They just can't see John Atwater living in Dedham. John. And yes, you are right. And the process of seating the jury moved a little faster than expected. But with opening statements in the case still a week and a half away, accused killer Brian Walsh is leaving court today. Now, knowing that the jurors who will decide his fate have been selected, the Commonwealth is satisfied with this jury. The Commonwealth is satisfied with the defense, is satisfied with this jury. The rear is defense material. Twelve jurors and four alternate members were selected over the past three days. Nine women and seven men. One is an art teacher, the other a scientist. A juror is a CFO. They will decide whether prosecutors can prove the grisly details of an alleged murder inside Walsh's Cohasset home on New Year's Day 2023. They say Walsh murdered his wife Anna, saying he suspected an affair. Today, the judge gave potential jurors a preview of the case. Police searched a trash can outside the defendant's mother's Swampscott apartment and found Anna Walsh's clothing. Reddish brown stained towels, an axe, and a hacksaw. Earlier this week, Walsh surprisingly admitted that his wife was actually dead. He pleaded guilty to charges of misleading the police and disposing of Anna's body. The judge had considered seating more jurors for the case, but ultimately decided that 16 would suffice. The trial lasted for two weeks. I will say that I have never lost four jurors in a two-week long, 2 to 3 week long trial. This doesn't just happen. So those jurors will be back here in court on December 1st for opening statements. And then, the judge told them they couldn't read newspapers, they couldn't watch the news, and they couldn't have a TV.
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Opening statements Monday in Brian Walshe’s murder trial: Put the case on hold
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Updated: 9:31am EST November 28, 2025
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Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning in the murder trial of Brian Walshe, a Massachusetts father accused of killing and dismembering his wife. His trial is expected to last three to four weeks. The Cohasset father is accused of killing and dismembering 39-year-old Anna Walshe around New Year's Day in 2023. Prosecutors allege Brian Walshe dumped his wife's remains in area trash bins. Within days, Brian Walshe was arrested and charged with misleading investigators. Prosecutors said he murdered his wife, believing she was having an affair, then dismembered and disposed of her body, which was never found. Minutes before jury selection began, Walshe pleaded guilty to misleading police and improperly transporting or handling human remains. He has maintained his claim of innocence on the murder charges. The jury selected sixteen members for the jury, with the process ending on 20 November. The panel includes four alternates who will not deliberate. Jurors will not return to the Dedham Courthouse until Dec. 1 for opening statements. Under the judge's order, all jurors were asked to refrain from using social media and from watching or reading the news. What prosecutors say they'll present Prosecutors have said they will show photo and video evidence of Anna Walshe and present items found with her DNA in a Swampscott dumpster near Walshe's mother's home — including a distinctive rug, a Gucci necklace, a necklace with colorful beads and a Hermès watch. The judge decided to allow a statement from Anna Walshe's friend about a fight between the couple just days before her murder. In this fight she reportedly wanted Brian Walshe to settle a federal criminal case related to art fraud. Pre-trial legal arguments also highlighted Walshe's online searches, which also included questions about pornography and the disposal of a body. Video below: Law professor considers potential trial strategies Challenges and context Anna Walshe's body was never found, a factor legal experts said would make the case more difficult. Prosecutors will likely rely on physical items, DNA links and Walshe's own admissions about the whereabouts of the body and misleading investigators. Legal analyst Greg Henning said, "Remember, in a traditional murder case, the government only has to prove that a person committed a murder. In this case, the government has to prove that a murder occurred, and then they have to prove that Brian Walshe committed it." "What the defense is doing is trying to establish the assumption that most people would be following – that Brian Walshe's wife was murdered – to challenge that assumption. How do you know that happened?" He was sentenced to 37 months in that case. WITNESSES YOU MAY RECOGNIZE Several Massachusetts State Police troopers and others who worked on the Karen Reed case are listed as potential witnesses, including: Trooper Connor Keefe, who testified about evidence found near O'Keefe's body in the snow. John Fanning, whom Reed's defense accused of jury tampering during his first trial, Andre Porto, a forensic scientist who works in the DNA unit of the Massachusetts State Police crime lab, Sgt. Yuri Buchenik, who was transferred to the Standards and Training Division in the wake of Reed's verdict, Detective Lieutenant Brian Tully, who faced an internal affairs investigation in the wake of Reed's 2024 wrongful trial, former Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired over allegations of misconduct – including inappropriate text messages – after Reed's first trial, Sgt. David DiCicco, who was among the recipients of Proctor's text messages, testified in Reed's first trial, video below: Walshe changes plea, explains charges
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<strong class="dateline">Dedham, Mass. -</strong> Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning in the murder trial of Brian Walshe, a Massachusetts father accused of killing and dismembering his wife.
