Erin Patterson, a 50-year-old Australian woman, is currently standing trial in Morwell, Victoria, accused of murdering three of her former in-laws by serving them a beef Wellington laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms in July 2023. The deadly meal claimed the lives of Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, while Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of hospitalization.
The trial, which began earlier this year and is expected to last six weeks, has seen Patterson give detailed testimony about her fascination with mushrooms, her strained family relationships, and her personal struggles. On June 3, 2025, Patterson broke down in tears on the witness stand, revealing a complex and emotional picture of the events leading up to the tragic lunch.
Patterson testified that her interest in wild mushrooms began during the Covid-19 lockdowns in early 2020. She described how she and her children would go for walks in the Korumburra Botanic Gardens to escape screen time, where she first noticed wild mushrooms growing. "The first time I noticed them I remember because the dog was eating some and I picked all the mushrooms that I could see because I wanted to try to figure out what they were to see if that might be a problem for him," she recounted.
She spent months learning to identify edible mushroom species such as field and horse mushrooms, carefully testing small amounts by frying them in butter before consuming them. Patterson said, "They tasted good and I didn't get sick." She also frequented Asian grocery stores in Mount Waverley and Oakleigh to buy dried mushrooms, which she preferred for their richer flavor in dishes like curries, pasta, and soups.
Her passion for mushrooms extended to foraging on her three-acre Korumburra property, where she felt confident enough to pick wild mushrooms and incorporate them into meals for her family. She even admitted to sprinkling dried mushrooms into her children's food. "They taste good and they're very healthy," she said, adding that exotic mushrooms often have "more interesting" flavors.
Despite this enthusiasm, prosecutors allege that Patterson knowingly served death cap mushrooms—a notoriously deadly fungus that causes organ failure—in the beef Wellington she prepared for the family lunch. The victims' symptoms aligned with death cap poisoning, and the prosecution contends Patterson was aware of the danger.
During her testimony, Patterson acknowledged the presence of death cap mushrooms in the meal, stating, "I do believe there were death cap mushrooms in the beef Wellington lunch I served my in-laws." She returned to the stand for her second day of evidence on June 3, 2025, as a defence witness.
The trial has also shed light on Patterson's complicated personal life. She described multiple separations from her estranged husband, Simon, including a formal separation in 2015, after which they divided their assets amicably without lawyers. Despite the separation, Patterson continued attending family events, and she said her relationship with Don and Gail Patterson remained loving. "I was just their daughter-in-law … they just continued to love me," she told the court, her voice breaking.
However, tensions escalated by late 2022, particularly over financial matters such as school fees and child support. Patterson admitted to venting frustration in private messages to friends, calling the Patterson family a "lost cause" and saying, "so f** 'em." She expressed deep regret for these remarks, telling the court, "I wish I'd never said it. I feel ashamed for saying it and I wish that the family didn't have to hear that I said that. They didn't deserve it."
Patterson also acknowledged involving Don and Gail Patterson in financial disputes, a decision she admitted was unfair. "They were doing nothing but trying to support us," she said. "I was asking them to agree with me that I was right and Simon was wrong, and that wasn't fair." Despite these difficulties, she appreciated the extended family's ongoing support and efforts to mediate past issues.
Her testimony further revealed struggles with her health and self-esteem. Patterson told the court she had battled low self-esteem for most of her adult life and suffered from body image issues since childhood. She described episodes of bulimia and binge eating through her twenties, and admitted to being visibly emotional while recounting these experiences.
Additionally, Patterson spoke about her loss of faith in the health system, particularly after incidents involving her children. She recalled how medical professionals dismissed her concerns about her newborn daughter's prolonged crying, leading to heightened anxiety about her children's health. She said, "I didn't like hospitals before it, like who does, but I didn't trust that these people knew what they were doing, and I was just in a heightened state of anxiety ever after about my daughter's health. I don't want to lose her."
Throughout the trial, the court heard that Patterson had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which was cited as the reason she invited her in-laws to the fatal lunch. However, Patterson denied ever having ovarian cancer. Instead, she described experiencing chronic headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, sudden weight gain, and fluid retention. She often researched her symptoms online, fearing serious illnesses such as brain tumors or multiple sclerosis. "I think I wasted a lot of time, not just my time, but medical people's time, through all my 'doctor Googling'," she said. "It's hard to justify it but with the benefit of hindsight I can see that … I just lost so much faith in the medical system that I decided that anything to do with my health and the children's health [I'll sort myself]."
Patterson's emotional state leading up to the lunch was also under scrutiny. She described feeling increasingly distant from her in-laws and concerned that Simon did not want her involved with the family. She said, "We saw each other less. I'd come to have concerns that Simon was not wanting me to be involved too much with the family anymore." She also discussed communication struggles with Simon, saying, "We couldn't communicate well when we disagreed about something. We would just feel hurt and not know how to resolve it."
Notably, Simon Patterson did not attend the July 2023 lunch, reportedly due to discomfort about the gathering. Ian Wilkinson was the only guest who survived the meal, enduring weeks of hospitalization. Mrs Wilkinson's husband Ian survived, while Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died shortly after consuming the meal.
Adding a curious layer to the case, court testimony revealed that Patterson had engaged with a true crime Facebook group for years, where she posted about mushrooms and cooking. Fellow group member Christine Hunt described Patterson as a "bit of a super sleuth." Some of Patterson's posts were shown in court, including photos of a mushroom dehydrator she had purchased and messages revealing she had been "hiding powdered mushrooms in everything," even mixing them into chocolate brownies without her children's knowledge. Another member, Daniela Barkley, testified that Patterson sought advice on cooking beef Wellington shortly before the fatal meal.
The prosecution argues that Patterson's knowledge of mushrooms and her online activity suggest intent, while the defense maintains that the poisoning was unintentional, pointing to her passion for mushrooms and the challenges in identifying toxic varieties.
As the trial continues, the court awaits further testimony and evidence to determine the truth behind the tragic deaths that have rocked this Victorian community.
