New Year’s Day marks 1 year since Cohasset mother Ana Walshe was last seen alive

COHASSET, Mass. (WLNE) — A new defense attorney has taken over the prosecution case of a Massachusetts husband over the disappearance and presumed murder of his wife one year ago, WCVB reports.

Ana Walshe was last seen alive on Jan. 1, 2023. The 39-year-old Cohasset mother of three was reported missing on Jan. 4.

Brian Walshe, 48, was arrested on a murder charge on Jan. 18.

In March, Brian was indicted on the charges of misleading a police investigation, obstruction of justice, and improper conveyance of a human body.

According to WCVB, the latest information out of the case was the withdrawal of Brian’s former defense attorney in January. The case was reassigned to public defender Larry Tipton.

Brian Walshe is seen in Norfolk County Superior Court in Massachusetts, Thursday, April 27, 2023. (WLNE)

The investigation has been DNA-heavy as prosecutors work to find evidence that Brian killed his wife, as well as prove that she died, as her body has not been found.

Initial evidence searches uncovered blood, a knife with blood on it, a hacksaw, and a hatchet.

The latest search area was between Route 95 and a shopping center in Peabody, less than a mile from a transfer station where several items related to the case were found last year.

WCVB reports that case documents revealed video of Brian making an impromptu trip to a hardware store, where he bought $450 worth of cleaning supplies in cash. He was also seen on video buying rugs at a different store.

Brian has been accused of killing his wife and discarding her body parts at transfer stations across Massachusetts.

Brian is being held in the Norfolk County Correctional Center until a hearing set for March 4.