The husband of missing Massachusetts woman Ana Walshe was indicted on a murder charge on Thursday in the disappearance of his wife, who was last seen on New Year's Day, a district attorney's office said.
A Norfolk County grand jury indicted Brian Walshe, 47, for the murder of his wife, misleading a police investigation/obstruction of justice and for the improper conveyance of a human body, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey's office said in a news release.
A first-degree murder conviction in Massachusetts carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
“This is only a step in a long process, during which Brian Walshe enjoys the Constitutional presumption of innocence and all of the protections afforded him under the Constitution,” Morrissey said. “We are thankful to the detectives who have put so many hours into assembling the evidence in this matter and the witnesses who have assisted us in coming to this step.”
Walshe’s attorney, Tracy Miner did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News.
The development comes weeks after Morrissey's office issued a murder warrant in January for Brian Walshe in the death of his wife.
Walshe was accused of assaulting and beating his wife with the intent to murder her, as well as with moving her body or remains, according to the criminal complaint. During his arraignment in January, he entered a plea of not guilty.
Ana Walshe’s remains have not been found. She often traveled to Washington for work and had a flight booked for Jan. 3, which authorities said she never took.
The head of security for her employer, Tishman Speyer, called Cohasset police around 11:45 a.m. Jan. 4 to request a well-being check, saying the company had also contacted her husband, who had not filed a missing person report, according to a police log.
Police interviewed Brian Walshe at his home shortly after 6:30 p.m., according to an affidavit. He said his wife had left for work in Washington at 6:30 a.m. New Year’s Day “and he hasn’t heard from her since,” according to the police log.
The stunning details prosecutors said led them to pursue a murder charge in January came to light during Walshe's arraignment that month.
Investigators said they found more than a dozen disturbing Google searches allegedly made by Walshe minutes before he had originally told police he last saw his wife. Among those searches was: “10 ways to dispose of a dead body if you really need to” and “how to stop a body from decomposing,” prosecutors said in court.
On Jan. 2, the day after Ana Walshe was last seen, the Internet searches included “hacksaw best tool to dismember,” “can you be charged with murder without a body” and “can you identify a body with broken teeth,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors have also said officials found blood and a damaged, bloodstained knife in the couple’s basement and that Brian Walshe is alleged to have spent $450 on cleaning supplies, mops, tape and other items the day after his wife was last seen.
Thursday's indictment moves the case to Norfolk Superior Court, with Brian Walshe expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks, Morrissey’s office said. Brian Walshe remained held without bail, it said, while he and Ana Walshe's three young children are in state custody, according to NBC Boston.
