Woman charged after allegedly stabbing four men in separate incidents
Mother's Day messages from mushroom cook to alleged victim shown to court
Erin Patterson allegedly messaged Gail Patterson to tell her she was the "best mum-in-law anyone could ask for" a year before the fatal lunch, a jury has heard.
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ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Erin Patterson lied to detectives — but her defence argues she's not guilty of murder
"Erin Patterson lied to the police, but she's no murderer." In a nutshell, that's what her defence case is. Evidence of Ms Patterson's lies to homicide detectives was shown to the Supreme Court of Victoria this week, as 21 minutes of her police interview was played to the jury. A week after hosting the fatal beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023, Ms Patterson was inside a police station. The video contained the hallmarks of the classic police interview: a plain, grey-white walled room where Ms Patterson sat at a wooden table opposite two homicide detectives. The date on the footage was August 5, 2023, but the grainy image, muffled audio and whirring police tape recorder portrayed a scene that could have been from three decades ago. At the time of the interview, doctors suspected four of her lunch guests had ingested highly-toxic death cap mushrooms. Don Patterson was sliding towards death and his wife Gail and sister-in-law Heather Wilkinson had already passed. Heather's husband Ian was in a critical condition in intensive care. Ms Patterson, who also claimed to have eaten the same meal, had been out of hospital for four days. Detectives Stephen Eppingstall and David Martin-Alcaide wanted to know more about the mushrooms in the meal and items from Ms Patterson's kitchen. "Do you know anything about a dehydrator in your house?" Mr Eppingstall asked. "No," Ms Patterson replied. "Do you own a dehydrator?" he asked. "No," she responded. Evidence shown to court during the trial would expose this as a lie. Not only had Ms Patterson sent photos of the electronic dehydrator to friends previously, but there was also security footage of her dumping the item at the local landfill after the lunch. "We've got concerns in relation to the mushrooms and where they've come from," Mr Eppingstall said. "Is that something you've done in the past, foraging?" "Never," Ms Patterson shot back, shaking her head. That too was a lie, her lawyers conceded. On the trial's opening day, defence barrister Colin Mandy SC addressed the jury. "She lied about getting rid of the dehydrator. She admits that," he said. "She did forage for mushrooms. Just so that we make that clear, she denies that she ever deliberately sought out death cap mushrooms." In his opening address, typically short given the early stage of the trial, Mr Mandy did not state when and where Ms Patterson had foraged. He asked the jury to consider Ms Patterson's feelings and her state of mind in the days following the lunch — a time when her relatives were either dead or dying, and she was under the scrutiny of health officials, police and the media. "Might someone panic in a situation like that?" Mr Mandy queried. After five weeks, more than 50 people have been called to testify by prosecutors, including some via video link and others who wrote statements. The witnesses have included the sole lunch guest survivor Ian Wilkinson, Erin Patterson's estranged husband Simon, their two children, doctors, nurses, paramedics, toxicologists, public servants, an electronics store owner, a tip manager and church volunteers. Leaders in the fields of emergency medicine, phone towers and mushroom research have also shared their expertise. There has been examination, cross-examination and re-examination of the police who picked apart Ms Patterson's phone and computer records, those who searched her home and the officers who ran the murder investigation. According to the defence, that evidence does not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Ms Patterson is a murderer. She has always maintained her innocence. Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, and the alleged murders of Heather Wilkinson, Don Patterson and Gail Patterson. "The intention to kill or cause anyone any harm at all is very much in dispute," Mr Mandy said on the opening day. The trial continues.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
How police raked over nearly every aspect of mushroom cook Erin Patterson's life
