Jurors in the Brian Walshe trial did not return a verdict on Friday after deliberating for about three-and-a-half hours.
The jury of six women and six men got the case around 12:30 p.m. Friday. Jurors returned to the courtroom around 4:15 p.m. after declining the opportunity to deliberate until 4:30 p.m.
Judge Diane Freniere sent the 12 deliberating jurors and four selected as alternates off with her typical warnings. She cautioned jurors not to speak to anyone about the case, not to research the trial, to stay off social media and avoid news media. Freniere also urged the jurors to continue to have open minds about the case.
The jury heard closing arguments from prosecutors and Walshe’s defense on Friday and received instructions from Freniere before being sent off to deliberate.
Friday marked the 10th day of the trial. Prosecutors presented their case over eight days. Walshe’s defense did not call a single witness.
Walshe, 50, is accused of killing his wife, Ana, in their Cohasset home on the early morning of New Year’s Day 2023, then dismembering her body and disposing of her remains at dumpsters across the state.
Walshe’s defense has said Ana Walshe died a sudden, unexplained death of natural causes and that he panicked after finding her dead.
