Lawyers for Brian Walshe, the man accused of dismembering his wife, want to see files from the Karen Read case

Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man accused of dismembering his wife Ana Walshe with a hacksaw and disposing of her remains after using his son's iPad to google the best ways to get rid of a body, appeared on Wednesday a new hearing in his court murder case.

In his first public appearance in months, Walshe walked into Norfolk Superior Court wearing a suit, tie and handcuffs. Wednesday's court hearing was brief as Judge Beverly Cannone rescheduled proceedings in the case to Dec. 2.

Lawyers representing the 49-year-old Walshe want cell phone records from suspended Massachusetts State Police officer Michael Proctor, who was the lead investigator in Ana's murder and the Karen Read murder case. They believe these records could help them defend Walshe.

The Norfolk District Attorney's Office said in September that releasing Proctor's full professional phone history could jeopardize public safety and jeopardize other cases.

Posting confidential information on Proctor's work phone would also “pose a physical risk to individuals and the public alike,” the DA's office added.

The DA's office said at the time Proctor's filing was released that it was trying to determine what, if any, data should be shared publicly and how it would be done.

Court documents indicate that in addition to seeking “all information” from the extraction of data from Proctor's work cell phone and cloud account, Walshe's legal team also wants a “full copy” of 3,000 pages of Justice Department materials related to the investigation into his death Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, whom Read is accused of fatally striking with his SUV in Canton during a snowstorm.

The documents indicate that Walshe's team also wants “any notes, reports, memoranda or other local documents” related to the “death of Officer John O'Keefe and the whereabouts of Ana Walshe.”

New documents on the Brian Walshe case from Fox Boston Staff on Scribd

Prosecutors had previously announced they would not call Proctor as a witness in Walshe's upcoming trial after state police suspended him in July following the mistrial of Karen Read.

During testimony and cross-examination, Proctor came under fire for sending a series of derogatory texts about Read to friends, family and superiors, which he read in court during her trial. In these texts, Proctor commented on Read's physical appearance, used vulgar language, implied that he had made his decision based on evidence of Read's guilt, and said he wished Read would kill himself.

Prosecutors accuse Walshe of killing his 39-year-old wife and misleading investigators about her disappearance in early 2023.

In March 2023, a Norfolk County grand jury indicted Walshe on charges of murder, misleading police investigation/obstruction of justice, and improper transfer of a human body in connection with the death of his wife.

Ana Walshe, a mother of three young children and a real estate professional who worked in Washington, D.C., disappeared on New Year's Day 2023 and was reported missing several days later, authorities said.

Prosecutors have alleged that Walshe killed his wife at their Cohasset home on New Year's Day. The couple's three young sons were reportedly home at the time.

Days after Ana's disappearance, investigators found a hacksaw and a blood-soaked carpet from her home that were believed to contain biological evidence.

Police later searched trash cans, dumpsters, garbage trucks and garbage facilities in the areas where Brian Walshe traveled after her disappearance.

Prosecutors have also previously stated that a broken knife with blood on it was found in the basement of the Walshe family home.

The Norfolk District Attorney's Office previously said it was awaiting DNA test results from dozens of items.

In late June, Walshe was waived from appearing in court. At the time, prosecutors said during a brief hearing in Dedham Superior Court that DNA results were expected by the end of the month, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Walshe has been held without bail since his arrest. A trial date has not been set.

Ana's body was never found.

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