An Australian mother of two is facing trial for the shocking deaths of three family members, who prosecutors say were killed after she served them a dish laced with deadly mushrooms. Testimony presented in court this week has added new layers to the already bizarre and tragic case.
Allegations of Deadly Dinner
Erin Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering her former in-laws — Gail Patterson, Donald Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson — in July 2023 by serving them beef Wellington containing toxic death cap mushrooms. Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, survived but became seriously ill.
According to prosecutors, Patterson cooked the meal and served it during a lunch gathering at her home. Each of the victims reportedly ate individual portions from large grey dinner plates, while Patterson ate from a separate, smaller plate — a detail that investigators say raises suspicions.
Facebook Posts Raise Red Flags
In court on Monday, Patterson’s former Facebook friends testified that she bragged online about mixing powdered mushrooms into food without anyone knowing. In one message to a group focused on crime stories, she allegedly wrote:
“I’ve been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything. Mixed it into chocolate brownies yesterday, the kids had no idea.”
The women — Christine Hunt, Daniela Barkley, and Jenny Hay — were all part of a true crime group with Patterson. They claimed she often posted pictures of her home-cooked meals and kitchen setup, including a food dehydrator used for mushrooms.
Patterson previously denied owning a dehydrator, but police found one linked to her at a nearby rubbish dump — and it reportedly contained traces of death cap mushrooms.
Online Group and Personal Grievances
Testifying under oath, the women also said Patterson frequently asked for cooking tips, even once seeking advice from Hay on how to prepare beef Wellington without it becoming soggy. They also shared that Patterson regularly complained about her estranged husband Simon, calling him “controlling” and criticizing his family’s strong religious beliefs.
Hunt described Patterson as “a really good researcher” and a “super sleuth,” which further concerned the court given the alleged planning behind the meal.
Denial of Wrongdoing
Despite the serious accusations, Patterson has denied intentionally poisoning the food. Her defense lawyer argued that the deaths were a “terrible accident,” and that she never meant to harm anyone. The defense also denied claims that Patterson faked a cancer diagnosis to trick the victims into visiting her home for the meal.
The trial continues, with more evidence expected to be presented in the coming weeks.