Erin Patterson, 50, is currently facing a triple murder trial in regional Victoria, accused of deliberately poisoning her former in-laws, Don (70) and Gail Patterson (70), and Heather Wilkinson (66), during a lunch in July 2023. She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder concerning Ian Wilkinson, who survived the incident.
During the trial’s fourth week, crucial evidence was presented linking Patterson to potential premeditated actions. Digital forensics officer Shamen Fox-Henry revealed that a search of devices from Patterson’s residence showed she had accessed a science website almost a year before serving the allegedly poisoned meal. This included searches for “death cap mushrooms,” a toxic variety known to cause severe poisoning.
The examination of Patterson’s devices, conducted by police on August 5, 2023, uncovered that on May 28, 2022, she visited the iNaturalist website, which documents sightings of various living organisms, including mushrooms. Specifically, the analysis revealed that Patterson viewed a post about death cap mushrooms in Melbourne, indicating she may have researched this lethal fungus prior to the fatal lunch.
Fox-Henry detailed that her browsing history included multiple visits to information about death cap mushrooms and related observations. Furthermore, the devices revealed a Google search for a local pub just minutes after accessing information about the mushrooms.
Patterson maintains her innocence, asserting that the poisoning was unintentional and resulted from a tragic accident. The trial, overseen by Justice Christopher Beale, is ongoing as more evidence is examined.