An Australian mother has been found guilty of murdering her estranged husband’s parents and an aunt by serving them a meal laced with poisonous mushrooms. Erin Patterson, 50 invited her former in laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70 to lunch 9 July 2023 accompanied by Gail Patterson’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66.
Patterson was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Mrs Wilkinson’s husband Reverend Ian Wilkinson. All four guests fell ill following the lunch the town of Leongatha, which consisted of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans the court was told. Prosecutors had alleged that the mother of two laced the meal with deadly death cap mushrooms, also known as Amanita phalloides.
The court heard how all four became ill after eating their meal off four large grey dinner plates, while Patterson ate hers off a smaller, tan coloured plate.
The prosecutions case alleged that she ate of a visibly different plate in order to ensure that there was no cross contamination.
All four fell ill in the hours following the meal, Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Patterson dying on 4 August 2023 while Mr Patterson succumb to his illness a day later.
Patterson’s estranged husband had initially agreed to attend the lunch but later pulled out. The paid had been separated since 2015.
Reverend Wilkinson said that immediately after the meal, Patterson told the group that she had been diagnosed with cancer, suggesting that she had invited them in order to get their advice on the best way to tell her children.
The defence did not dispute the Reverand’s claims.
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