DEDHAM, Mass. (WPRI) — The prosecution rested its case after emotional witness testimony in day eight of the murder trial of Brian Walshe.
The 50-year-old Cohasset man is accused of killing his wife, Ana Walshe. She was last seen alive on New Year’s Eve 2022 and was reported missing several days later. Her body was never found.
Prior to the start of the trial, Brian Walshe pleaded guilty to improper conveyance of a human body and misleading a police investigation. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder, with the defense maintaining that Ana died from a sudden medical event.
On Wednesday, Brian’s parole officer and two of Ana Walshe’s friends were among those who took the stand.
At the time of Ana’s disappearance, Brian was on home confinement pending his sentencing in an unrelated art fraud case. His parole officer testified that he was only allowed to leave their home for pre-approved necessary outings, which included picking up their children from school.
At the time of her disappearance, Ana was commuting to Washington, D.C., for work and returning to Massachusetts on weekends to be with her family.
Ana’s friends testified about what was going on in the Walshes’ lives prior to her disappearance, including details about the couple’s strained marriage.
While on the stand Wednesday, Alissa Kirby shared that she became friends with Ana when she started working in Washington, D.C.
“We spent a lot of time together,” Kirby recalled. “We just kind of clicked like sisters.”
She burst into tears when the prosecution presented an image of her and Ana together on Dec. 29, just days before Ana went missing.
Kirby testified that Ana had told Brian she had a crush on another man. Kirby also said that Ana had normally been an energetic person, but she seemed much more sad and drained that December.
“[Ana] told me that [Brian] would often not tell her he loved her and would always ask her how much she was in love with him,” Kirby noted. “She told me that this time she answered ‘not as much’ because of everything that had happened … that she was falling out of love.”
After the prosecution rested its case, Judge Diane Freniere spoke directly to the jury before adjourning for the day.
“That chapter of this case is closed. The Commonwealth has presented all the evidence it wishes to present in this case,” the judge explained. “There is no obligation, no burden on the defendant to do anything … the burden of proof is always on the Commonwealth, and it stays always on the Commonwealth, but the defendant has the option to present evidence if he wishes to.”
The trial will resume at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.