Brian Walshe appears in court on murder charge

Walshe was read the charges and the court indicated not guilty pleas would be entered on his behalf. The defense did not contest bail, and a judge ordered him held without bail.

During the hearing, prosecutor Lynn Beland outlined the evidence that investigators have gathered so far against Walshe — including a chilling list of internet searches that she said Walshe made using his son's iPad starting on Jan. 1, the last day Ana was seen.

If you're just reading in now, here are some of the key moments from Wednesday's hearing in Walshe's case:

• A chilling list of internet searches allegedly made by Walshe: During the arraignment, Beland listed a series of online searches on how to cover up a murder that they say Walshe made from his son's iPad. For example, on Jan. 1, Beland said his searches included: "How long before a body starts to smell?" and "How to stop a body from decomposing." On Jan. 2, the prosecutor said he searched: "Hacksaw best tool to dismember." And the next day, on Jan. 3, Beland claimed Walshe's searches included: "What happens to hair on a dead body?" 
• As the prosecutor listed off the searches, Walshe shook his head: Walshe remained mostly silent during Wednesday's arraignment. The only words Walshe spoke were "I do" when asked if he underst ood the charges he now faces. He appeared unfazed as Beland outlined the list of gruesome online searches, but he shook his head when she alleged he conducted searches on his son's iPad. Along with the searches in early January, Beland said there was one earlier internet search to note — on Dec. 27, the prosecutor added Walshe searched: "What's the best state to divorce?" The prosecutor said, "Rather than divorce, it is believed that Brian Walshe dismembered Ana Walshe and discarded her body."
• Law enforcement discovered 10 trash bags of evidence: Beland delved into the stunning details at arraignment on Wednesday, saying investigators discovered 10 trash bags of evidence. Among the items secured were towels, rags, slippers, tape, gloves, cleaning agents, a Covid-19 vaccination card in the name of Ana Walshe, a hacksaw and a hatchet, the prosecutor said. Investigators also discovered personal items, including a portion of a necklace consistent with one Ana had been seen wearing in photos. The prosecutor described surveillance and evidence from Brian’s phone showing he purchased items such as towels, bathmats, squeegees and a trash can at Lowe's.
• State crime lab tests found Ana's blood and DNA on some items: The Massachusetts state crime lab performed tests on items recovered from trash cans and determined human blood was present. State lab tests show that Ana and Brian’s DNA were contributors to the blood found on slippers, and a Tyvek suit – a protective near-full-body suit. Prosecutors say Ana Walshe’s DNA, as well as Brian Walshe’s DNA, were found as contributors to several blood samples tested within the garbage recovered during their expansive search of the missing woman. 
• Walshe's defense attorney said the state's case isn't strong: Brian Walshe’s defense attorney called out prosecutors Wednesday for leaking evidence to the press, saying she believes their case against her client in the alleged murder of his wife is not strong. “In my experience, where, as here, the prosecution leaks so-called evidence to the press before they provide it to me, their case isn’t that strong,” Walshe's defense attorney Tracy Miner said in a statement released Wednesday.

Prosecutor Lynn Beland said in court on Wednesday that when police first spoke with Brian Walshe after his wife went missing, he told them that his wife left their Cohasset, Massachusetts, home around 6 a.m. ET on New Year's Day.

"He stated she took an Uber or Lyft to go to the airport, that she was returning to DC for work," Beland said. The prosecutor said records were checked and there were no Uber or Lyft cars requested to that house on Jan. 1. 

Beland said that while investigating what happened to Ana Walshe, Cohasset police were granted permission to ping her phone.

Their search showed Ana's phone was "in the area of the Cohasset house" on New Year's eve until 3:14 a.m. on Jan. 2, when it was turned off, the prosecutor said. 

Brian Walshe’s defense attorney called out prosecutors Wednesday for leaking evidence to the press, saying she believes their case against her client in the alleged murder of his wife Ana Walshe is not strong.

“In my experience, where, as here, the prosecution leaks so-called evidence to the press before they provide it to me, their case isn’t that strong,” Brian Walshe defense attorney Tracy Miner said in a statement released Wednesday, after Walshe was arraigned on the charge of murder. 

Miner also said she has not been given any evidence yet so she will not comment on it, and said she will not try the case in the media.

“We shall see what they have and what evidence is admissible in court, where the case will ultimately be decided,” Miner said in the statement. “It is easy to charge a crime and even easier to say a person committed that crime. It is a much more difficult thing to prove it, which we will see if the prosecution can do.”

