Erin Patterson trial LIVE updates: Accused regularly used mushrooms in kitchen; asked online friends for advice on cooking beef Wellington
2.51pm
'Controlling, coercive': How Erin described Simon to her online friends
By Marta Pascual Juanola
Defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, has begun cross-examining Christine Hunt, and asks about the smaller, splinter group that emerged from the initial Keli Lane true crime group.
'It was very social but still discussed societal matters,' Hunt said of the smaller group.
Hunt said Erin posted photos and videos of her children to the group. Erin's life, Hunt told the court, appeared to revolve around her being a mother, and she came across as attentive. Although Hunt never met Erin in person, she said she regarded her relationship with Erin to be good.
She told the jury Erin had described Simon as 'controlling' and 'coercive' on several occasions.
'They are the two words that I really do recall strongly that were used repeatedly,' she said.
Asked by Mandy whether Erin held religious beliefs, Hunt said the accused woman was 'two-sided' about it.
'She went to church, is the impression I got, because of the family situation. But she was saying to us, publicly in that group, that she didn't necessarily believe in God,' Hunt said.
2.41pm
Witness details Erin's challenges dealing with Simon's faith
By Marta Pascual Juanola
Now that he has finished giving evidence, Simon Patterson has taken a seat in the court with his extended family.
He watched as the new witness Christine Hunt, appearing via video link, said Erin had told the online group that she had grown apart from Simon.
'I understood that she was self-sufficient, although she had some concerns about him paying his share, I guess is how you put it, and that he was very controlling, and she used the word 'coercive' at times,' Hunt said.
'And also, that his family were very demanding, and that she was really challenged by their demands and particularly around the kids attending a faith-based education.'
Hunt said Erin felt unsettled whenever her children were away from her. She also said Erin had expressed the challenges she found in Simon's Baptist background.
'She found that challenging, and in particular the decisions around things like divorce, separation, how the kids should be educated and brought up. She found all that very controlling and demanding,' Hunt said.
2.33pm
Erin renowned as a 'super sleuth' among her true crime group
By Marta Pascual Juanola
Evidence has resumed after lunch and the new witness, Christine Hunt, has told the jury she met Erin Patterson about six years ago through a true crime Facebook group dedicated to information about the trial of convicted murderer Keli Lane.
The group initially had about 2000 members, but it eventually reduced to about 20 or 30 people.
Hunt told the jury about how Erin changed her Facebook name three times, from Erin Patterson to 'Erin Erin' and later 'Erin Erin Erin'.
'It was mostly around current affairs. What was happening in the world? A lot of discussion around royalty, politics, crime and a lot of personal stories. So we got to know each other. It was a small enough group where we really get kind of leaning into each other's lives and we're a support for each other,' Hunt said of the group.
Hunt said Erin would often share information about her children, her husband and her life struggles about being a single mother. The witness described Erin as a 'super sleuth'.
'She was well regarded. She was a really good researcher. So she in the group, in the earlier times when we would … be focused on true crime, she was well known to be able to research and get information quickly from the internet. So she was a bit of a super sleuth,' Hunt said.
Eventually, the group was dissolved, the court heard, and a group of between seven and 15 members began.
