Mushroom murders and cancer lie: Nine weeks of evidence that gripped a courtroom

 

In a gripping case that shocked Australia, Erin Patterson was convicted of murdering three relatives and attempting to kill another at a deadly lunch in her Leongatha home on July 29, 2023. The amateur forager served beef Wellington laced with toxic death cap mushrooms, killing her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson. Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving guest, awoke from a coma to devastating news.

The Morwell trial revealed Patterson’s calculated deception—she falsely claimed cancer to lure her guests, disposed of evidence like a food dehydrator, and lied about sourcing the mushrooms. Despite her defense of a tragic foraging accident, the jury rejected her claims after nine weeks of damning evidence, including her suspicious phone activity and recovered photos of death cap mushrooms.

With no clear motive, the prosecution argued Patterson’s web of lies—about cancer, mushroom origins, and even a fake surgery booking—proved her guilt. She now faces life in prison, with sentencing pending. Read more>>