When homicide squad detectives came knocking with a search warrant in hand to seize items from accused killer Erin Patterson's home, they say they arrived prepared. The warrant listed electronic devices as items of interest after two guests who ate lunch at her Leongatha home days earlier had died and two others lay critically ill in hospital with their organs shutting down from mushroom poisoning. 'We seized everything we saw,' Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told a jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial in Morwell, in Victoria's south-east, this week. During their four-hour search of Patterson's home, police seized devices, including computers and mobile phones, and SIM cards. They also found a RecipeTin Eats cookbook, which included a food-spattered page for a beef Wellington recipe. Raking over many aspects of the accused's life, police collected CCTV footage, banking records, purchases made with a Woolworths rewards card, web browser history, medical records and messages to friends and family. The mobile phone messages Patterson, 50, frequently messaged her in-laws – Don and Gail Patterson, parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson – in the year leading up to their alleged murders, speaking regularly with them about health matters and her two young children. 'Happy Mother's Day to the best mother-in-law anyone could wish for,' Erin wrote to Gail on May 8, 2022. 'Very kind of you xo,' Gail replied. In Signal messages, police also found conversations between Erin, Don and Simon about various health concerns Erin had. In messages between Erin and Simon, they chatted about their children's basketball games. Erin expressed the desire for Simon to come and watch the games even if that meant he missed his Bible study classes. Don, the court heard, had also been tutoring his teenage grandson in mathematics. In messages between Don and Erin between January 1 and 15, 2022, they discussed Erin's health. 'Sorry to hear about your back problems. Hope and pray it gets better quickly. It was great to chat with the kids this morning,' messaged Don, who was a member of the local Baptist church, along with his wife and other family members. Erin thanked him and said she had had a terrible day the day before. 'We will keep praying that He keeps you all in good health,' Don replied. She also messaged Don about COVID-19 cases in the area and warned him to be careful when out and about. 'There's so much virus in our community right now,' she said. In another message, Don inquired after Erin's health again: 'Hope your health is OK and that they get to the bottom of your problem. Love Don and Gail.' It was August 3, 2023, when Eppingstall and his team of homicide detectives formally took over the case. This, he told the jury, was once they had learned of a mass food-poisoning event at a Leongatha family lunch on July 29, 2023. Within hours of taking on the case, he said, Heather Wilkinson, Gail's sister, had died, and Gail and Don soon followed. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived. The medical records Police allege Patterson falsely claimed to have cancer to lure her guests to lunch. Officers scoured medical records, including the Victorian cancer database and doctor and hospital records, to confirm she had never been diagnosed with cancer. Text messages show Gail inquiring about a medical appointment Erin said she had. 'Hi Erin, just wondering how you got on at your appointment today. Love Gail and Don'. Erin replied: 'Hi Gail, sorry I had taken [her daughter] to see a movie last night, we saw The Little Mermaid, the appointment went OK … I had a needle biopsy of the lump and am returning for an MRI next. Will know more after that.' Eppingstall said there were no records of medical appointments on that day. The following day, June 29, 2023, Gail replied: 'That's a test of patience isn't it. Praying you'll know God's peace.' The following week, the two women further discussed the lump. The accused said there was 'a lot to digest' and she might talk to her mother-in-law about it when she next saw her in person. The grocery receipts Detectives knew what Patterson and her family had eaten, her Woolworths supermarket purchases and even her fast-food buys in the hours and days after the fatal lunch. Eppingstall said CCTV footage that police had collected showed Patterson driving, stopping at stores and Leongatha hospital in the 48 hours that followed the cooking of the fatal beef Wellington meal. The homicide detective said bank records also revealed Patterson bought food at a doughnut van and service station after the lunch. The records capture $15.10 spent at a BP service station in Caldermeade, where a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, and a sweet chilli chicken wrap were bought. A second record, dated in the bank records as August 1, shows $13.10 was spent at a doughnut van in Koo Wee Rup. Even receipts for a family meal ordered from the Korumburra Top Hotel – garlic bread and chicken parmigianas – were collected into evidence. On her Woolworths rewards card, police say they found Patterson's recent grocery visits, where items including pastry, mushrooms, onions, meat, beans and potatoes were purchased in the days leading up to the lunch. The phone records Police then used Patterson's phone records and local phone towers to try to track her movements, alleging her phone pinged a tower near a public sighting of death cap mushrooms, published on a