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Australian woman faces trial for alleged triple murder via poisonous mushrooms
In a highly publicized trial, Erin Patterson, 50, has been charged with three murders and one attempted murder after allegedly poisoning her guests with toxic mushrooms. Patterson pleaded not guilty to all charges, claiming that the incident was a tragic accident.
According to Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, Patterson deliberately poisoned her guests during a lunch she hosted at her home in Leongatha, a rural village in Victoria, in late July 2023. The meal included individual beef Wellingtons, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Patterson ate from a smaller orange plate, while her guests ate from larger gray plates. Patterson invited her guests under the pretense of sharing a health issue with them, though her estranged husband declined to attend, citing discomfort.
The guests, including Patterson’s in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Heather and Ian Wilkinson, attended the lunch. During the meal, Patterson claimed she had cancer and sought advice on how to tell her children. However, subsequent medical tests revealed that she did not have cancer.
Hours after the lunch, all four guests experienced symptoms of poisoning, including vomiting and diarrhea, and were rushed to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed them with poisoning from the toxic death cap mushroom. Within days, three of the guests, Don, Gail, and Heather, died. Ian Wilkinson, the pastor, survived after nearly two months in the hospital.
Two days after the lunch, Patterson visited the hospital, claiming she was also unwell. However, she initially declined medical treatment, only agreeing to receive care later. Patterson stated that her children had consumed leftovers from the meal but claimed she had removed the mushrooms from their servings. Despite concerns from medical staff, Patterson refused to allow her children to be examined, expressing more concern about causing them distress than their health. Eventually, the children were assessed but showed no symptoms of poisoning.
Forensic investigations revealed traces of death cap mushrooms in the remnants of the beef Wellington found at Patterson's home. Patterson initially told doctors she had used fresh mushrooms from a supermarket and dried mushrooms from an Asian grocery, though she couldn’t remember which store they came from. A subsequent investigation by the Department of Health failed to identify any retailers selling death cap mushrooms. Additionally, Patterson disposed of a food dehydrator that contained traces of the toxic mushrooms shortly after the lunch.
Patterson's defense lawyer, Colin Mandy, has stated that the poisoning was an unintentional tragedy and that Patterson did not intend to harm anyone.
The trial continues at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in Morwell, located south of Melbourne.
