Emily Simpson

You're listening in to the Dateline story meeting.

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news.

Welcome to Dateline True Crime Weekly.

I'm Andrea Canning.

It's December 4th, and here's what's on our docket.

In Mississippi, a stunning courtroom twist in the case of a college student accused of murdering his secret lover.

In Dateline Roundup, a new documentary about Sean Diddy Combs is making headlines.

And scenes from the courthouse at an important pre-trial hearing for Luigi Mangione.

Plus, we've got a special guest for you.

You may know Emily Simpson from the TV show The Real Housewives of Orange County, but she's also a lawyer on a mission.

But before all that, we're heading back to a Massachusetts courthouse where the trial of Brian Walsh, the art swindler accused of murdering his wife, is finally underway.

A few weeks ago, we told you about Brian Walsh, the Boston area man who dropped two bombshell guilty pleas just as jury selection was set to start in his trial for the murder and dismemberment of his wife, Anna.

Her body has never been found.

Walsh pleaded guilty to disposing of his wife's body and lying to police about it.

What he did not plead guilty to was Anna's murder.

He denied having anything to do with her death.

This week, as Walsh's murder trial finally began, we heard for the first time what his explanation is for how Anna ended up dead in their home in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2023.

Here is his defense attorney, Larry Tipton.

Returning to the show to bring us up to speed is Dateline producer Dorothy Newell.

Thanks for being here, Dorothy.