An Australian court on Monday (September 8) sentenced Erin Patterson, 50, to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 33 years, following her conviction for killing three people by serving them a poisonous mushroom meal. Patterson was found guilty in July of murdering her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, during a 2023 family lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. She was also convicted of attempting to kill Heather’s husband, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the meal.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hamas-responds-to-trump-s-last-warning-over-gaza-hostage-deal-says-1757293132110">Hamas responds to Trump's 'last warning' over Gaza hostage deal, says...</a>&nbsp;The highly publicised trial drew global attention, attracting podcasters, documentary makers, and curious onlookers to the rural Morwell courthouse. The case became infamous as the “mushroom murders,” yet Patterson’s motive has never been established. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale delivered the sentence in Melbourne, condemning Patterson for showing no remorse. “Your actions inflicted unimaginable suffering. Your lack of contrition only deepens the pain of those left behind,” he told the court.&nbsp;While imposing the maximum sentence, Justice Beale ruled she would be eligible for parole at age 83. Patterson’s lawyers had argued that she should be considered for release after 30 years, citing the notoriety of the case and the likelihood she would remain in protective custody. She has 28 days to appeal the verdict and the sentence. On the day of sentencing, Patterson appeared in court wearing a patterned paisley shirt, her hair tied back, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-mumbai-man-celebrates-father-s-mba-achievement-at-52-with-surprise-party-video-wins-hearts-on-social-media-1757248676327">WATCH - Mumbai man celebrates father’s MBA achievement at 52 with surprise party, video wins hearts on social media</a>&nbsp;Outside court, Pastor Wilkinson expressed gratitude for the support his family had received, while asking for privacy. “Be kind to one another,” he said quietly. “We are still grieving and trying to heal.” Jurors had been told that Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, was invited to the lunch but withdrew at the last moment, telling her via text message that he felt uneasy about attending. At the time, the couple’s relationship was strained due to disputes over child support.&nbsp;Patterson claimed throughout the trial that the beef Wellington she served had been unintentionally contaminated with death cap mushrooms — one of the most poisonous fungi in the world, known for its deceptive resemblance to edible varieties and sweet flavor masking its deadly toxins. During emotional victim impact statements, relatives described the enduring devastation. Wilkinson, who survived but lost his wife, said he feels “half alive” without her. “The silence in our home is a constant reminder of what I’ve lost,” he said. “I carry a heavy weight of grief every day.”

Australia’s ‘mushroom murders’: Erin Patterson sentenced to life in prison

An Australian court on Monday (September 8) sentenced Erin Patterson, 50, to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 33 years, following her conviction for killing three people by serving them a poisonous mushroom meal. Patterson was found guilty in July of murdering her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, during a 2023 family lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. She was also convicted of attempting to kill Heather’s husband, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the meal. Also Read: Hamas responds to Trump's 'last warning' over Gaza hostage deal, says... The highly publicised trial drew global attention, attracting podcasters, documentary makers, and curious onlookers to the rural Morwell courthouse. The case became infamous as the “mushroom murders,” yet Patterson’s motive has never been established. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale delivered the sentence in Melbourne, condemning Patterson for showing no remorse. “Your actions inflicted unimaginable suffering. Your lack of contrition only deepens the pain of those left behind,” he told the court. While imposing the maximum sentence, Justice Beale ruled she would be eligible for parole at age 83. Patterson’s lawyers had argued that she should be considered for release after 30 years, citing the notoriety of the case and the likelihood she would remain in protective custody. She has 28 days to appeal the verdict and the sentence. On the day of sentencing, Patterson appeared in court wearing a patterned paisley shirt, her hair tied back, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Also Read: WATCH - Mumbai man celebrates father’s MBA achievement at 52 with surprise party, video wins hearts on social media Outside court, Pastor Wilkinson expressed gratitude for the support his family had received, while asking for privacy. “Be kind to one another,” he said quietly. “We are still grieving and trying to heal.” Jurors had been told that Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, was invited to the lunch but withdrew at the last moment, telling her via text message that he felt uneasy about attending. At the time, the couple’s relationship was strained due to disputes over child support. Patterson claimed throughout the trial that the beef Wellington she served had been unintentionally contaminated with death cap mushrooms — one of the most poisonous fungi in the world, known for its deceptive resemblance to edible varieties and sweet flavor masking its deadly toxins. During emotional victim impact statements, relatives described the enduring devastation. Wilkinson, who survived but lost his wife, said he feels “half alive” without her. “The silence in our home is a constant reminder of what I’ve lost,” he said. “I carry a heavy weight of grief every day.”

Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life with parole after 33 years for the fatal ‘mushroom murders’ in Victoria that killed three and left one survivor

As the investigation continues in the Australian mushroom murders, it has revealed that Erin Patterson, who killed her in-laws, also tried to poison her husband earlier with chicken korma curry. The 50-year-old mother of two poisoned her relatives by serving them home-cooked beef wellingtons laced with toxic mushrooms that killed three.&nbsp;In July 2023, Patterson served the poisonous dish to her estranged husband’s elderly parents, Gail and Donald Patterson, his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, and his uncle, Ian Wilkinson. The dish contained death cap mushrooms, the most lethal fungus in the world, which killed three of her guests.&nbsp;Now, the police have revealed new information that between 2021 and 2022, Patterson tried to kill her husband in three instances by serving him poisoned pasta bolognese, chicken korma curry and a vegetable wrap. These accusations, which were earlier withheld from the jury to give her a fair trial, came to light on Friday (Aug 8) after the Supreme Court rejected an application to keep the allegations suppressed.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-are-australia-mushroom-murders-woman-found-guilty-for-killing-in-laws-1751866797946">What are Australia mushroom murders? Woman found guilty of killing</a> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-are-australia-mushroom-murders-woman-found-guilty-for-killing-in-laws-1751866797946">in-laws</a>&nbsp;In a pre-trial hearing last October, Patterson’s husband, Simon, revealed that he fell ill after eating a mild chicken korma served by her during a camping trip in 2022. “At first I felt hot, especially in my head, and that led to feeling nauseous and then that led to me quite suddenly needing to vomit,” he said.&nbsp;He later fell into a coma and underwent surgery to remove a section of his bowel. Simon later told doctor Christopher Ford that he suspected he was deliberately poisoned by Patterson.&nbsp;He also became worried after she offered him a batch of homemade cookies. “Simon was apprehensive about eating the cookies, as he felt they may be poisoned,” Ford said. “He reported to me that while they were away, Erin called several times and enquired about whether he had eaten any of the cookies.”&nbsp;The charges were dropped by the prosecutors at the beginning of Patterson’s trial, and the media were restricted from reporting on details.&nbsp;Last month, a 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, finding Patterson guilty of murder and attempted murder of her husband’s relatives. The 50-year-old mother of two is facing life in prison, and her sentencing is awaited. The shocking case had drawn global attention as the mysterious case unravelled.&nbsp;Patterson had claimed she had poisoned the dish served to her in-laws unintentionally. On the other hand, the evidence suggested otherwise. She is expected to be sentenced on August 25, when she will appear before the court. Following this, her legal team will have 28 days to challenge her conviction and sentencing. &nbsp;Watch | Australia’s reef in crisis, climate blamed&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-s-reef-in-crisis-climate-blamed-1754473443215/embed &nbsp;

New information into the infamous Australia murder case reveals Erin Patterson tried to kill her husband by serving him poisoned food on three instances.

As the investigation continues in the Australian mushroom murders, it has revealed that Erin Patterson, who killed her in-laws, also tried to poison her husband earlier with chicken korma curry. The 50-year-old mother of two poisoned her relatives by serving them home-cooked beef wellingtons laced with toxic mushrooms that killed three. In July 2023, Patterson served the poisonous dish to her estranged husband’s elderly parents, Gail and Donald Patterson, his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, and his uncle, Ian Wilkinson. The dish contained death cap mushrooms, the most lethal fungus in the world, which killed three of her guests. Now, the police have revealed new information that between 2021 and 2022, Patterson tried to kill her husband in three instances by serving him poisoned pasta bolognese, chicken korma curry and a vegetable wrap. These accusations, which were earlier withheld from the jury to give her a fair trial, came to light on Friday (Aug 8) after the Supreme Court rejected an application to keep the allegations suppressed. Also read | What are Australia mushroom murders? Woman found guilty of killing in-laws In a pre-trial hearing last October, Patterson’s husband, Simon, revealed that he fell ill after eating a mild chicken korma served by her during a camping trip in 2022. “At first I felt hot, especially in my head, and that led to feeling nauseous and then that led to me quite suddenly needing to vomit,” he said. He later fell into a coma and underwent surgery to remove a section of his bowel. Simon later told doctor Christopher Ford that he suspected he was deliberately poisoned by Patterson. He also became worried after she offered him a batch of homemade cookies. “Simon was apprehensive about eating the cookies, as he felt they may be poisoned,” Ford said. “He reported to me that while they were away, Erin called several times and enquired about whether he had eaten any of the cookies.” The charges were dropped by the prosecutors at the beginning of Patterson’s trial, and the media were restricted from reporting on details. Last month, a 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, finding Patterson guilty of murder and attempted murder of her husband’s relatives. The 50-year-old mother of two is facing life in prison, and her sentencing is awaited. The shocking case had drawn global attention as the mysterious case unravelled. Patterson had claimed she had poisoned the dish served to her in-laws unintentionally. On the other hand, the evidence suggested otherwise. She is expected to be sentenced on August 25, when she will appear before the court. Following this, her legal team will have 28 days to challenge her conviction and sentencing. Watch | Australia’s reef in crisis, climate blamed https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-s-reef-in-crisis-climate-blamed-1754473443215/embed

New information into the infamous Australia murder case reveals Erin Patterson tried to kill her husband by serving him poisoned food on three instances.

