Australian woman accused of triple mushroom murders gives evidence
SYDNEY - An Australian woman accused of murdering three of her estranged husband's elderly relatives by serving them a lunch laced with poisonous mushrooms began giving evidence during her trial on Monday, in a case that has gripped the nation.
Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with the July 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, along with the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, in a case that has gripped Australia.
All four fell ill after a lunch of Beef Wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans, the court has heard. Prosecutors allege the accused laced the meal with highly poisonous death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha, a town of around 6,000 people some 135 km (84 miles) from Melbourne.
Erin Patterson denies the charges, with her defence saying the deaths were a "terrible accident".
Beginning her evidence towards the end of the day's session, Erin Patterson said on Monday her relationship with estranged husband Simon Patterson had been in difficulty shortly after they married in 2007.
"We could never communicate in a way that would make each of us feel heard and understood," she told the court.
She had also grown apart from Simon's parents, Donald and Gail, at the time of their deaths, she added.
"I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us," she said.
Earlier on Monday the prosecution rested its case, following a month of evidence from witnesses, including relatives and medical, forensic and mushroom experts.
Simon Patterson gave evidence earlier in the trial, characterising the relationship between him and the accused as strained at the time of the alleged murders.
The trial, that began on April 29, has seen intense interest from Australian and international media, with podcasters, journalists and documentary-makers descending on the town of Morwell, around two hours east of Melbourne, where the trial is being held.
Erin Patterson is expected to resume her evidence on Tuesday, when the trial continues. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Putin eyes a bigger prize than Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin never veered from his refusal to consider a cessation of hostilities, says the writer. PHOTO: AFP Ukraine's June 1 drone strike deep inside Russian territory has left Russian officials humiliated. A nation that remains a significant global power has suddenly discovered that some of its most prized military assets – its long-range bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons – can be destroyed on the ground. And despite being pounded by the full might of Russia's armed forces for more than three years, Ukraine still had both the audacity and ingenuity to mount such an attack. All these are unpleasant news for Russian President Vladimir Putin, so it was not surprising that, when Ukrainian and Russian mediators met in the Turkish city of Istanbul on June 2 to discuss options for a ceasefire in their war, the talks failed in just one hour. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Israeli military says two projectiles crossed from Syria towards Israel
Israeli military says two projectiles crossed from Syria towards Israel CAIRO - The Israeli military said on Tuesday that two projectiles crossed from Syria towards Israel and fell in open areas. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the projectiles and there was no immediate comment from Syria. The Israeli army shortly after said it attacked southern Syria with artillery fire following the projectiles that were launched on Israel. Syrian state media said Israel struck an area in the southern Syrian province of Daraa. Syria's new rulers have repeatedly said they did not want their country to pose any threat to its neighbors including Israel. Syria and Israel have recently engaged in direct talks to ease tensions as Israel continued to target Syrian military infrastructure. Around the same time that Israel reported the projectiles from Syria, the military said it intercepted a missile from Yemen. There was no immediate comment from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, who have been launching attacks against Israel in what they say is in support of Palestinians during the Israeli war in Gaza. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Family of Colorado fire-bomb suspect taken into ICE custody
FILE PHOTO: Police officers gather on Pearl Street in front of the Boulder County Courthouse, the scene of an attack that injured multiple people, in Boulder, Colorado, U.S. June 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mark Makela/File Photo The family of the Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Colorado was taken into federal custody on Tuesday, officials said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media video post that ICE had taken into custody the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who lived in Colorado Springs and who federal officials have said was in the U.S. illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa and an expired work permit. Noem said while Soliman will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, federal agents were also "investigating to what extent his family knew about this horrific attack – if they had any knowledge of it or if they provided any support for it." ICE did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the detention of Soliman's family. According to local media reports, Soliman's family included two teenagers and three younger children. FBI and police officials had said on Monday that the family has cooperated with investigators. The suspect told investigators he acted alone. Department of Homeland Security officials said Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 on a tourist visa, filed for asylum the following month, and remained in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. The Sunday attack in Boulder, Colorado, injured a dozen people, many of them elderly. The attack targeted people taking part in an event organized by Run for Their Lives, an organization devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized during Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel. Soliman, 45, told investigators that he wanted to "kill all Zionist people" but had delayed committing the attack until after his daughter graduated from high school, according to state and federal court documents charging him with attempted murder, assault and a federal hate crime. Police and FBI affidavits quoted the suspect as saying he took firearms training to obtain a concealed-carry permit but ended up using Molotov cocktails because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying guns. Soliman told investigators that he had learned how to make the fire bombs from YouTube. A police affidavit filed in support of Soliman's arrest warrant said he was born in Egypt, lived in Kuwait for 17 years and moved three years ago to Colorado Springs, about 100 miles (161 km) south of Boulder, where he lived with his wife and five children. Federal and local authorities said at a Monday news conference in Boulder that Soliman had done nothing to draw law enforcement attention before Sunday's attack. He was believed to have acted alone, they said. An affidavit said the suspect "threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in the pro-Israel gathering," yelling, "Free Palestine" as they ignited in the crowd. The attack was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza. It followed the fatal shooting of two Israel Embassy aides that took place outside Washington's Capital Jewish Museum last month. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
