Erin Patterson, 50, is standing trial following the deaths of her former in-laws who were poisoned after they ate a beef wellington that she had prepared for them
An Australian woman is standing trial after she allegedly killed three relatives by serving poisonous mushrooms – here are five key details from court today.
Erin Patterson, 50, is standing trial at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in Victoria, southeast Australia, for a case that has gripped the attention of the worldwide public. She stands charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder after she served a beef wellington meal at her home in July 2023. Prosecuting lawyers argued Patterson deliberately poisoned her guests with mushrooms she foraged in a bid to kill them, while her defence told the court the incident was a “terrible accident” and that she did not want to harm anyone.
Patterson’s ex-in-laws Don Patterson, 70, his wife Gail, 70, and her sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, died in the incident. Pastor Ian Wilkinson managed to survive following months of treatment at a hospital.
Here are five key details from the trial so far.
How poisoned meal was served
Patterson served pieces of the beef wellington that included mushroom paste to her guests on grey plates. But surviving Mr Wilkinson said she ate off an orange plate that was smaller. She is also alleged to have lied about living from cancer in a bid to have the former in-laws around for dinner and without any children being present.
But the defence strongly denied that and stated Patterson did, in fact, have cancer. It later emerged three guests died after eating the death cap mushroom.
Patterson’s court admission
Patterson’s defence lawyer Colin Mandy told the court: “The prosecution says, ‘well she got rid of the dehydrator and that makes her look guilty’. She admits that.
“She lied about getting rid of the dehydrator. She admits that. But consider why she would lie about that when she’d posted photographs of mushrooms in the dehydrator.”
Patterson went on to admit she lied to police that she had never foraged for mushrooms. Mr Mandy added: “She did forage for mushrooms… She denies that she ever deliberately sought out death cap mushrooms.”
‘Incriminating’ behaviour was ‘panic’
The defence argued Patterson’s behaviour following the lunch was not incriminating and asked the jury how they might react should they find themselves in a similar situation. Mr Mandy said: “Might people say or do things that are not well thought out… and might make them look bad.
“The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them. Three people died.” Patterson said the incident was a “terrible accident” and that she did not mean to deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests.
Fingerprints found
The prosecution said Patterson’s fingerprints were found on the same food dehydrator that she was seen throwing away. CCTV footage showed Patterson discarded the item following the lunch.
Investigators tested the dehydrator and found it tested positive for death cap mushrooms. Patterson is also alleged to have lied about buying the mushrooms from an Asian supermarket and that mobile phone data indicated she travelled to an area where death cap mushrooms were known to grow.
Judge’s message to jury
Judge Christopher Beale recapped the key points of the trial before sending the jury home for the day. He informed them: “The overarching issue is whether she intended to kill or cause very serious injury.”