Served poisoned chicken korma to husband before killing in-laws: New claims emerge in Australian mushroom murder case

An Australian woman was found guilty of murder and attempted murder of her husband’s relatives, three of whom died after consuming the meal prepared by her. A 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, nearly two years after Erin Patterson served home-cooked beef wellingtons, which contained the toxic mushrooms, to the four guests at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023. The 50-year-old mother of two is facing life in prison and will be sentenced later.&nbsp;The shocking event had drawn attention, as the world watched the trial of the mysterious case. During the long trials, which included over 50 witnesses and eight days of Patterson’s testimony, the case witnessed several twists and turns. Meanwhile, the jury was faced with the main question: Did Patterson knowingly lace the dish with the toxic mushrooms with the intention to kill her in-laws?&nbsp;<h2>What happened at lunch?</h2>&nbsp;In July 2023, Patterson hosted her estranged husband’s elderly parents, Gail and Donald Patterson, his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, and his uncle, Ian Wilkinson. She served her guests homemade beef Wellington, a steak dish wrapped in pastry, usually with a paste of finely chopped mushrooms. Her husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited to the gathering, but declined because he felt “uncomfortable”.&nbsp;While she admitted that the mushroom paste contained death cap mushrooms, the most lethal fungus in the world, she maintained that the dish was accidentally poisoned.&nbsp;The following day, all four guests suffered gastrointestinal symptoms and were hospitalised. Later that week, three of them died from altered liver function and multiple organ failure due to Amanita mushroom poisoning. The sole survivor, who spent weeks in intensive care, testified against Erin Patterson at the Victoria state Supreme Court.&nbsp;<h2>Fake medical issue</h2>&nbsp;Patterson had told them that she wanted to discuss her medical issues and whether to tell her kids. In his testimony, Wilkinson said that Patterson told them that she had been diagnosed with cancer. The prosecution accused Patterson of lying, claiming her medical records did not show any such diagnosis. Later, Patterson admitted lying from the stand, saying she was too embarrassed to tell them she was considering a weight loss surgery.&nbsp;<h2>‘Serious toxin syndrome’</h2>&nbsp;Wilkinson and his wife also noted that while Patterson served her guests their own individual portions of the dish, her plate was of a different size and colour than the rest. The couple were admitted to the hospital after having dozens of episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea. Following suspicion, toxicologists determined that their symptoms indicated “serious toxin syndrome caused by ingestion of amanita phalloides mushrooms.”Their condition deteriorated, after which Heather Wilkinson and Gail Patterson died on August 4, and Donald Patterson died the following day. Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor, was extubated on August 14. He was discharged to rehabilitation on September 11.&nbsp;<h2>Did Patterson get sick too?</h2>&nbsp;While Patterson said that she experienced diarrhoea for several days following the lunch, there was suspicion that she had even got sick, as prosecutors argued she did not experience any symptoms of mushroom poisoning, citing medical records and testimonies of doctors. &nbsp;Patterson’s lawyers claimed that she had simply not eaten enough of the meal to get as sick as others. Moreover, she suggested that she got sick after eating the cake, which was brought by one of her guests.&nbsp;<h2>A series of lies</h2>&nbsp;Patterson acknowledged that she did not tell authorities of the possibility of death cap mushroom ingestion as her relatives lay in the hospital. Instead, she said that she had used a variety of mushrooms in the dish. When asked by the police, she also denied that she had ever foraged for mushrooms, but later admitted she had lied. She also lied about having a food dehydrator, which she had thrown out of panic following the lunch incident. The police found the appliance, and it had traces of the fatal fungi.&nbsp;The police also seized a computer from her house, which revealed she had browsed a website pinpointing death cap mushrooms spotted a short drive from her house a year before the lunch. Prosecutors also accused Patterson of trying to cover her tracks in other ways, like doing a factory reset of her phone during the investigation. Photos of wild mushrooms being weighed on the dehydrator tray were also found in her camera.&nbsp;<h2>Patterson and her husband</h2>&nbsp;Patterson has been married to her husband, Simon, since 2007. However, following multiple splits and reconciliations, the two separated permanently in 2015. In testimony, the couple spoke about having an amicable relationship, which later deteriorated in 2022 over issues related to child support payments of their two children, of whom they share custody.&nbsp;Prosecutors alleged that Patterson killed her guests on purpose due to financial tensions with her husband. She was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

A 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, nearly two years after Erin Patterson served home-cooked beef wellingtons containing toxic mushrooms to the four guests at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023. 

