A trial is underway for Erin Patterson, 50, who faces charges of three murders and one attempted murder linked to a deadly lunch on July 29, 2023, at her residence in Leongatha, Gippsland, Victoria. The court has heard evidence that death cap mushrooms, highly toxic fungi, were discovered in the vicinity prior to the incident.
Patterson’s meal, consisting of poisoned steak Wellington, resulted in the tragic deaths of her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, aged 66. All three succumbed to mushroom poisoning after consuming the meal and were later hospitalised.
While Patterson has pleaded not guilty, claiming the incident was a “terrible” accident and asserting she did not intentionally harm her guests, the trial, which has entered its third week, has introduced expert testimony from mycologist Dr. Thomas May. He discussed the sightings of death cap mushrooms in the Gippsland region, revealing that reports had surfaced in Outtrim, Loch, and Morwell earlier in 2023.
Patterson maintains that she purchased the mushrooms from local sources, including Woolworths and a Chinese grocer. However, Dr. May informed the jury that there is no documentation supporting the presence of these mushrooms in China. Jurors were informed that Patterson sought medical help for abdominal issues shortly after the lunch, yet doctors at Monash Hospital found her to be stable, dismissing concerns over mushroom poisoning based on normal liver function test results, and subsequently releasing her.
The trial also revealed that one other guest, church pastor Ian Wilkinson, survived the meal but became ill, highlighting the broader impact of the alleged poisoning. Tragically, the three victims passed away in early August after being treated in hospitals for the severe effects of the poisoning.
The court proceedings continue under the direction of Justice Christopher Beale, as the jury examines the evidence surrounding the alleged poisoning and the actions taken by Patterson before and after the fatal lunch.