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Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Very sad': Accused killer's sister speaks
The sister of former Beauty and the Geek contestant and accused killer Tamika Chesser has spoken for the first time in the aftermath of the horrific alleged slaughter that has shocked the nation. Police allege Ms Chesser murdered her partner Julian Story at the couple's unit in Port Lincoln on June 17, decapitating the 39-year-old man and later setting fire to his body. 'We know that after his alleged murder, Julian's body was dismembered and while I won't provide any further detail about that at this time, I can tragically say that we have not recovered the head of Julian Story,' Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke told reporters on Friday. Investigators allege Ms Chesser murdered Mr Story at about midnight on June 17 and set fire to his body on the afternoon of June 19. The police arrested Ms Chesser, 34, in the yard of the property after neighbours called in emergency services to put out the fire. Ms Chesser's sister says she had become concerned about her sibling's mental health in recent months. 'It just started getting worse,' she told 9 News. 'She started being in and out of mental health. She didn't mention anything and she just told everyone that she loves them.' Beauty and the Geek reality show runner-up Tamika Chesser has been charged with the murder of her boyfriend Julian Story. Facebook Credit: Supplied Mr Story was a Port Lincoln local. Supplied Credit: Supplied 'It's my sister, but that's not who she is or the Tamika we know,' the sister, speaking softly with a blurred-out face, said. 'That's not the Tamika anyone knows.' Police allege Ms Chesser was in a 'catatonic' state when she was arrested. 'The accused was seated in a garden chair in the rear yard adjacent to Unit 3 in a catatonic and unresponsive state at this time,' court documents, seen by NewsWire, state. Ms Chesser appeared at Adelaide court on Friday morning via videolink from James Nash House, a psychiatric facility. She sported a shaved head and sat quietly throughout proceedings. Ms Chesser's sister said the family had not yet spoken with the woman. 'We can't have contact with her. She's still unresponsive at the moment,' she said. 'It is very sad and I'm very sorry to Julian's family.' The police have charged Ms Chesser with murder, destroying human remains to pervert the course of justice, and a separate charge of assaulting an emergency worker. It is alleged Ms Chesser assaulted a police officer following her arrest. Mr Story's head has still not been found, with police divers scouring waters around the town at the weekend. Detective Superintendent Fielke asked the public for help in tracking Ms Chesser's movements in the hours after the alleged murder, in the hope any information might help locate Mr Story's head and return it to his family. 'It is crucial that we locate Julian's head so that his family has the opportunity to lay him to rest,' he said. The police have released CCTV footage that shows Ms Chesser walking around the town in the hours after the alleged slaughter. She can be seen walking with a bag, dogs, and dressed in heavy clothing. 'I'm appealing to local residents to review CCTV or dashcam footage which they may have, which may assist with the investigation,' Detective Fielke said. Police search for Mr Story's missing remains. Nine News Credit: Channel 9 'Particularly between midnight, Tuesday 17 June, until the afternoon of 19 June.' In a statement released through the police, Mr Story's family called his passing an 'unimaginable loss'. 'On behalf of our family, we want to sincerely thank the South Australian Police, emergency services, and first responders for their compassion and professionalism during this devastating time,' the statement reads. 'We are navigating an unimaginable loss, and your care has brought comfort amid the chaos. 'We are also deeply grateful to our family and friends and this extraordinary community whose kindness and support have helped carry us through. 'Your prayers, presence, and quiet strength mean more than words can say.' Ms Chesser starred in the second series of the hit reality TV show Beauty and the Geek in 2010, finishing in second place. She has also worked as a model for a range of brands including Target and appeared in men's magazines including Ralph and FHM, a profile for her on Star Now states. The police released CCTV footage of Ms Chesser in the hours after the alleged killing. SA Pol Credit: Supplied Ms Chesser worked as a model. Picture Supplied Credit: Supplied Her Instagram and Facebook social media profiles are filled with racy and glamorous images. She has also posted a series of images that appear to reflect Jewish and Hindu mythology. In a post from June 2024, she writes at length about her 'spiritual journey'. 'Our Creator our Father and our Mother Nature our Earth are crying out to us all,' she writes. 'What do you think your ancestors would say in regards to the life you're currently living? Would they be proud? 'What do you see behind the makeup, behind the false lashes behind the hair cut or perfectly groomed beard … behind the Botox … Is the flesh you reside in of relevance? Does it make you the person you are?' Ms Chesser has been refused bail and will next appear in court in December. Port Lincoln is a major fishing town located in the state's Eyre Peninsula, west of Adelaide.
