimony in the trial are scheduled to begin on December 1.

The trial is expected to take up to three weeks.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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