THEY CANNOT WATCH JOHN ATWATER LIVE IN DEDHAM RIGHT NOW. JOHN. AND YES, YOU ARE RIGHT. And this jury placement process happened a little faster than expected. BUT OPENING STATEMENTS IN THIS CASE STILL A WEEK AND A HALF ACCUSED MURDERER BRIAN WALSH LEAVES COURT TODAY. Now, knowing that the jurors who will decide his fate have been selected, it is the content of the Commonwealth with that jury. The Commonwealth is happy with the defense, happy with this jury. THE PREVIOUS DEFENSE IS THE CONTENT. 12 JURORS AND FOUR ALTERNATES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN OVER THE PAST THREE DAYS. NINE WOMEN AND SEVEN MEN. ONE IS AN ART TEACHER, THE OTHER A SCIENTIST. One juror is a financial director. THEY WILL DECIDE WHETHER PROSECUTORS CAN PROVE SERIOUS DETAILS OF AN ALLEGED MURDER INSIDE WALSH COHASSET’S HOME IN NEW YEAR 2023. THEY SAY WALSH KILLED HIS WIFE ANNA, WHOM THEY SAY SUSPECTED OF HAVING AN AFFAIR. TODAY THE JUDGE GAVE POTENTIAL JURORS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CASE. Police searched a dumpster outside the defendant’s mother’s apartment in Swampscott and found clothing that belonged to Anna WALSH. TOWELS WITH RED BROWN STAINS, A HATCHET AND A HACKSAW. Earlier this week, Walsh made a stunning admission that his wife was indeed dead. He pleaded guilty to charges that he misled police and disposed of Anna’s body. THE JUDGE HAD CONSIDERED PLACING MORE JURORS IN THE CASE, BUT ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT 16 WOULD BE ENOUGH. A TWO WEEK TRIAL. I will say that I have never lost four jurors in a two to three week trial. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. So these jurors will be back here at the courthouse on December 1st for their opening statements. AND AGAIN, THE JUDGE TOLD THEM THEY CANNOT READ THE NEWSPAPER, THEY CANNOT WATCH THE NEWS, AND THEY DON’T HAVE
Brian Walshe’s murder trial opening statements Monday: Catching up on the case
Updated: 9:31 a.m. EST, November 28, 2025
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Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning in the murder trial of Brian Walshe, the Massachusetts father accused of murdering and dismembering his wife. His trial is expected to last three to four weeks. The Cohasset father is accused of murdering and dismembering Ana Walshe, 39, around New Year’s Day 2023. Prosecutors allege Brian Walshe disposed of his wife’s remains in area dumpsters. Days later, Brian Walshe was arrested and charged with misleading investigators. Prosecutors said he killed his wife, believing she was having an affair, then dismembered and disposed of her body, which was never found. What He Admitted, What He Denies Minutes before jury selection began, Walshe pleaded guilty to misleading police and improper transportation or handling of human remains. He maintained his innocence of the murder charge. Jury selected Sixteen members were selected to serve on the jury, with the process concluding on November 20. The jury includes four alternates who will not deliberate. Jurors will not return to the Dedham courthouse until Dec. 1 for opening statements. Per the judge’s order, all jurors were asked to refrain from using social media and to stop watching or reading the news. the couple was only a few days old before she was killed. The fight reportedly involved her wanting Brian Walshe to resolve a federal criminal case related to art fraud. Pre-trial legal arguments also highlighted Walshe’s online searches, including queries about pornography and the disposition of a body. Video below: Law professor considers possible trial strategies. Challenges and context. Prosecutors will likely rely on physical evidence, DNA links and Walshe’s own confessions about disposing of the body and deceiving investigators. “What the defense is doing is trying to establish the assumption that most people might follow – that Brian Walshe’s wife was murdered – to challenge that assumption. How do you know that happened?” He was sentenced to 37 months in prison in this case. Witnesses You May Recognize Several Massachusetts State Police troopers and others who worked on the Karen Read case are listed as potential witnesses, including: Trooper Connor Keefe, who testified about evidence found near O’Keefe’s body in the snow. John Fanning, who was accused by Read’s defense of jury tampering during his first trial, Andre Porto, a forensic pathologist who works in the DNA unit of the Massachusetts State Police crime lab. Yuri Bukhenik, who was transferred to the Standards and Training Division following Read’s verdict, Detective Lt. Brian Tully, who was the subject of an internal affairs investigation following Read’s mistrial in 2024. Former trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired over allegations of misconduct — including inappropriate text messages — after Read’s first trial. David DiCicco, who was among the recipients of Proctor’s text messages, according to ReadVideo’s first trial testimony below: Walshe Changes Pleas, Charges Explained
Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning in the murder trial of Brian Walshe, the Massachusetts father accused of murdering and dismembering his wife.
