A Supreme Court jury has found 50-year-old Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three of her relatives by intentionally serving them a beef Wellington meal laced with deadly death cap mushrooms.
The incident occurred in 2023 during a lunch at her Leongatha home. Patterson’s former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, all died after consuming the meal. Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived but spent weeks in hospital in critical condition.
Patterson had denied the charges, claiming the mushrooms were included by accident. However, the jury in Morwell rejected her defence, convicting her on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Patterson showed no visible reaction as the verdict was delivered in court.
Source: ABC News