A jury has retired to consider its verdict in one of Australia’s most closely watched murder trials, where a woman is accused of serving a fatal mushroom lunch to her relatives.
Erin Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder after a beef Wellington meal she prepared at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023 allegedly resulted in the deaths of three family members and left a fourth critically ill.
Prosecutors claim Patterson deliberately used death cap mushrooms—among the world’s deadliest fungi—and later tried to cover up her actions by lying to police, faking illness, and destroying evidence, including a food dehydrator used in preparing the meal.
The victims were Patterson’s former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66. Heather’s husband, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, was the only survivor after spending weeks in a coma. Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, had been invited to the lunch but did not attend.
Justice Christopher Beale gave final instructions to the jury on Monday, summing up nearly two months of evidence and testimony from over 50 witnesses, including Ms Patterson herself. A ballot reduced the 14-member panel to the final 12 jurors who will now decide the case.
Prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC accused Patterson of creating a web of lies, including faking a cancer diagnosis to lure her guests to the lunch and misleading authorities about mushroom foraging. “She has told lies upon lies because she knew the truth would implicate her,” Rogers said.
While the prosecution acknowledged a clear motive was not established, they argued the pattern of deception pointed to guilt.
The defence, however, insisted the tragedy was an accident. Patterson testified that she mistakenly mixed store-bought and possibly foraged mushrooms from her pantry and denied any intent to harm her relatives. She said she loved her in-laws and was devastated by their deaths.
Her lawyers argued that her lies were due to panic and shame—particularly around her history of bulimia and plans for weight-loss surgery, which she initially concealed under the pretense of cancer. The defence maintained she was not on trial for dishonesty, but for murder, and urged the jury not to confuse the two.
“This is not a court of moral judgment,” defence lawyer Colin Mandy SC told the jury. He accused prosecutors of twisting evidence to fit their narrative and ignoring plausible alternative explanations.
Justice Beale reminded jurors that while they may feel sympathy for the families involved, their verdict must be based solely on the facts. “There are all sorts of reasons why a person might behave in a way that makes them look guilty,” he said, cautioning that lies alone do not prove criminal intent.
The jury has now been sequestered—isolated from the public—until they reach a decision in a case that has captivated national and international attention.
