Ana and Brian Walshe.Photo: Facebook
The husband ofmissing Massachusetts mom Ana Walshewas already under house arrest and awaiting sentencing in relation to an art scam when he was taken into custody for allegedly misleading police in the investigation into his wife’s whereabouts.
Ana, a 39-year-old mother of three and real estate executive, was reported missing Jan. 4. She was last seen at her Cohasset, Mass., home New Year’s Day, authorities say.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts press release from 2021, Walshe, 47, sold two fake Andy Warhol paintings to a buyer in Los Angeles for $80,000 in 2016.
Walshe “took art from a friend, falsely offered the authentic Warhol paintings for sale on eBay, but delivered fake paintings to the buyer,” the release reads.
At first, Brian was “charismatic, articulate, and professional,” said Rivlin, but after the transaction, Brian was “unreachable” until the FBI got involved. Then, “he would only cooperate when he was forced to.”
“What happened to me is telling of [Walshe’s] masterful ability to coerce and deceive people,” he said, per the station.
Ana Walshe.Cohasset Police Department
Unnamed law enforcement officials also toldCNNthat Brian conducted an internet search on “how to dispose of a 115-pound woman’s body,” and researched how to dismember a body.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
On Monday, prosecutors announced the discovery of a bloody knife, along with blood, in the basement of the couple’s home.
Brian pleaded not guilty to the charge of misleading police and is next scheduled to appear in court Feb. 9.
The town of Cohasset has announced it will hold a prayer vigil for Ana at the Cohasset Common on Thursday.
source: people.com