An Australian woman was found guilty of murder and attempted murder of her husband’s relatives, three of whom died after consuming the meal prepared by her. A 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, nearly two years after Erin Patterson served home-cooked beef wellingtons, which contained the toxic mushrooms, to the four guests at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023. The 50-year-old mother of two is facing life in prison and will be sentenced later. The shocking event had drawn attention, as the world watched the trial of the mysterious case. During the long trials, which included over 50 witnesses and eight days of Patterson’s testimony, the case witnessed several twists and turns. Meanwhile, the jury was faced with the main question: Did Patterson knowingly lace the dish with the toxic mushrooms with the intention to kill her in-laws? What happened at lunch? In July 2023, Patterson hosted her estranged husband’s elderly parents, Gail and Donald Patterson, his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, and his uncle, Ian Wilkinson. She served her guests homemade beef Wellington, a steak dish wrapped in pastry, usually with a paste of finely chopped mushrooms. Her husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited to the gathering, but declined because he felt “uncomfortable”. While she admitted that the mushroom paste contained death cap mushrooms, the most lethal fungus in the world, she maintained that the dish was accidentally poisoned. The following day, all four guests suffered gastrointestinal symptoms and were hospitalised. Later that week, three of them died from altered liver function and multiple organ failure due to Amanita mushroom poisoning. The sole survivor, who spent weeks in intensive care, testified against Erin Patterson at the Victoria state Supreme Court. Fake medical issue Patterson had told them that she wanted to discuss her medical issues and whether to tell her kids. In his testimony, Wilkinson said that Patterson told them that she had been diagnosed with cancer. The prosecution accused Patterson of lying, claiming her medical records did not show any such diagnosis. Later, Patterson admitted lying from the stand, saying she was too embarrassed to tell them she was considering a weight loss surgery. ‘Serious toxin syndrome’ Wilkinson and his wife also noted that while Patterson served her guests their own individual portions of the dish, her plate was of a different size and colour than the rest. The couple were admitted to the hospital after having dozens of episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea. Following suspicion, toxicologists determined that their symptoms indicated “serious toxin syndrome caused by ingestion of amanita phalloides mushrooms.” Their condition deteriorated, after which Heather Wilkinson and Gail Patterson died on August 4, and Donald Patterson died the following day. Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor, was extubated on August 14. He was discharged to rehabilitation on September 11. Did Patterson get sick too? While Patterson said that she experienced diarrhoea for several days following the lunch, there was suspicion that she had even got sick, as prosecutors argued she did not experience any symptoms of mushroom poisoning, citing medical records and testimonies of doctors. Patterson’s lawyers claimed that she had simply not eaten enough of the meal to get as sick as others. Moreover, she suggested that she got sick after eating the cake, which was brought by one of her guests. A series of lies Patterson acknowledged that she did not tell authorities of the possibility of death cap mushroom ingestion as her relatives lay in the hospital. Instead, she said that she had used a variety of mushrooms in the dish. When asked by the police, she also denied that she had ever foraged for mushrooms, but later admitted she had lied. She also lied about having a food dehydrator, which she had thrown out of panic following the lunch incident. The police found the appliance, and it had traces of the fatal fungi. The police also seized a computer from her house, which revealed she had browsed a website pinpointing death cap mushrooms spotted a short drive from her house a year before the lunch. Prosecutors also accused Patterson of trying to cover her tracks in other ways, like doing a factory reset of her phone during the investigation. Photos of wild mushrooms being weighed on the dehydrator tray were also found in her camera. Patterson and her husband Patterson has been married to her husband, Simon, since 2007. However, following multiple splits and reconciliations, the two separated permanently in 2015. In testimony, the couple spoke about having an amicable relationship, which later deteriorated in 2022 over issues related to child support payments of their two children, of whom they share custody. Prosecutors alleged that Patterson killed her guests on purpose due to financial tensions with her husband. She was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

A 12-member jury reached the verdict after a 10-week trial, nearly two years after Erin Patterson served home-cooked beef wellingtons containing toxic mushrooms to the four guests at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023.&nbsp;

What are Australia mushroom murders? Woman found guilty of killing in-laws

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Australia’s ‘mushroom murders’: Erin Patterson sentenced to life in prison

Australian mushroom murder: Served poisoned chicken korma to husband

What are Australia mushroom murders? Woman found guilty of killing in-laws