His trial is expected to last three to four weeks.
A Cohasset father is accused of killing and dismembering 39-year-old Anna Walshe around New Year’s Day in 2023. Prosecutors allege that Brian Walshe dumped his wife’s remains in trash bins around the area.
Background of the case
Anna Walshe was last seen alive on New Year’s Eve 2022. What started as a search for a missing person in Cohasset and Washington, DC, quickly escalated. Within days, Brian Walshe was arrested and charged with misleading investigators.
Prosecutors said he murdered his wife, believing she was having an affair, then dismembered and disposed of her body, which was never found.
What did he accept, what did he reject
Minutes before jury selection began, Walshe pleaded guilty to misleading police and improperly transporting or handling human remains. He has maintained his claim of innocence on the murder charge.
jury selected
Sixteen members were selected for the jury, the process will end on 20 November. The panel includes four alternate members who will not deliberate.
Jurors will not return to the Dedham Courthouse until Dec. 1 for opening statements. Under the judge’s order, all jurors were asked to refrain from using social media and from watching or reading the news.
They will present whatever the prosecutor says
Prosecutors have said they will show photo and video evidence of Anna Walshe and introduce items found with her DNA in a Swampscott dumpster near Walshe’s mother’s home — including a distinctive rug, a Gucci necklace, a necklace with colored beads and an Hermès watch.
The judge decided to allow Anna Walshe’s friend’s statement about a fight between the couple days before her murder. In this fight she reportedly wanted Brian Walshe to settle a federal criminal case related to art fraud.
Pre-trial legal arguments also highlighted Walshe’s online searches, which included pornography and questions about body disposal.
Video below: Law professor considers possible trial strategies
Challenges and context
Anna Walshe’s body was never found, which legal experts say would make the case more difficult. Prosecutors will likely rely on physical items, DNA links and Walshe’s own admissions about the whereabouts of the body and misleading investigators.
“Remember, in a traditional murder case, the government only has to prove that a person committed the murder. In this case, the government has to prove that a murder occurred, and then they have to prove that Brian Walshe committed the murder,” said legal analyst Greg Henning. “What the defense is doing is trying to establish the assumption that most people would be following – that Brian Walshe’s wife was murdered – to challenge that assumption. How do you know that happened?”
Walshe’s criminal history
Walshe has a previous conviction in an art-fraud case, in which he pleaded guilty to selling a fake Andy Warhol painting and defrauding three victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was sentenced to 37 months in that case.
witnesses you can identify
Several Massachusetts State Police troopers and others who worked on the Karen Reed case have been listed as potential witnesses, including:
- Trooper Connor Keefe, who testified about evidence found near O’Keefe’s body in the snow
- Lieutenant John Fanning, who was accused by Reed’s defense of jury tampering during his first trial
- Andre Porto, a forensic scientist who works in the DNA unit of the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory
- Sergeant Yuri Buchennik, who was transferred to the Standards and Training Division in the wake of Reed’s decision
- Detective Lieutenant Brian Tully, who faced an internal affairs investigation in the wake of Reed’s 2024 wrongful trial
- Former Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired over allegations of misconduct – including inappropriate text messages – after Reed’s first trial
- David DiCicco, who was among the recipients of Proctor’s text messages, according to testimony at Sergeant Reed’s first trial
Video below: Walshe changes plea, explains charges
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