What was thought to be a family lunch soon transpired into something much more sinister, leaving three out of the five people around the dinner table dead. Erin Patterson has been accused of triple murder after cooking for her ex-husband’s family, with her suspected of allegedly lacing the meal with poison, according to NBC News.
Patterson, 50, had invited her ex-husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, for lunch at her house in Leongatha, Australia, alongside Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, and Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, 68, on July 29, 2023. According to authorities, Erin had served a beef Wellington that is believed to have contained poisonous mushrooms. The meal tragically left her ex’s family members dead.
As reported by News.com.au. Don, Gail and Heather were hospitalised and died within days of the lunch, while Ian recovered weeks later. Mr Wilkinson spent almost two months being treated in the Austin Hospital, including time spent in a coma.
Patterson is also alleged to have tried to kill her ex-husband Simon Patterson, who had been invited but didn’t join. According to reports, Erin had alleged to poison Simon on three separate occasions in 2021 and 2022.
According to a statement previously shared by Victoria Police, the ex-wife has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder, but she denies any sort of wrongdoing. At the time, following the third death, Erin had told Associated Press: “I’m devastated. I loved them. I can’t believe that this has happened and I’m so sorry.”
CBS News reported that police said the victims consumed Amanita phalloides – otherwise known as death cap – which are among the most lethal mushrooms for humans. At a press conference after the deaths in 2023, authorities said there were also two children at lunch, but they didn’t fall ill, and they believed the kids were given a separate meal from the adults.
Patterson declined to answer questions about what meals were served to which guests or the origin of the mushrooms. She pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and the attempted murder charge in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court in May 2024 and is due to face trial later this year.
On April 15, the accused was photographed for the first time since she was charged over the fatal lunch. The 50-year-old was taken to the Victorian Supreme Court complex on Tuesday, on the day of a hearing, and was seen wearing a green jumper, black trousers and black sandals.
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