7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Jury in Erin Patterson's mushroom trial due to start deliberations as judge finishes final instructions
Welcome to live blog of the Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial. Here is a recap of what the court has heard so far from the trial: WEEK 1 Day one: It was revealed that three charges of attempted murder against Patterson in relation to her estranged husband had been dropped by the prosecution. Day two: The prosecution and defence gave their opening addresses to the jury. The court heard the prosecution will allege Patterson used a fake cancer diagnosis as the pretense for hosting the lunch, that the guests were served on different coloured plates to her, and she travelled to areas where death cap mushrooms were sighted in early 2023. The prosecution will also allege Patterson dumped a food dehydrator – which was found to contain traces of death cap mushrooms – at a local tip in the days after the lunch, and that she set up two phones in early 2023 but only one was recovered by police during a search of her home. The defence will argue the deaths were an 'accidental terrible tragedy' and Patterson did not intentionally poison her guests. The defence say Patterson lied to police because she 'panicked'. Day three: Erin Patterson's estranged husband, Simon, took the stand as the prosecution's first witness. The court heard about the former couple's relationship, Patterson's inheritance, and were shown texts the pair exchanged about the lunch and child support. Day four: Simon Patterson returned to the stand for cross-examination. He became emotional as he described the court process as 'very difficult'. The court heard Patterson suffered from mental illness, that she was 'very hurt' after an 'afterthought invite' to Gail's birthday party, and was shown more heated texts about child support payments. WEEK 2 Day five: Three friends Patterson made in a true crime Facebook group took the stand. They said Patterson shared photos of her food dehydrator online and that she consulted the group for advice on beef wellington recipes around July 2023. Day six: Ian Wilkinson, who was the only guest to survive the lunch, took the witness stand. He described his relationship with Patterson, what happened at the lunch, and the symptoms he and his late wife, Heather, later suffered. Day seven: The court heard evidence from the children of the four lunch guests as well as doctors who oversaw the two couple's treatment. Don and Gail Patterson's daughter, Anna Terrington, became emotional on the stand while recalling conversations with her parents about the lunch. The court was also shown CCTV of Patterson leaving the hospital against medical staff's advice and heard a triple 0 call a doctor made to police after she discharged herself. Day eight: The court heard from nurses and paramedics who tended to Patterson at hospital. They said she did not seem 'unwell' and that they did not witness her making frequent trips to the toilet, despite her reportedly suffering from diarrhoea. The court also saw a pre-recorded interview of Patterson's daughter speaking to a detective in August 2023 Her daughter told the officer her mother was sick the day after the lunch and she saw her go to the toilet around 'ten times'. Day nine: The court was shown a pre-recorded interview of Patterson's son speaking to a detective. During the conversation, the teenage boy spoke about disputes between his parents and said his mother reported having diarrhoea after the lunch. WEEK 3 Day 10: The court heard evidence from a mushroom expert, mycologist Thomas May, who provided information about the growth and distribution of death cap mushrooms in Australia. The court heard that he shared photos of death cap mushrooms on iNaturalist, a website where citizen scientists share observations of wild mushrooms, in May 2023. His observation was made in Outtrim, in Victoria's Gippsland region. The prosecution will allege Patterson travelled to that area in the days after the sighting. Day 11: CCTV footage of Patterson allegedly dropping a food dehydrator to a tip in the days after the lunch was shown in court. A mycologist who examined leftovers of beef wellington recovered from Patterson's bin revealed the food remnants only contained field mushrooms. The court also heard from a medical expert who found Patterson's hospital records did suggest she was suffering from a diarrhoeal illness. Day 12: The court heard from a child protection worker who interviewed Patterson in the days after the lunch. She said Patterson described Simon as 'controlling', spoke about the beef wellington recipe, the lunch, and her bid to prevent a diarrhoea accident. The court also heard from a toxicologist who revealed traces of death cap mushroom toxins were found in the lunch leftovers and a dehydrator recovered from a tip. Day 13: The court heard from a plant expert who examined the lunch leftovers and food dehydrator. He told the court death cap DNA was found in samples