Mass. Man Accused of Killing and Dismembering Realtor Wife Fit to Stand Trial: Judge

A Massachusetts judge has determined that Brian Walshe — the man accused of killing and dismembering his wife, Ana Walshe, in early January 2023 — is mentally fit to stand trial.

Walshe, 50, faces charges in connection with the death of Ana, 39, a real estate professional who disappeared from her Cohasset home on Jan. 1, 2023. She was reported missing three days later by her employer when she did not arrive for work in Washington, D.C. He has pleaded not guilty.

Before the murder charges were filed, Walshe was accused of providing false information to investigators during the search for Ana. He pleaded not guilty to those charges as well.

The trial — now set for Dec. 1 — was delayed in October when Judge Diane Freniere ordered Walshe to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital. After reviewing the results, the judge ruled on Nov. 14 that he is competent to proceed, according to reports from The Boston Globe, Boston.com and NBC Boston. The court also denied his request for a change of venue.

Questions about Walshe’s mental state surfaced on Sept. 11 after he was stabbed inside the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Correctional Center in Dedham, Mass., according to MassLive. His attorneys argued the attack had impaired his ability to assist in his defense. Authorities said he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and returned to the facility the same night.

The alleged attacker was subdued by staff, and a makeshift weapon was recovered, officials said.

In a separate legal matter, Walshe was sentenced in February 2024 to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release for participating in what federal prosecutors described as a “years-long, multi-faceted art fraud scheme” involving purported Andy Warhol works. He was also ordered to pay $475,000 in restitution. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud, interstate transportation for a scheme to defraud, and unlawful monetary transaction in April 2021.