Erin Patterson Guilty in Mushroom Poisoning Murders

Erin Patterson, a 50-year-old Australian woman, has been found guilty of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives and attempting to murder a fourth by serving them beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms during a July 2023 lunch in Leongatha, Victoria. The victims—her former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson—died in hospital, while Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson survived. Patterson pleaded not guilty and claimed the incident was accidental, suggesting she may have inadvertently included foraged mushrooms. Prosecutors countered with evidence that she served herself uncontaminated food, lied about the mushrooms, fabricated a cancer diagnosis to lure the victims, and kept books on poisonous mushrooms. The widely publicized trial lasted 10 weeks and received both national and international attention. Patterson faces a potential life sentence, with sentencing to be determined.