Ana Walshe murder: An in-depth look into where the case stands and what comes next

COHASSET, Mass. — Brian Walshe, the husband of Ana Walshe, has been charged with dismembering his wife 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, according to prosecutors.

Ana Walshe, a 39-year-old mother from Cohasset, vanished on New Year’s Day. In the days after her disappearance, Brian allegedly went online and made a slew of incriminating internet searches, including “10 ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to.”

One day before Brian faced a judge on a charge of murder, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey announced that investigators had obtained an arrest warrant for him for the murder of Ana. He was previously charged with misleading an investigation into her disappearance and has been held in jail since then.

Items linked to Ana’s disappearance were said to be found during a search of a transfer station in Peabody, including towels, rags, slippers, tape, a Tyvek suit, gloves, cleaning agents, carpets, rugs, Hunter boots, a Prada purse, a COVID 19 vaccine card in the name of Ana Walshe, a hacksaw, a hatchet and some cutting shears, according to prosecutors.

Brian Walshe told police Ana was supposed to take a rideshare to Logan Airport on New Year’s Day to fly to Washington, D.C., where she owns a home. Police said there is no evidence Ana got into a rideshare or that she boarded any flights.

A Cohasset Police log indicates that Ana’s employer, Tishman Speyer, contacted the police before Brian Walshe.

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Below is a timeline of events that have unfolded so far as an investigation into her disappearance continues:

Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 -- Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley reports that the Cohasset Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Ana Walshe.

Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 -- A State Police Special Emergency Response Team and a local regional police team begin a search of an area adjacent to Chief Justice Cushing Highway for evidence in connection with the case.

Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 -- Firefighters battled fire at Ana’s former home at 725 Jerusalem Road. The blaze was deemed nonsuspicious.

Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 -- A ground search of the area around Walshe’s home concluded when 20 troopers from the MSP Special Emergency Response Team, three K9 teams, and the State Police Air Wing searched the area around Walshe’s home, state police said. Investigators also drained the pool at Walshe’s home and searched a nearby stream.

Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023 -- The search for Ana shifted to the nation’s capital, where she works as a real estate professional and owns a second home in Washington D.C.

Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023 -- Brian Walshe, 46, of Cohasset, is arrested and charged with misleading an investigation into Ana’s disappearance after detectives search the home he shared with her and three young children.

Monday, Jan. 9, 2023 -- Brian Walshe is arraigned in Quincy District Court and prosecutors announce the discovery of a bloody knife in the basement of Ana’s home. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail.

Monday, Jan. 9, 2023 -- A law enforcement source confirmed an active search of the Republic Services trash transfer station at 300 Forest Street in Peabody also connected to the disappearance of Ana Walshe. 25 Investigates has learned investigators have impounded two 48-foot trash trailers from Shawn Harris Enterprises of Cohasset over the weekend.

Monday, Jan. 9, 2023 -- Boston 25 has learned about a recent letter Ana Walshe sent to a federal judge back in June 2022 on behalf of her husband, Brian Walshe. Ana showed support for her husband ahead of his sentencing while he had been on home confinement for federal charges dated to 2018.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 -- The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office announced the discovery of a “number of items” following the search of Republic Services in Peabody. A source told Boston 25 that those items are linked to Ana Walshe.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 -- Multiple sources tell 25 Investigates that cutting instruments, including a hacksaw and a rug believed to contain biological evidence, were recovered by police investigating the disappearance of Ana Walshe, a mother of three from Cohasset.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 -- Investigators said the search and processing of the family’s Cohasset home was completed in the afternoon and police have departed that scene.

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 -- State police have collected surveillance video of Brian Walshe near a Swampscott liquor store dumpster the day of his wife’s disappearance, sources told Boston 25 News.

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 -- 25 Investigates learned the deed from the sale of a Revere condo owned by Ana Walshe was recorded by the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds on December 29. Authorities say, Walshe, a real estate agent, went missing from her Cohasset home around the 1st or 2nd of January.

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 -- Two friends of Ana Walshe make a plea to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families about the missing mother’s three sons. They said they’re worried that the children could potentially be separated on top of what they’ve already been through over the last 11 days.

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 -- Religious leaders in the Town of Cohasset hold a vigil in the town common to bring the community together to pray for Ana and her family after a difficult week.

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 -- In a police report Boston 25 Reporter Bob Ward obtained, reveals deep relationship trouble before Ana and Brian were engaged. According to this public incident report, Ana Knipp (her maiden name), told DC Metro police that Brian Walshe, “made a statement over the telephone that he was going to kill her, and her friends.” Ana never cooperated with DC Metro Police, Brian Walshe was never charged, and the case was closed.

Friday, Jan. 13, 2023 -- 25 Investigates has learned search warrants related to the disappearance of Ana Walshe have been returned to Quincy District Court. The warrants are impounded.

Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 -- Cohasset Police Department released Brian Walshe’s booking photo from last week when he was arrested for misleading police in his wife’s suspicious disappearance.

Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023 -- A Cohasset Police log indicates that Ana’s employer, Tishman Speyer, contacted the police before her husband Brian Walshe.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 -- Lynn police released a pair of booking photos of Brian Walshe that were taken at the Lynn Police Department after federal agents raided his home back in May 2018.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 -- The husband of Ana Walshe, a mother of three who vanished earlier this month, is now facing a murder charge in connection with his wife’s death, according to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 -- Brian Walshe was arraigned on a murder charge in connection with the death of Ana. Prosecutors allege Walshe dismembered his wife and disposed of her remains. They also say Walshe used his son’s iPad to go online the day of her disappearance, searching such phrases as “10 ways to dispose of a body if you really need to,” “How long before a body starts to smell?”, and “How to get blood out of a wooden floor?”