Brian Walshe is led into Quincy District Court on Monday to face charges of misleading police in the search for his missing wife. Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
QUINCY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The husband of a missing Cohasset woman is being held on $500,000 cash bail after he was arraigned on charges of misleading police about her disappearance.
Brain Walshe pleaded not guilty, prosecutors said he was seen on surveillance video buying $450 worth of cleaning supplies at Home Depot after his wife disappeared. However, prosecutors said he told investigators he went to Whole Foods and CVS that day and did not mention the trip to Home Depot, which led to the charge of misleading police.
The cleaning supplies included mops, buckets, tarps, cloths, and tape, according to prosecutors. They added that blood and a broken knife were found in the basement of the Walsh home.
Police say 39-year-old Ana Walshe was reportedly last seen at 4:00 or 5:00 AM on New Year's Day, as she prepared to board a flight to Washington D.C. for work. Walshe was officially reported missing by her employer and her husband last Wednesday. It's unclear if Brian Walshe's arrest puts the investigation's timeline in doubt.
State and local police scoured an area near the Walshe home over the weekend, but came up with no leads — they also sent investigators to Washington, D.C. Police served a search warrant at the Walshe home on Sunday, shortly after Brain Walshe was arrested. Ana Walshe is described as a 5'2 woman weighing about 115 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and an Eastern European accent.
Brian Walshe does have a criminal history. He pleaded guilty in an art fraud case in 2021, where he had scammed a South Korean buyer into purchasing fake Andy Warhol paintings. He is due back in court on Feb. 9.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) has more:
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