Wife Of Convicted Art Swindler Mysteriously Vanishes On New Year's Day

A 39-year-old married mother of three from Massachusetts has been missing since leaving home to catch a flight to Washington, D.C., on New Year's Day.

Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley said at a press conference Friday that there's been "no electronic footprint of" Ana Walshe since Sunday, and authorities are seeking the public's help finding her.

Walshe left her home in Cohasset, Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband and their three young sons, on Jan. 1 at around 4 a.m. after ordering a car from a rideshare service that would take her to Boston's Logan Airport for a flight to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., where she works during the week as a commercial real estate executive.

She was reported missing by her husband Wednesday.

Investigators have not been able to confirm she ever got in a rideshare, according to Quigley. He also said that they've contacted all airlines and confirmed that she did not board a plane this week.

But an unnamed family member confirmed that they saw Walshe walk out of the house Sunday, according to Quigley.

Originally, Walshe planned to head to Washington, D.C., Tuesday. However, these plans were bumped up to New Year's Day due to some type of emergency at one of the properties she was managing, Quigley said.

Walshe departed with her luggage, personal belongings and cell phone, which has been off since Jan. 1.

Walshe and her husband own a $1.4 million townhouse in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The property, as well as their car, had already been searched by police, but they found no sign that the woman was there.

Quigley added that her credit or debit cards have not been used since Jan. 1.

The police chief said the case is currently being treated as a missing person investigation. But he said that they have found no sign of foul play.

Quigley said it was common for Walshe to work long hours without contacting her family. He also said it was possible that she just wanted to take a break.

On Friday, a fire reportedly broke out at Walshe's former home on Jerusalem Road in Cohasset. Another family now lives at the residence, and they all made it out safely.

Police said it was too soon to say if the fire was connected to her disappearance, WBZ-TV reported.

Walshe's husband, Brian Walshe, pleaded guilty in federal court in 2021 to selling on eBay two fake Andy Warhol paintings to an unsuspecting buyer for $80,000.

There have been various issues surrounding Brian's sentencing, which initially was scheduled for home confinement, MassLive reported. citing court documents. It is unclear what the status of the case is.

Quigley said during the press conference that Brian's case appears unrelated to his wife's disappearance.

The police chief added that Brian had been cooperative during the investigation.