Week one of the alleged mushroom killings trial is over

The first week of the murder trial of a woman accused of killing three people by serving them poisonous mushrooms is wrapping up.

Erin Patterson was charged with murder after three people died following a meal at her home in July 2023.

This week, the Supreme Court of Victoria has heard opening statements from both the defence and the prosecution, and evidence from Patterson’s estranged husband Simon.

Patterson maintains her innocence and has pleaded not guilty.

Poisoning

In July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted her in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and her husband’s aunt and uncle, Heather and Ian Wilkinson, for lunch.

Patterson served individual beef Wellingtons, which she said contained dried mushrooms. Following the meal, all four guests became critically ill. Don, Gail, and Heather died, while Ian spent several weeks in hospital.

In November 2023, Patterson was charged with murder and attempted murder.

Husband

The first witness to give evidence in the trial was Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband. The pair married in 2007 and share two children.

Simon told the court the couple had separated several times, eventually splitting long-term in 2015. However, he said, they never divorced.

Simon described their relationship after the separation as amicable, but that it deteriorated following a dispute over child support in late 2022.

Following this, he said their contact was limited to co-parenting responsibilities and visits to the church where his uncle, Ian Wilkinson, is pastor.

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Simon told the court he had been invited to the July 2023 lunch, but cancelled the night before via text.

In text messages shown to the court, Erin told Simon she wanted to have an important conversation with him and his relatives about her health.

She said his cancellation was “really disappointing,” noting she had spent “many hours” and “a small fortune” preparing a “special meal”.

The plates

Heather, Ian, Gail, and Don fell ill around 12 hours after the lunch.

Simon gave evidence that he visited both couples the following morning, and his aunt Heather commented on the plates Erin used.

Heather told Simon that Erin served herself on an orange plate, and served her guests their meals on grey plates.

When he was cross-examined by the defence, Simon said it was “fair” to assume the mismatch was due to the fact that Erin “had a bunch of ceramic plates... that weren’t all the same.”