Mushroom murders

This week marked the conclusion of the “mushroom murder case,” a tragic and highly publicised 2023 mushroom poisoning. On 29 July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha for her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson. She served beef Wellington, which contained death cap mushrooms, a highly toxic species. The next day, all four guests were hospitalised with symptoms of poisoning. Don, Gail, and Heather died within days. Ian Wilkinson survived after a liver transplant.

Erin Patterson was arrested and charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She was initially also charged with three counts of attempted murder of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, but those charges were dropped before the trial started. During the trial, Patterson claimed the incident was a terrible accident, saying she had foraged mushrooms and used them in cooking without knowing they were poisonous. Both the prosecution and defence presented strong arguments regarding the murders. Ultimately, the jury convicted her on all murder counts this week.

The case captivated many people, including me, and as a podcast jurist, I suspected she might have been found not guilty. However, the prosecution’s case was enough for the jury to find her guilty. I guess this won’t be the last time I hear of this case. Erin Patterson is likely to appeal her conviction.