Judge finds Brian Walshe competent to stand trial for murder, denies move of venue

DEDHAM, Mass. — A Massachusetts judge on Friday deemed Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of murdering and dismembering his wife, Ana Walshe, competent to stand trial in her January 2023 death.

Norfolk Superior Court Judge Diane Freniere determined that Walshe is mentally fit to stand trial during a competency hearing that was previously delayed after doctors requested more time for a mental health evaluation.

Freniere’s ruling paves the way for jury selection in the high-profile case to begin on Tuesday, Nov. 18. She told the court that she expects to question about 70 potential jurors a day, predicting the jury would be seated by Thanksgiving.

Freniere also tentatively scheduled the start of Walshe’s trial for Monday, Dec. 1.

Had Walshe been found not competent, his charges may have been suspended indefinitely or even dismissed if his competency could not have been restored.

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Walshe was held at Bridgewater State Hospital during the evaluation process. He’ll be transferred back to prison as he awaits the start of his trial.

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.

“Given the size of Norfolk County, the defendant his not shown a high likelihood that the entire jury would be tainted by the pretrial coverage of this case,” Freniere told the court.

This all comes after Walshe was stabbed inside the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Correctional Center in September. He appeared in good health during Friday’s appearance.

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.

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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.

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.

A final pre-trial conference in Walshe’s case has been scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17.

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