Erin Patterson was found guilty in July 2025 of murdering her mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, father-in-law Don Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson by poisoning them with death cap mushrooms in a beef Wellington dish. The deadly meal was served at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, during a family lunch in July 2023. Patterson was also convicted of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the attack.
After a suppression order was lifted, new evidence emerged revealing that Patterson tried on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2022 to poison her estranged husband, Simon Patterson. During a 2022 camping trip, Simon fell gravely ill after eating a chicken korma prepared by Erin. His symptoms escalated from nausea and vomiting to a coma, requiring surgery to remove part of his bowel. Simon later testified he believed the poisoning was deliberate. Additional claims include attempts to poison him with pasta and sandwich wraps.
Patterson maintained she accidentally poisoned her in-laws. The evidence strongly suggested premeditation. Justice Christopher Beale, overseeing the case in the Supreme Court, allowed previously withheld allegations to be made public, emphasising the need for transparency in delivering justice.
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The tragic family meal, which began with warmth and prayer, ended in death and suspicion. Erin Patterson is scheduled to appear for sentencing on August 25, 2025. After sentencing, her legal team will have 28 days to challenge both the conviction and the sentence.