Massachusetts prosecutors unveiled chilling details about the evidence they collected against Brian Walshe in the murder of his wife, Ana, including several items found strewn across several garbage disposal sites.

Prosecutor Lynn Beland delved into the stunning details at arraignment in a Massachusetts courtroom Wednesday, saying investigators discovered 10 trash bags with items, including stains consistent with blood.

Among the items secured were towels, rags, slippers, tape, gloves, cleaning agents, a Covid-19 vaccination card in the name of Walshe's wife, Ana Walshe, a hacksaw, and a hatchet, Beland said.

During the hearing, the prosecutor described surveillance and evidence from Brian’s phone showing he purchased items such as towels, bathmats, squeegees and a trash can at Lowe's, HomeGoods, and TJ Maxx. CNN has reported evidence showed he also purchased various cleaning supplies.

Investigators also discovered personal items amid the trash, including a portion of a necklace consistent with one Ana had been seen wearing in photos.

The state crime lab performed tests on items recovered from trash cans and determined human blood was present.

State lab tests show that Ana and Brian’s DNA were contributors to the blood found on slippers, and a Tyvek suit – a protective near full body suit.

Brian Walshe remained mostly silent during Wednesday's arraignment. The only words Walshe spoke were "I do" when asked if he understood the charges he now faces. 

Walshe appeared unfazed as prosecutor Lynn Beland outlined a list of gruesome Google searches she claimed Walshe conducted on how to cover up a murder. He shook his head when she alleged he conducted searches on his son's iPad.

The list of Google searches presented in court was made on Jan. 1 — the last day Walshe's wife, Ana, was seen — and in the days after. They included a search at 4:55 am on Jan. 1 for "how long before a body starts to smell." Several minutes later, Beland said, he searched "how to stop a body from decomposing."

Throughout the morning of Jan 1, the prosecutor said Walshe continued to make searches along these lines — including "ten ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to," and "what does formaldehyde do?"

On Jan. 2, the prosecutor said, Walshe did more searches, including "is a hacksaw the best tool to dismember?" and "can you be charged with a murder without a body?" 

The courtroom was packed — but largely with press. CNN did not see Ana's friends or relatives represented in court.

Walshe was read the charges and the court indicated not guilty pleas would be entered on his behalf.

Walshe only spoke in court to say he acknowledged the charges and appeared largely stoic throughout the reading of evidence. 

Defense did not contest bail and a judge ordered him held without bail.

Feb. 9 is the next status date.

Massachusetts prosecutors say Ana Walshe’s DNA, as well as Brian Walshe’s DNA, were found as contributors to several blood samples tested within the garbage recovered during their expansive search of the missing woman. 

At Brian Walshe's arraignment, a prosecutor detailed the items that they say Walshe bought in connection to his wife Ana Walshe's murder.

Here are the details, according to prosecutors:

• On Jan. 2, from Home Depot in Rockland, Massachusetts: Items included cleaning products, such as mops, brushes, tape, tarp, a Tyvek suit with boot covers, buckets, baking soda and a hatchet. "He had a face mask and rubber gloves on at the time he was pushing the cart in Home Depot," the prosecutor said.
• On Jan. 4, from Home Goods and TJ Maxx: He purchased towels, as well as bath mats and men's clothing. 
• On Jan. 4, from Lowe's: He purchased squeegees and a trash can.

During Brian Walshe's arraignment on murder charges in a Massachusetts court this morning, the prosecution listed a series of online searches on how to cover up a murder that they say Walshe made from his son's iPad.

Here are the searches that prosecutor Lynn Beland listed in court:

• How long before a body starts to smell?
• How to stop a body from decomposing.
• Ten ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to
• How long for someone to be missing to inherit. 
• Can you throw away body parts? 
• What does formaldehyde do? 
• How long does DNA last? 
• Can identification be made on partial remains? 
• Dismemberment and the best ways to dispose of a body. 
• How to clean blood from wooden floor. 
• Luminol to detect blood. 
• What happens when you put body parts in ammonia?

• Hacksaw best tool to dismember. 
• Can you be charged with murder without a body? 
• Can you identify a body with broken teeth?

• What happens to hair on a dead body? 
• What is the rate of decomposition of a body found in a plastic bag compared to on a surface in the woods? 
• Can baking soda mask or make a body smell good?

Beland said there was one earlier Google search to note — on December 27, the prosecutor added Walshe searched: "What's the best state to divorce?"

"Rather than divorce it is believed that Brian Walshe dismembered Ana Walshe and discarded her body," Beland said.