Brian Walshe sentenced to life in prison for murder of wife

BOSTON - Brian Walshe was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for the murder of his wife, who vanished nearly three years ago and whose body has never been found. The sentence carries no possibility of parole.

What we know:

Walshe was found guilty earlier this week of killing Ana Walshe, who disappeared from their Massachusetts home on New Year’s Day 2023. She was an immigrant from Serbia, and was last seen early Jan. 1 after a New Year’s Eve gathering at the couple’s home.

Walshe was convicted of first‑degree murder after pleading guilty last month to misleading police and illegally disposing of her body.

READ MORE: Brian Walshe pleads guilty on 2 counts, still denies murdering wife

Prosecutors relied heavily on searches made on devices linked to Brian Walshe, including inquiries about dismembering a body, cleaning up blood, "how long before a body starts to smell," and "hacksaw best tool to dismember."

Brian Walshe sentenced to life in prison for murder of wife

Brian Walshe has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife, a judge announced Thursday.

The backstory:

When first questioned, Walshe told investigators his wife had been called to Washington, D.C., on New Year’s Day for a work emergency.

READ MORE: Who is Brian Walshe, husband of missing DC realtor Ana Walshe?

But witnesses testified there was no evidence she took a ride to the airport or boarded a flight, and Walshe didn’t contact her employer until Jan. 4.

Walshe later admitted he dismembered her body and disposed of it in a dumpster, claiming he panicked after finding her dead in bed.

His defense team called no witnesses and argued he acted out of fear after discovering her unresponsive. The couple's three young children are in state custody. 

READ MORE: Brian Walshe found guilty of murdering his wife