Jury retires to deliberate in Australia's mushroom killer case
3 Min Read
As deliberations begin, the jury must determine whether Erin Patterson intentionally served deadly mushrooms to her family or if the incident was a tragic accident.
-
Erin Patterson, the woman accused of serving her ex-husband’s family poisonous mushrooms, is photographed in Melbourne, Australia, on April 15, 2025. (James Ross/AAP Image via AP)
The jury in one of Australia's most closely watched criminal cases has retired to consider the fate of Erin Patterson, the 50-year-old woman accused of fatally poisoning three relatives during a family lunch in Leongatha, Victoria.
After a nine-week trial that drew significant public attention, Judge Christopher Beale instructed the 12-member jury on Monday to base their verdict strictly on the evidence presented in court. "You must decide whether any of her statements were untrue," the judge said. "You should consider all of the evidence in the case and draw reasonable conclusions based only on the evidence you accept. Do not guess."
Patterson is charged with the alleged murders of her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and her estranged husband’s aunt, Heather Wilkinson. She also faces an attempted murder charge in connection with Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, a local Baptist pastor who survived after prolonged hospitalization.
The incident occurred in July 2023, when Patterson hosted a meal at her home. According to the prosecution, she served beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms, known to be among the world’s most toxic fungi. The dish was reportedly prepared in individual portions.
Prosecutors allege that Patterson intentionally added the poisonous mushrooms to the meal while deliberately avoiding consumption herself. They argue she later feigned illness to deflect suspicion. Evidence was presented showing that a food dehydrator containing mushroom residue had been discarded at a local waste site. Patterson had initially denied owning such a device.
Defense argues panic and misunderstanding
Maintaining her innocence, Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Her defense team argues that the poisonings were unintentional and that she was overwhelmed and panicked in the aftermath, which led her to mislead investigators. Her lawyer, Colin Mandy, stated, "She never intended to kill or harm anyone," characterizing the case as a "terrible accident."
He also suggested that her own limited consumption of the dish and history of disordered eating might explain why she did not suffer the same level of illness.
Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, chose not to attend the lunch at the last minute, reportedly due to discomfort. Within days, his parents and aunt died from organ failure.
The jury, initially composed of 14 members, was reduced to 12 prior to the start of deliberations in Morwell, southeast of Melbourne. They have been sequestered and must reach unanimous decisions on each of the four charges.
The case remains under intense public scrutiny as the nation awaits a verdict.
Read more: Aussie woman guilty of killing husband laced vegetable soup with pills
