Woman accused of killing 3 with toxic mushroom-laced meal heads to trial

The case made international headlines, much to do with the sensational nature of the lunchtime meal Erin Patterson allegedly cooked for her relatives.

An Australian woman accused of cooking and serving her ex-husband’s family a deadly meal featuring poisonous mushrooms is facing trial this week.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with three murders — both of her parents-in-law and an aunt — and one attempted murder of an uncle.

The case made international headlines, much to do with the sensational nature of the lunchtime meal the suspect allegedly cooked for her ex-husband’s relatives: a fatal beef Wellington. Australian police believe Erin served her guests the dish made with wild Amanita phalloides, also called death cap mushrooms, in July 2023.

Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died after consuming the meal allegedly made by the accused in her home in the rural town of Leongatha. Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived but was badly poisoned. He spent seven weeks recovering in hospital after eating the food.

Erin’s ex-husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited to the lunch but declined. Authorities said the symptoms exhibited by all four of Erin’s lunch guests were consistent with being poisoned by death cap mushrooms.

Erin was named a suspect in the case when police found it suspicious that she wasn’t harmed after eating the meal. She has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

On Tuesday, Justice Christopher Beale told jurors that prosecutors had dropped separate charges against Erin alleging she had also attempted to murder her estranged husband, reports the BBC.

Two weeks before the alleged poisoning, Erin had invited her husband and the four other guests to lunch during a church service at Korumburra Baptist Church, where Ian was the pastor.