Erin Patterson, the woman behind one of Australia’s most shocking domestic crimes, has been found guilty of murder after serving a poisoned Beef Wellington at a family lunch.
The verdict was delivered on July 7, 2025, following a 10-week trial in Victoria’s Supreme Court. The case, dubbed the “Mushroom Murders,” captivated the country for nearly two years. The court has not yet set a specific date for Patterson’s sentencing. She faces life in prison.
A family lunch turns deadly
As the jury learned, on July 29, 2023, Patterson invited her former in-laws—Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, Heather Wilkinson, 66, and Ian Wilkinson, 70—for lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. Patterson’s ex-husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited but did not attend.
After the meal, all four guests became violently ill. Within days, Don, Gail, and Heather were dead. Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks in intensive care and a liver transplant. Forensic testing later confirmed that the Beef Wellington served that day contained death cap mushrooms, which are among the deadliest fungi in the world.
Evidence of intentional poisoning
In court, prosecutors presented damning evidence that Patterson had deliberately added the mushrooms to the dish. Photos found on her iPad showed her weighing the mushrooms beforehand. A food dehydrator—initially denied, later recovered at a landfill—contained her fingerprints and traces of the same toxin found in the victims.
Tests confirmed the presence of alpha-amanitin, a lethal compound found in death caps. Patterson’s two children, who also attended the lunch, were given separate, non-poisoned portions.
According to ABC News Australia, prosecutors said Patterson had “planned this attack over time” and called it a calculated act of revenge tied to her bitter separation from Simon Patterson.
Patterson’s defense falls flat
Patterson insisted the poisonings were a tragic accident. She claimed she had bought the mushrooms at an Asian grocery store and that she also became ill after eating the meal.
But the jury didn’t buy it. Patterson’s actions before and after the lunch—including misleading doctors, lying to police, and trying to wipe data from her phone—were presented as part of a deliberate cover-up.
One of the most chilling moments came when the court learned Patterson told a friend she had invented a fake cancer diagnosis to get sympathy from her ex-husband’s family.
Guilty on all counts
After six days of deliberation, the jury found Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She showed no visible emotion as the verdicts were read.
Justice Christopher Beale will sentence her later this month. Patterson faces life in prison, with a likely non-parole period of more than 30 years, according to Reuters.
The case has shocked Australians not just for its brutality, but for the betrayal it revealed: a deadly act hidden inside a home-cooked meal. As the families grieve and the public awaits sentencing, the question remains—what truly motivated Erin Patterson to turn lunch into murder?
Published: Jul 8, 2025 05:40 am