How Erin Patterson went from ordinary mum to mass murderer
Patterson this week was convicted of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, following a mammoth 10-week-long trial.
The 50-year-old's estranged husband Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and aunt Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after Patterson served them beef Wellington parcels laced with death cap mushrooms in July 2023.
Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor.
Now, in a 7NEWS Spotlight special, presenter Michael Usher investigates how the seemingly ordinary mother-of-two became one of the worst female mass murderers in Australian history.
Featuring in-depth analysis and expert commentary from industry leaders including criminal barrister Geoffrey Watson, forensic psychologist Peter Ashkar and former detective Damian Marrett, Spotlight dives into the mind of a killer. Criminal psychologist Peter Ashkar. Credit: Supplied
According to Usher, Mr Ashkar described poisoning someone as an 'act of aggression' and said it was a 'very deliberate act of control of power'.
'(Being poisoned) is an absolutely hideous way to die because there's intense pain and suffering,' Usher said.
Mr Ashkar also described Patterson as smart and cunning and said 'she knew what she was doing'.
'If you look back at the vision of her at her home when our reports went and door-stopped her, (she was) in tears and was distraught and upset,' Usher said.
'But on the stand, Ashkar said she was formidable — she knew what she was doing and she was clear and smart. Credit: Victoria's Supreme Court / Supplied, the deadly meal Erin Patterson used to kill three members of her husband's family have been released by Victoria's Supreme Court.
'(Ashkar said Patterson) knew what was going on, she was in charge and she owned her narrative.
'Getting inside her mind is a fascinating and frightening exercise.'
But Usher said Patterson didn't appear to have a clear motive.
'We're so used to murder cases (where there is a) very clear motive like revenge, fame or money,' he said.
'It's not like she had a proven pattern (of saying), 'I hate my in laws, they have done me wrong, I want to plan something', it wasn't as clear as that.'
Inside the Mind of the Mushroom Killer: A 7NEWS Spotlight special airs Sunday at 8.45pm
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Greens candidate injured in protest set to face court
A former Greens candidate who ran against the prime minister will face court over what police claim was an unauthorised protest, where she sustained a serious eye injury during her arrest. Hannah Thomas, 35, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction in a protest at SEC Plating in Sydney's southwest on June 27. Her case is scheduled for a mention in Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday. The activist and lawyer was among five people arrested. They were protesting outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are subject to an internal review with external oversight by the police watchdog after Thomas suffered an eye injury requiring surgery. Her lawyer Peter O'Brien has said she might permanently lose vision in that eye. Mr O'Brien reviewed footage of the arrest and alleged a male officer punched Thomas in the face. "The charge of resisting police could never be sustained as the police officers were plainly acting outside of the execution of their duties ... with brutal and life-changing consequences," Mr O'Brien said. Police had misunderstood the law and unlawfully applied move-on directions, he claimed. Mr O'Brien has also flagged a civil suit against the state over potential allegations including assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. The officers involved remain on duty. Protesters returned to SEC Plating on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. Ms Thomas ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler at the May federal election.
West Australian
7 hours ago
- West Australian
Mark Latham denies abuse claims made by former partner Nathalie Matthews
Former Labor leader turned One Nation firebrand Mark Latham has been accused by a former partner of forcing her into degrading sexual acts as part of an application for a domestic violence order. The allegations, first reported by The Australian on Monday night , were made by Latham's former long-term partner and Liberal Party member Nathalie Matthews. Both The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald reported the complaints had been detailed in documents filed with the NSW Local Court. Both mastheads reported Matthews as claiming Latham had engaged in a 'sustained pattern' of abuse, alleging he had pressured her into having sex with other people and driven his car at her. Latham took to X on Monday night to deny the allegations, which he called 'false and ridiculous'. 'The Australian newspaper has published a story based on allegations from Nathalie Matthews which are comically false and ridiculous,' he wrote. 'I have scores of documents to show that and will rely upon them to defend myself. As the old saying goes, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. 'The story says that Matthews went to the police and they did not do anything. They certainly haven't contacted me. 'In the current environment, that says a lot. She told me in April she had been to police seeking an AVO against another man and complained that they did nothing.' Latham become leader of the Australian Labor Party in 2003, losing the following year's federal election to John Howard. He resigned from Labor in 2005 and after a number of controversial incidents joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation party as its NSW state leader in 2018. Less than a year ago he was forced to pay NSW MP Alex Greenwich $140,000 over a series of homophobic tweets.
7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Mark Latham denies abuse claims made by former partner Nathalie Matthews
Former Labor leader turned One Nation firebrand Mark Latham has been accused by a former partner of forcing her into degrading sexual acts as part of an application for a domestic violence order. The allegations, first reported by The Australian on Monday night, were made by Latham's former long-term partner and Liberal Party member Nathalie Matthews. Both The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald reported the complaints had been detailed in documents filed with the NSW Local Court. Both mastheads reported Matthews as claiming Latham had engaged in a 'sustained pattern' of abuse, alleging he had pressured her into having sex with other people and driven his car at her. Latham took to X on Monday night to deny the allegations, which he called 'false and ridiculous'. 'The Australian newspaper has published a story based on allegations from Nathalie Matthews which are comically false and ridiculous,' he wrote. 'I have scores of documents to show that and will rely upon them to defend myself. As the old saying goes, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. 'The story says that Matthews went to the police and they did not do anything. They certainly haven't contacted me. 'In the current environment, that says a lot. She told me in April she had been to police seeking an AVO against another man and complained that they did nothing.' Latham become leader of the Australian Labor Party in 2003, losing the following year's federal election to John Howard. He resigned from Labor in 2005 and after a number of controversial incidents he joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation party as its NSW state leader in 2018. Less than a year ago he was forced to pay NSW MP Alex Greenwich $140,000 over a series of homophobic tweets.
