Closing statements and jury deliberations started in the Brian Walshe murder trial concluded Friday morning.
Walshe, 50, of Cohasset, is charged with murdering his wife Ana Walshe in January 2023.
Judge Freniere ruled Thursday on the prosecution’s motion to not allow jurors to hear that Walshe pleaded guilty to lying to police about his wife’s disappearance and moving her body. She said it is irrelevant to whether Walshe actually committed murder.
In closing statements, Walshe’s defense team said Ana suffered a sudden, unexplained death and that he disposed of her body for fear of being blamed for her death.
Walshe’s lawyer Larry Tipton said he had lied and made some terrible mistakes including disposing of his dead wife’s remains, saying there’s plenty of evidence to prove that but nothing to prove there was a violent attack at their home.
— Defense closing statement —
Tipton said police tried desperately to fine blood evidence, showing signs of struggle in the couple’s home, but couldn’t find any in the bedroom, bathrooms, or the kitchen. Only in the basement where Walshe dismembered Ana’s body. Tipton said Walshe tried and failed to clean up blood evidence in the basement so the jury can conclude there was no blood evidence elsewhere in the house.
“There is no evidence of any killing that happened and there is no evidence that anything was done before Mrs. Walshe died,” Tipton said. “And there is no evidence of premeditation or intent. There is evidence of lying, and disposal of the body.”
Prosecutors said Walshe disposed of Ana’s body in multiple locations throughout the area after dismembering her, purchasing the tools to cut up her body and clean up afterwards on trips to hardware stores captured on surveillance cameras.
— Prosecution closing statement —
Prosecutor Anne Yas told jurors Ana Walshe died at the hands of Brian, who then lied and covered it up.
“The defendant did not want anyone to find Ana’s body and to know how she died so, he cut up Ana’s body, the woman that he claimed to love, and threw her into dumpsters!” Yas said.
Yas called up a photo of Ana lounging on a rug in the couple’s home, telling the jury it was the same rug investigators found in a dumpster by Walshe’s mom’s apartment.
She brought up how forensic scientists said the rug had Ana’s blood on it, as well as a piece of metal from a necklace she often wore.
“Ana Walshe died a violent death in her Cohasset home on January 1,” Yas said.
Yas also brought up how Walshe knew his wife was having an affair with real estate agent, William Fastow, while working in Washington D.C., and used Walshe’s own audio interview with police to prove he was angry Ana missed the holidays to be with her boyfriend.
Yas cited emotional testimony from Alissa Kirby, saying Ana revealed she was falling out of love with her husband. Then on New Years Eve, Yas said Walshe claimed he lost his cellphone, buying him time to murder his wife and make up a story that she was missing.
The state called Walshe cold and calculated, showing video of him looking at his reflection as he bought cleaning supplies. Listening to it all, Ana’s friend gasped and teared up, especially seeing the last photo of Ana alive.
“There is only one verdict – find the defendant guilty,” Yas said.
Jurors received instructions following conclusion of the attorneys’ presentations and deliberations began.
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