In Wellington, New Zealand, an Australian woman named Erin Patterson is facing serious accusations involving the deaths of three of her estranged husband’s relatives due to suspected poisoning from a lunch she served. During a court session on Tuesday, Patterson acknowledged that the meal, a beef Wellington, contained deadly mushrooms, known as death caps. Nonetheless, she maintains that most of the mushrooms were purchased from local grocery stores and denies charges of three counts of murder and one charge of attempted murder linked to the unfortunate meal shared in July 2023.
The tragic lunch took place at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, a rural locality in Victoria, Australia, resulting in the hospitalization and subsequent deaths of Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson. Only Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived, although he was gravely ill. According to Patterson, her actions were not intentional, and she emphasized the use of store-bought mushrooms. Her lawyer argues that the event was a heartbreaking accident, while the prosecution insists the poisoning was intentional. If Patterson is found guilty, she could face a life sentence for the murders and up to 25 years for attempted murder.
Patterson appeared in court, marking her first public appearance concerning the incidents. She explained her passion for foraging, which began during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, an activity done in the presence of her children. “I sampled a piece, fried it with butter, and found it enjoyable without falling ill,” she recounted. In fact, foraged mushrooms had been ingested by her children, minced finely to remain unnoticeable in their meals.
Her venture into mushroom foraging led Patterson to explore exotic species, engage with a ‘mushroom lovers’ Facebook group, and utilize a dehydrator for preservation. Upon questioning by Colin Mandy SC, her lawyer, Patterson acknowledged that the beef Wellington contained death caps. During the testimony, she suggested the possibility of mixing store-bought mushrooms with dehydrated wild fungi and supplies from an Asian market, which might have occurred inadvertently.
The defense previously admitted that Patterson initially misled investigators regarding her foraging history but denied any deliberate attempt to procure death caps. The court was informed of her impulsive disposal of the dehydrator, revealing her panic over the accidental deaths.
In an emotional revelation on Tuesday, Patterson expressed regret over sharing disparaging messages about her in-laws on Facebook in late 2022, describing the online chat as a place for women to vent safely. She admitted to feeling ashamed and sorry that the family had to learn of her comments during the trial. These messages were sent out of frustration and conveyed her feelings about a dispute involving school fees with her estranged husband, Simon Patterson.
Simon, although officially separated from Erin since 2015, was invited to the ill-fated July 2023 luncheon but did not attend. Despite the separation, Erin expressed a lingering closeness with her husband’s family, as she hoped for a reconciliation with Simon. She conveyed through tears that her bond with the family remained strong, affirming their love for her as a daughter-in-law.
Prosecutors have presented a detailed case over several weeks, with evidence encompassing the final words of the lunch guests. Heather Wilkinson reportedly noted that Patterson ate from a plate of a different color than the others, hinting at a deliberate act. Prosecutors assert that Patterson lied about eating the same meal as her guests and feeding leftovers to her children. The court case is ongoing, and Patterson is scheduled to provide further testimony, with cross-examination by prosecutors to follow.