Australian woman weighed poisonous mushrooms ahead of deadly lunch
An Australian woman accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives weighed poisonous mushrooms before serving a fatal lunch, prosecutors alleged on Thursday.
In a murder trial that started almost six weeks ago, the prosecution claims that 50-year-old mother-of-two Erin Patterson deliberately fed her visitors Beef Wellington that contained toxic fungi.
The meal took place at her home in the rural town of Leongatha in the state of Victoria in July 2023.
Don and Gail Patterson, her ex-partner's parents, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, all died from mushroom poisoning.
Wilkinson's husband, Ian, survived after undergoing a liver transplant.
The defendant, who took to the witness stand on Monday, denied knowingly feeding her guests death cap mushrooms, arguing that the three deaths were a tragic accident.
On her fourth day as a witness, Patterson said photos of mushrooms on scales that were found on her phone were likely taken at her home.
"I suggest you were weighing these death cap mushrooms so that you could calculate the weight required to calculate the administration of a fatal dose for one person," prosecutor Nanette Rogers said in court.
Patterson, who denied the suggestion, told the court earlier this week that she thought she was adding dried mushrooms bought from an Asian supermarket to the meal.
"Now I think that there was a possibility that there were foraged ones in there as well," she said, explaining that she had deviated from her chosen recipe to improve the dish's "bland" flavour.
The mother-of-two has admitted to repeatedly lying to police about foraging mushrooms and having a food dehydrator.
Patterson confessed that she threw out her food dehydrator after the fatal lunch, saying she had done so "in the context of thinking that maybe mushrooms that I'd foraged or the meal I'd prepared was responsible for making people sick."
The machine was later recovered — with her fingerprints on — from a local rubbish dump.
"It was this stupid knee-jerk reaction to dig deeper and keep lying," she told the court. "I was just scared, but I shouldn't have done it."
If convicted, she faces life in prison for murder and 25 years for attempted murder.
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Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Australian woman weighed poisonous mushrooms ahead of deadly lunch
An Australian woman accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives weighed poisonous mushrooms before serving a fatal lunch, prosecutors alleged on Thursday. In a murder trial that started almost six weeks ago, the prosecution claims that 50-year-old mother-of-two Erin Patterson deliberately fed her visitors Beef Wellington that contained toxic fungi. The meal took place at her home in the rural town of Leongatha in the state of Victoria in July 2023. Don and Gail Patterson, her ex-partner's parents, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, all died from mushroom poisoning. Wilkinson's husband, Ian, survived after undergoing a liver transplant. The defendant, who took to the witness stand on Monday, denied knowingly feeding her guests death cap mushrooms, arguing that the three deaths were a tragic accident. On her fourth day as a witness, Patterson said photos of mushrooms on scales that were found on her phone were likely taken at her home. "I suggest you were weighing these death cap mushrooms so that you could calculate the weight required to calculate the administration of a fatal dose for one person," prosecutor Nanette Rogers said in court. Patterson, who denied the suggestion, told the court earlier this week that she thought she was adding dried mushrooms bought from an Asian supermarket to the meal. "Now I think that there was a possibility that there were foraged ones in there as well," she said, explaining that she had deviated from her chosen recipe to improve the dish's "bland" flavour. The mother-of-two has admitted to repeatedly lying to police about foraging mushrooms and having a food dehydrator. Patterson confessed that she threw out her food dehydrator after the fatal lunch, saying she had done so "in the context of thinking that maybe mushrooms that I'd foraged or the meal I'd prepared was responsible for making people sick." The machine was later recovered — with her fingerprints on — from a local rubbish dump. "It was this stupid knee-jerk reaction to dig deeper and keep lying," she told the court. "I was just scared, but I shouldn't have done it." If convicted, she faces life in prison for murder and 25 years for attempted murder.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
American, Kazakhs in Bali face death penalty over drugs: authorities
Indonesia hands out severe punishments for drug smuggling and has previously executed foreigners, but has upheld a moratorium on the death sentence since 2017. American national William Wallace Molyneaux was arrested on May 23, allegedly carrying seven packages containing 99 pills of amphetamine, Bali's narcotics agency told reporters in Denpasar. Molyneaux has multiple charges levelled against him including distributing drugs, which carries the maximum penalty of death by execution. Two Kazakh men were also arrested in April with around 49 grams of crystal meth, allegedly intending to drop it off as part of a drug deal. They were accused of transacting drugs, a charge that carries the death sentence as the maximum penalty. The American and Kazakh embassies in Jakarta did not immediately respond to AFP's requests for comment. The narcotics agency said it had uncovered 15 drug cases in Bali between April and May, resulting in 21 arrests including five foreigners. The other cases include an Australian man who was arrested with nearly 200 grams of hashish and 92 grams of THC in Denpasar and an Indian man caught with 488 grams of marijuana at Bali's international airport. Both face hefty prison terms. The latest cases come after the trial of three Brits began on Tuesday, all accused of smuggling drugs or taking part in a drugs deal, leaving them also facing the death penalty. The British embassy in Jakarta said London's policy on the death penalty was to be opposed "in all circumstances, as a matter of principle". It said diplomats had "made representations about the use of the death penalty to the Indonesian government at the highest levels". Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's administration has moved in recent months to repatriate several high-profile inmates, all sentenced for drug offences, back to their home countries. According to Indonesia's Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, more than 90 foreigners were on death row, all on drug charges.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Australian murder suspect says lethal lunch may have contained 'foraged' mushrooms
Erin Patterson is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with lethal death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder a fourth guest -- her husband's uncle -- who survived after a long stay in hospital. Patterson maintains the lunch was poisoned by accident, pleading not guilty to all charges in a case that continues to grip Australia. The 50-year-old choked up with emotion as she gave her account of the meal on Wednesday. She said she decided to improve the beef-and-pastry dish with dried mushrooms after deciding it tasted a "little bland". While she initially believed a kitchen container held store-bought mushrooms, she said it may have been mixed with foraged fungi. "I decided to put in the dried mushrooms I brought from the grocer," she told the court. "Now I think that there was a possibility that there were foraged ones in there as well." Patterson earlier told the court how she had started foraging for mushrooms during a Covid lockdown in 2020. She also told the court on Wednesday that she had misled her guests about the purpose of the family meal. While they ate, Patterson revealed she might be receiving treatment for cancer in the coming weeks. But this was a lie, Patterson said. 'Shouldn't have lied' "I was planning to have gastric bypass surgery, so I remember thinking I didn't want to tell anybody what I was going to have done. "I was really embarrassed about it. "So letting them believe I had some serious issue that needed treatment might mean they could help me with the logistics around the kids," she told the court. "I shouldn't have lied to them," she added. The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests and took care that she did not consume the deadly mushrooms herself. Her defence says Patterson ate the same meal as the others but did not fall as sick. Patterson asked her estranged husband Simon to the family lunch at her secluded rural Victoria home in July 2023. Simon turned down the invitation because he felt too uncomfortable, the court has heard previously. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. Simon's parents Don and Gail were happy to attend, dying days after eating the home-cooked meal. Simon's aunt Heather Wilkinson also died, while her husband Ian fell seriously ill but later recovered. The trial is expected to last another week. © 2025 AFP