His trial is expected to last three to four weeks.
Cohasset father is accused of murdering and dismembering 39-year-old Ana Walshe around New Year’s Day 2023. Prosecutors allege Brian Walshe dumped his wife’s remains in area dumpsters.
Background of the case
Ana Walshe was last seen alive on New Year’s Eve in 2022. What began as a search for missing persons in Cohasset and Washington, D.C., quickly escalated. Days later, Brian Walshe was arrested and charged with misleading investigators.
Prosecutors said he killed his wife, believing she was having an affair, then dismembered and disposed of her body, which was never found.
What he admitted, what he denied
Minutes before jury selection began, Walshe pleaded guilty to misleading police and improper transportation or handling of human remains. He has maintained his innocence of the murder charge.
Jury selected
Sixteen members were selected to serve on the jury, with the process concluding on November 20. The jury includes four alternates who will not deliberate.
Jurors will not return to the Dedham courthouse until Dec. 1 for opening statements. Per the judge’s order, all jurors were asked to refrain from using social media and to stop watching or reading the news.
What prosecutors say they will present
Prosecutors said they would show photos and videos of Ana Walshe and present items found with her DNA in a Swampscott dumpster near Walshe’s mother’s home – including a distinctive rug, a Gucci necklace, a necklace with colorful beads and an Hermes watch.
The judge decided to allow statements from Ana Walshe’s friend about an argument the couple had just days before she was killed. The fight reportedly led to her wanting Brian Walshe to resolve a federal criminal case related to art fraud.
Pretrial legal arguments also shed light on Walshe’s online searches, including questions about pornography and destroying a body.
Video below: Law professor considers possible trial strategies
Challenges and context
Ana Walshe’s body has never been found, which legal experts say will make the case more difficult. Prosecutors will likely rely on physical evidence, DNA links and Walshe’s own confessions about disposing of the body and deceiving investigators.
“Remember, in a traditional homicide case, the government only has to prove that one person committed the murder. In this case, the government has to prove that there was a murder, and then it has to prove that Brian Walshe committed it,” said legal analyst Greg Henning. “What the defense is doing is trying to establish the assumption that most people would follow – that Brian Walshe’s wife was murdered – to challenge that assumption. How do you know that happened?”
Walshe’s criminal history
Walshe was previously convicted in an art fraud case in which he pleaded guilty to selling fake Andy Warhol paintings, defrauding three victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison in this case.
Witnesses you might recognize
Several Massachusetts State Police troopers and others who worked on the Karen Read case are listed as potential witnesses, including:
- Trooper Connor Keefe, who testified about evidence found near O’Keefe’s body in the snow
- Lt. John Fanning, accused by Read’s defense of jury tampering in his first trial
- Andre Porto, a forensic pathologist who works in the DNA unit of the Massachusetts State Police crime lab.
- Sgt. Yuri Boukhenik, who was transferred to the Standards and Training Division following the Read verdict
- Detective Lt. Brian Tully, who was the subject of an internal affairs investigation following Read’s mistrial in 2024
- Former soldier Michael Proctor, who was fired following allegations of misconduct – including inappropriate text messages – after Read’s first trial
- Sgt. David DiCicco, who was among the recipients of Proctor’s text messages, according to testimony in Read’s first trial
Video below: Walshe changes plea and charges explained