from the dehydrator, but not in the leftovers. WEEK 4 Day 14: The court heard from a fungi expert who observed death cap mushrooms in Loch in April 2023 then reported the sighting on iNaturalist. The court also heard analysis from a digital forensic expert found Patterson's mobile data showed she visited Loch and Outtrim in the days after death cap sightings were posted online. Day 15: Under cross-examination, digital forensic expert Matthew Sorell confirmed analysis placing Patterson's mobile phone in Loch and Outtrim in autumn 2023 was not conclusive. The court was also shown CCTV of Patterson making a nine second bathroom trip at a service station the day after the lunch. Day 16: The court heard from a digital forensic expert who extracted files from Patterson's computer. A report shown in court revealed there were visits to iNaturalist in May 2022, including to a page on the website about a death cap sighting in Melbourne. Day 17: The court was shown Facebook messages Patterson sent to friends complaining about her frustration with Simon and his family. The court was also shown mobile phone analysis that indicated a number of factory resets were performed on a phone Patterson handed over to police. Day 18: The court heard from an intensive care doctor who revealed all four lunch guests arrived at Austin Hospital critically ill. He said Don Patterson was given a liver transplant, but Gail and Heather were deemed too ill to receive one. Despite the surgery, Don died. Ian underwent a bowel surgery and later recovered after weeks in intensive care. WEEK 5 Day 19: The court heard from Sally Ann Atkinson, a public health officer who was tasked with investigating the source of the mushrooms. She said Patterson gave differing accounts of events over separate interviews. Day 20: Homicide detective Stephen Eppingstall, who oversaw the investigation, took the stand. The jury was shown footage of Patterson's interview with police. During the interview, she denied having ever foraged for mushrooms and said she loved her former parents-in-law. Day 21: The court was shown Patterson's Woolworths shops in the lead up to the lunch and medical records from 2021, which indicated she had concerns about ovarian cancer. The court also heard phone data records show her primary sim card was removed from a Samsung a23 and put into a Nokia while police were searching her house on 5 August 2023. Day 22: Detective Eppingstall was cross-examined by Patterson's defence team. The court heard police budgets determined the analysis of Patterson's phone. The court was also shown various receipts - including for cash payments at Koonwarra Transfer Station - as well as messages Patterson sent to Facebook friends and her former parents-in-law. Day 23: The defence resumed cross-examination of detective Eppingstall. The court was shown messages between Patterson and her former parents-in-law in early and late 2022, in which Don and Gail inquired about Patterson's health and she showed concern about them catching Covid. The court was also shown a Mother's Day message exchange between Gail and Patterson, in which she described her as the 'best mother-in-law' anyone could ask for. WEEK SIX Day 24: The defence wrapped up cross-examination of detective Eppingstall. Patterson took the stand and told the court about what her life was like in July 2023. She also explained how she met her estranged husband, Simon, and described key moments from their first few years of marriage. She also said trouble with communication was the root cause of their marital issues. Day 25: Patterson told the court about her issues with binge eating, child support discussions with her estranged husband, and how she used her inheritance. She explained she was converted to Christianity by Simon and claimed she had never told a Facebook friend that she was an atheist. She also spoke about her issues with hospitals, fondness for mushrooms and dehydrating food, and her history of foraging for wild mushrooms. She told the jury she accepted that death cap mushrooms were in lunch she served at her Leongatha home and that she was 'ashamed' of messages she had sent to her Facebook friends about her former parents-in-law. Day 26: Patterson spoke about the days after the lunch, claiming she pulled over to got to the toilet in bushland because she had diarrhoea. She said she wiped, put the tissues in a dog poo bag, and CCTV footage of her entering a BP toilet for mere seconds showed her disposing of the admitted to carrying out three out of four factory resets on one of her phones. She said she performed the last one, while her phone was in police custody, to see if detectives were 'silly enough' to leave it connected to the internet. She also said she changed her phone number in the days after the lunch because she didn't want Simon to contact her. Patterson said it wasn't until a conversation with Simon in the hospital about the food dehydrator that she began to think her foraged mushrooms may have been responsible for the poisonings. She