Since the news of her disappearance broke over a week ago, we have been learning more about the suspect, his sketchy past, and the clues leading investigators to believe he isn’t telling the truth about his missing wife. Here are nine bone-chilling details about the missing Massachusetts mom case you should know about.
1 Brian Allegedly Suffered From Childhood Trauma
After Brian Walshe pleaded guilty in April 2021 to selling two fake 1978 Andy Warhol paintings for $80,000 to a dealer in California, Ana came to his defense by writing a letter describing how he was “deeply affected” by childhood trauma. “He was taught to lie and hide. He was told that he was a loser, that his parents should have not had him, that he had no chances of making anything of himself in life, and that he was a lost cause. A deep feeling of shame governed his life,” Walshe wrote.
“This trauma has been ever-present in Brian’s life, brought deep sadness for years and was the determining factor of how he showed up for himself and others in the past.”
2 Brian Allegedly Threatened to Kill Ana in 2014
This week Washington, D.C. police released an incident report stating that Ana Walshe reported that Brian Walshe had threatened to kill her and a friend on Aug. 2, 2014, prior to the two getting married in 2015 and Ana moving to Boston. C-1 refers to Ana Knipp, her maiden name, and S-1 refers to Brian Walshe.
The case didn’t move forward because Ana Walshe “refused to cooperate in the prosecution,” according to the police report. “C-1 reports that on listed date and time s-1 made a statement over the telephone that he was going to kill c-1 and her friend. S-1 now lives in Boston, Massachusetts,” the police report states.
3 Relatives and Family Friends Allegedly Describe Brian As a “Sociopath”
In 2019, after being accused of swindling money from his father, Dr. Thomas Walshe, friends and family described him as a sociopath in affidavits disputing his late father’s estate. “Brian is not a trustworthy person and his Affidavit is based on lies and misrepresentations,” Jeffrey Ornstein, a close friend of the father who claims he roomed with Brian Walshe, wrote, adding that Walshe was “diagnosed as a sociopath” and had been a long-term patient at a psychiatric hospital in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Another friend of his father’s, Dr. Fred Pescatore, added that Brian was “a very angry and physically violent person,” noting that the reason why his father had cut him off was “Brian being a sociopath.”
4 Brian Allegedly Said He Last Saw His Wife On January 1 ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb
Per the affidavit, Brian Walshe claims he last saw his wife, Ana, on the morning of January 1, and she told him she needed to travel to Washington, DC, for a work emergency. He says she took a rideshare to the airport and took a flight.
However, investigators found no evidence that she used a ride show or got on a flight. Additionally, her phone pinged near the house on January 1 and 2, per commonwealth prosecutor Lynn Beland.
5 Brian’s Alleged Whereabouts Caused Concern
Brian’s whereabouts the week of Ana’s appearance have also raised eyebrows. He was recorded on surveillance video at Home Depot wearing a surgical mask and surgical gloves and making a cash purchase. According to prosecutors, he spent about $450 on cleaning supplies, including mops, a bucket, and tarps.
6 Allegedly, Investigators Found Blood
On Sunday, after executing a search warrant, investigators made a gruesome discovery, finding blood in the basement of Walshe’s home along with a broken and bloody knife.
7 “A Number of Items” Were Collected
Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey confirmed on Tuesday that after searching areas north of Boston on Monday in the “suspicious disappearance” of Ana Walshe, “a number of items” were collected for testing. Law enforcement informed CNN Tuesday that after sifting through trash at a Peabody, Massachusetts, transfer station, they found materials that may be related to the case, including a hacksaw, torn-up cloth material, and what appears to be blood stains.
8 Walshe Allegedly Reached Out
On Wednesday, the day Walshe was reported missing, Brian left a voicemail for a friend of Ana’s. “Good afternoon, this is Brian Walshe. I hope all is going well. I was just reaching out to basically everybody I could. Ana hasn’t been in touch for a few days,” he says. “If you know anyone that may have had contact with her, you know I am trying to call everyone. I am sorry to bother you. I am sure everything is fine.”
9 He Allegedly Went for a Smoothie Run
The day after Ana disappeared and two days before reporting her missing, Walshe went for smoothies. He was filmed buying smoothies and pacing around the Press Juice Bar in Norwell, about a 20-minute drive from the couple’s home in Cohasset, per footage posted by WHDH shows.
