Brian Walshe to be sentenced Thursday for murder of wife, Ana Walshe

Brian Walshe will spend the rest of his life in prison.

That much is certain after the 50-year-old man was convicted on Monday of first-degree murder for killing his wife, Ana Walshe, then dismembering her body and disposing of her remains at dumpsters across the state in early 2023. Jurors deliberated for about five hours before returning a verdict, after hearing evidence across eight days of trial.

First-degree murder convictions in Massachusetts carry a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Such convictions are also automatically appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court.

Still, there is some question as to what Brian Walshe’s sentences will be for the two crimes he pleaded guilty to before trial: misleading a police investigation and disinterring a body. Brian Walshe would face up to 20 years for the misleading police charge and up to three years in prison for the disinterment charge.

Judge Diane Freniere could run those sentences either concurrently to the life sentence or run them consecutively when she sentences Walshe on Thursday morning.

Walshe was also sentenced last year to 37 months in federal prison for selling forged Andy Warhol paintings.

Prosecutors told Freniere they would likely be presenting victim-impact statements at the Wednesday morning hearing, including from Ana and Brian Walshe’s three children, though that statement is likely to be impounded. Several of Ana Walshe’s friends and family packed into the Dedham courtroom where the trial was held for closing arguments last week. They may speak to Freniere on Thursday morning.

The only public statement from Ana Walshe’s family after the verdict came from her sister, via Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, who said simply, “justice has been served.”