nature website months before the meal. Police trawled through several of Patterson's devices, including computers, tablets and mobile phones – but say one of Patterson's phones was never found. And as one of her Samsung mobile phones lay inside an evidence bag in Eppingstall's locked police station locker, it was remotely wiped, the prosecution allege. Phone evidence given by the proseuction regarding a missing phone that was never found PHONE 1 - Samsung Galaxy - called the 'A23' phone - found in son's bedroom cupboard during August 5, 2023 search warrant. PHONE 2 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone A' - seen with Erin Patterson in footage taken from CCTV at Leongatha hospital. Pink case. Never found. PHONE 3 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone B' - physically handed to police during a search warrant on August 5, 2023. Orange/red case. PHONE 4 - Nokia smartphone - SIM card from 'Phone A' allegedly put into this phone during the house raid on August 5, 2023- at 1.45pm - and used afterwards. The interview On August 5, 2023, Patterson was interviewed by police, the recording of which was played to the jury this week. In the interview room, Eppingstall and another detective asked her why she had not fallen ill while the other lunch guests had. 'I've never been in a situation like this before, I've been very, very helpful with the Health Department during the week ... because I do want to know what happened. I've given them as much info as they've asked for,' she responded. When told her ex-partner, Simon, had raised questions over why Erin had invited his parents to lunch, she said: 'They've always been very good to me. I want to maintain those relationships, despite what's happening with Simon. I love them a lot. They've always been really good to me and always said they would support me. Loading 'I really appreciated that because both my parents are gone, my grandparents are all gone, they're the only family that I've got. 'I think Simon hated that. 'I love them. Nothing he's [Simon] ever done to me will change the fact they're good, decent people.' Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder. The trial continues.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
How police raked over nearly every aspect of mushroom cook Erin Patterson's life
When homicide squad detectives came knocking with a search warrant in hand to seize items from accused killer Erin Patterson's home, they say they arrived prepared. The warrant listed electronic devices as items of interest after two guests who ate lunch at her Leongatha home days earlier had died and two others lay critically ill in hospital with their organs shutting down from mushroom poisoning. 'We seized everything we saw,' Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall told a jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial in Morwell, in Victoria's south-east, this week. During their four-hour search of Patterson's home, police seized devices, including computers and mobile phones, and SIM cards. They also found a RecipeTin Eats cookbook, which included a food-spattered page for a beef Wellington recipe. Raking over many aspects of the accused's life, police collected CCTV footage, banking records, purchases made with a Woolworths rewards card, web browser history, medical records and messages to friends and family. The mobile phone messages Patterson, 50, frequently messaged her in-laws – Don and Gail Patterson, parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson – in the year leading up to their alleged murders, speaking regularly with them about health matters and her two young children. 'Happy Mother's Day to the best mother-in-law anyone could wish for,' Erin wrote to Gail on May 8, 2022. 'Very kind of you xo,' Gail replied. In Signal messages, police also found conversations between Erin, Don and Simon about various health concerns Erin had. In messages between Erin and Simon, they chatted about their children's basketball games. Erin expressed the desire for Simon to come and watch the games even if that meant he missed his Bible study classes. Don, the court heard, had also been tutoring his teenage grandson in mathematics. In messages between Don and Erin between January 1 and 15, 2022, they discussed Erin's health. 'Sorry to hear about your back problems. Hope and pray it gets better quickly. It was great to chat with the kids this morning,' messaged Don, who was a member of the local Baptist church, along with his wife and other family members. Erin thanked him and said she had had a terrible day the day before. 'We will keep praying that He keeps you all in good health,' Don replied. She also messaged Don about COVID-19 cases in the area and warned him to be careful when out and about. 