said she then became 'scared' as child protection workers were now involved and so she lied to public health officers and dumped the dehydrator. Day 27: The prosecution began cross-examination of Patterson. She denied lying to her lunch guests about having cancer, saying she wasn't 'that specific'. She was also questioned about foraging, child support, photos found on her devices, and conversations she had with Facebook friends. Day 28: Under cross-examination, Patterson denied sending aggressive messages to Don and Gail as well as the suggestion that she was 'two-faced' about her relationship with her former parents-in-law by sending expletive-filled messages about them to her Facebook friends. She also told the jury she could not remember conducting iNaturalist searches on her computer. WEEK SEVEN Day 29: The court heard the ENRICH Clinic, in Melbourne, where Patterson said last week that she was booked for a gastric byspass surgery appointment in late 2023 - does not offer gastric bypass surgery. When the prosecution put that fact to Patterson, she said she was 'puzzled' and denied lying about having the appointment. Patterson also told the court she could not remember using iNaturalist or making a food order to a pub moments after the mushroom website were accessed. She also said her son was 'mistaken' in his interview with detectives. Day 30: During cross-examination, Patterson conceded the ENRICH Clinic in Melbourne does not offer gastric bypass surgery services. The prosecution asked why Patterson needed more mushrooms for the lunch as she had purchased 1.75kg of button mushrooms in the six days before the meal. Patterson told the court she ate 1kg of those mushrooms before the day of the lunch. Patterson also disputed what her children told police about why she did not want them at the lunch. Day 31: Patterson was questioned by the prosecition about her diarrhoea medication claims. She also denied making up a conversation with Simon about the food dehydrator and said her daughter was mistaken about her also eating the lunch leftovers. During re-examination, Colin Mandy asked Patterson about her appointment at the ENRICH Clinic and searches on her device for the iNaturalist website. WEEK EIGHT Day 32: The prosecution began its closing address. Senior prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers SC alleged Patterson made four key deceptions in a bid to cover her tracks. Day 33: The defence began its closing address. Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC told the jury would need to consider whether there was a reasonable possibility that the poisonings were accidental and a reasonable possibility Patterson did not intend to kill or cause serious injury to her guests. Day 34: The defence concluded its closing address. The jury were told if they thought Patterson 'probably did it' they should still find her not guilty, as that would mean they still had reasonable doubt. WEEK NINE Day 35: Justice Christopher Beale began his charge to the jury. The jury were told the different types of evidence they heard in the case and how they can use them during deliberations. Day 35: Justice Beale continued his directions to the jury. The jury were told it is up to them whether they accept or reject expert evidence and were given the prosecution's list of Patterson's alleged incriminating conduct. Day 36: Justice Beale continued his directions to the jury. The jury were taken through more of the prosecution's list of Patterson's alleged incriminating conduct. Day 37: Justice Beale continued his charge to the jury. The jury were told if they found Patterson had lied, they could use those lies to assess her credibility or the truthfulness of other things she has said. You can catch up on the details from the last blog here:
7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
Human remains located in search for Sunbury man Joshua Bishop missing for a month
Human remains have been located in the search for a young man who has not been seen in a month. Joshua Bishop, 23, was last seen by his housemate on Lalor Cres in Sunbury, northwest of Melbourne, at about 9.30pm on May 27. He was then reported missing by his mother two days later. There have been extensive searches at a park in Broadmeadows as his phone was tracked there on the same day he was last seen, but nothing was located. However on Saturday, police discovered human remains following the execution of a warrant at a home in Westmeadows. A 27-year-old man was arrested and is expected to be interviewed about the remains, which are yet to be formally identified. Police said the investigation is ongoing. Bishop's family had been using social media to spread the word about his disappearance, with a dedicated TikTok and Facebook page gaining traction. His parents previously made an emotional public plea for his return, with his father Travis saying they just wanted him home safe. 'We want him to know we love him, we're here for him,' he said. 'I don't know how people go through this.'
