Norfolk prosecutors have accused the husband of 39-year-old missing Cohasset woman Ana Walshe of dismembering and discarding his wife's body two weeks after her disappearance.

Brian Walshe, 47, was arraigned Wednesday in Quincy District Court on charges of murder and disinterring a body without authority. During the hearing, Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Lynn Beland read numerous accusations against Brian Walshe, including why he allegedly murdered his wife.

While investigating Ana Walshe's disappearance, authorities discovered Brian made various online searches about disposing of a body and divorce on their son's Ipad.

"On Dec. 27, the defendant googled, 'what's the best state to divorce from?' " Beland told the court. "Rather than divorce, we believe Brian Walshe dismembered Ana Walshe and discarded her body."

Brian Walshe's other Google searches included "how to stop a body from decomposing," "how long for someone to be missing to inherit," "how long before a body starts to smell," "10 ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to," and "how to embalm a body."

Additional search terms uncovered included "what happens when you put body parts in ammonia," "how long does DNA last," "can you throw away body parts," "what does formaldehyde do," "dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body," and "can identification be made from partial remains," Beland revealed.

Beland also claimed Brian Walshe googled "hacksaw best tool to dismember" and "can you be charged with murder without a body."

Ana Walshe was reported missing by her employer on Jan. 4. However, Brian told police he last saw his wife the morning of Jan. 1 when she left for Washington, D.C., where she works for a real estate firm.

Investigators later determined Ana Walshe's phone pinged off of cell towers near the couple's Cohasset home on Jan. 1 into the following day.

On Jan. 2, Brian Walshe claimed he ran errands for his mother and spent time with his children. However, investigators learned he made an undisclosed trip to Home Depot, where he brought $450 worth of cleaning supplies.

The next day, Beland claimed Brian Walshe was captured on surveillance video in Abington and Swampscott.

"Surveillance shows the defendant's Volvo, as well as a man fitting the defendant's appearance, exit the car near the dumpster," Beland said.

"He walks to the dumpster carrying a garbage bag. He's leaning, and it appears to be heavy, as he has to heft it into the dumpster."

Garbage bags recovered from Swampscott contained DNA from Ana and Brian Walshe. Other items in the trash bag included cleaning equipment, a hacksaw, blood stains, a hatchet, Ana's purse, and her Covid-19 vaccination card.

Brian Walshe, who was initially held on a $500,000 bond for misleading investigators in his missing wife's case, was held without bail following the Wednesday hearing.

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Representation. An empty courtroom. 12019/Pixabay
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