'There's so much virus in our community right now,' she said. In another message, Don inquired after Erin's health again: 'Hope your health is OK and that they get to the bottom of your problem. Love Don and Gail.' It was August 3, 2023, when Eppingstall and his team of homicide detectives formally took over the case. This, he told the jury, was once they had learned of a mass food-poisoning event at a Leongatha family lunch on July 29, 2023. Within hours of taking on the case, he said, Heather Wilkinson, Gail's sister, had died, and Gail and Don soon followed. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived. The medical records Police allege Patterson falsely claimed to have cancer to lure her guests to lunch. Officers scoured medical records, including the Victorian cancer database and doctor and hospital records, to confirm she had never been diagnosed with cancer. Text messages show Gail inquiring about a medical appointment Erin said she had. 'Hi Erin, just wondering how you got on at your appointment today. Love Gail and Don'. Erin replied: 'Hi Gail, sorry I had taken [her daughter] to see a movie last night, we saw The Little Mermaid, the appointment went OK … I had a needle biopsy of the lump and am returning for an MRI next. Will know more after that.' Eppingstall said there were no records of medical appointments on that day. The following day, June 29, 2023, Gail replied: 'That's a test of patience isn't it. Praying you'll know God's peace.' The following week, the two women further discussed the lump. The accused said there was 'a lot to digest' and she might talk to her mother-in-law about it when she next saw her in person. The grocery receipts Detectives knew what Patterson and her family had eaten, her Woolworths supermarket purchases and even her fast-food buys in the hours and days after the fatal lunch. Eppingstall said CCTV footage that police had collected showed Patterson driving, stopping at stores and Leongatha hospital in the 48 hours that followed the cooking of the fatal beef Wellington meal. The homicide detective said bank records also revealed Patterson bought food at a doughnut van and service station after the lunch. The records capture $15.10 spent at a BP service station in Caldermeade, where a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich, and a sweet chilli chicken wrap were bought. A second record, dated in the bank records as August 1, shows $13.10 was spent at a doughnut van in Koo Wee Rup. Even receipts for a family meal ordered from the Korumburra Top Hotel – garlic bread and chicken parmigianas – were collected into evidence. On her Woolworths rewards card, police say they found Patterson's recent grocery visits, where items including pastry, mushrooms, onions, meat, beans and potatoes were purchased in the days leading up to the lunch. The phone records Police then used Patterson's phone records and local phone towers to try to track her movements, alleging her phone pinged a tower near a public sighting of death cap mushrooms, published on a nature website months before the meal. Police trawled through several of Patterson's devices, including computers, tablets and mobile phones – but say one of Patterson's phones was never found. And as one of her Samsung mobile phones lay inside an evidence bag in Eppingstall's locked police station locker, it was remotely wiped, the prosecution allege. Phone evidence given by the proseuction regarding a missing phone that was never found PHONE 1 - Samsung Galaxy - called the 'A23' phone - found in son's bedroom cupboard during August 5, 2023 search warrant. PHONE 2 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone A' - seen with Erin Patterson in footage taken from CCTV at Leongatha hospital. Pink case. Never found. PHONE 3 - Samsung Galaxy - called 'Phone B' - physically handed to police during a search warrant on August 5, 2023. Orange/red case. PHONE 4 - Nokia smartphone - SIM card from 'Phone A' allegedly put into this phone during the house raid on August 5, 2023- at 1.45pm - and used afterwards. The interview On August 5, 2023, Patterson was interviewed by police, the recording of which was played to the jury this week. In the interview room, Eppingstall and another detective asked her why she had not fallen ill while the other lunch guests had. 'I've never been in a situation like this before, I've been very, very helpful with the Health Department during the week ... because I do want to know what happened. I've given them as much info as they've asked for,' she responded. When told her ex-partner, Simon, had raised questions over why Erin had invited his parents to lunch, she said: 'They've always been very good to me. I want to maintain those relationships, despite what's happening with Simon. I love them a lot. They've always been really good to me and always said they would support me. Loading 'I really appreciated that because both my parents are gone, my grandparents are all gone, they're the only family that I've got. 'I think Simon hated that. 'I love them. Nothing he's [Simon] ever done to me will change the fact they're good, decent people.' Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder. The trial continues.
