Defense claims Ana Walshe died from ‘sudden unexpected death’

The prosecution stated Brian Walshe killed his wife amid financial and marital woes But the defense claimed Walshe is only guilty of covering up a death not committing it Attorneys for both sides laid out their cases in opening statements for Walshe s murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham Monday morning Prosecutors alleged that Walshe committed first-degree murder when he plotted to kill his wife Ana and dispose of her body in January Walshe already pleaded guilty to lying to police and mishandling a body earlier this month The commonwealth alleged that Walshe searched best state divorce for a man best way to dispose of a body and best way to dispose of body parts after murder around the time of Ana s death Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor also claimed a man who appears to be Walshe on surveillance camera purchased shears snips a hacksaw and a Tyvek suit and that the suit and other items were later uncovered in disposed of with Brian and Ana s DNA Before Ana s death the state laid out how she d been having an affair while Walshe was awaiting sentencing on federal fraud convictions and faced in restitution Walshe s attorney Larry Tipton admitted that those facts the purchase of tools the searches and the circumstances were true but they didn t add up to the same conclusion the prosecutors purported Related Articles Watch Live Police testify in Brian Walshe murder trial Norfolk County ready for real change from embattled DA Michael Morrissey as race grows Brian Walshe pleads guilty to charges before jury selection in murder trial Brian Walshe deemed competent to stand trial for murder of his wife denied change of venue Brian Walshe ordered to undergo competency evaluation murder trial delayed The evidence will be hard to understand but it is true Tipton disclosed Instead Tipton claimed the defense would present evidence that Ana experienced sudden unexpected death and that Walshe identified her in their bed in the early hours of Jan following a joyful New Year s celebration The defense mentioned Walshe disposed of the body and lied to police following Ana s death because of fear about what would happen to their sons if people inferred he had killed her He reported a story He stated lies He tried to hide so he could hang on to those boys Tipton disclosed Brian Walshe never killed Ana Brian Walshe never thought about killing Ana Judge Diane Freniere cautioned members of the jury that the opening statements are not evidence and instead explained that they are a summary of what evidence each side expects will be presented during the occurrence Jurors will hear testimony from the Cohasset Police Sgt Harrison Schmidt Monday afternoon