Latest news with #DonPatterson
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Fate of Erin Patterson's $1.2million 'forever' home hangs in the balance
The $1.2million idyllic country property where Erin Patterson served the fateful mushroom lunch that killed three members of her family is now only an eerie reminder of one of Australia's most disturbing domestic murder cases. The two-storey weatherboard home, set on a hectare of land in Victoria's Gippsland region, was supposed to be the place Patterson would grow old. But it was inside that very home that Patterson dished up the deadly beef wellington laced with death cap mushrooms that killed her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson. Heather's husband, Reverend Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor of the lunch. At her highly-publicised trial, the 50-year-old was asked her plans for the house. 'I saw it as the final house,' she told the jury. 'Meaning I wanted it to be a house where the children would grow up, where once they moved away for uni or work, they could come back and stay whenever they liked, bring their children, and I'd grow old there. That's what I hoped.' Patterson reportedly bought the 1hectare block in 2019 for $260,000 after selling her parent's beachfront retirement home in Eden for $900,000. While Patterson still owns the Leongatha home, it is now burdened by a mortgage taken out to fund her mounting legal costs. Just weeks after she was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in November 2023, Patterson sold her Mount Waverley investment unit for $1.025 million. Despite her conviction, questions remain about why her assets, including the Leongatha property, are yet to be frozen by authorities. Victims' families may yet seek compensation, but legal experts believe what remains of her estate will end up in a trust for her two children. Black tarps were erected around the Leongatha house in the lead-up to the verdict, shielding the front door, carport, and verandah from view. The thick plastic sheeting was reportedly installed by a supporter of Patterson's, possibly in anticipation of her return. But just days after the guilty verdict, the tarps were mysteriously removed. Patterson is being held at the maximum-security Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall, more than two hours away from her forever home. Prison sources say the convicted mushroom chef has been targeted by other inmates and was even separated last year over claims she tampered with prison food. Patterson is expected to be sentenced later this year.
ABC News
11-07-2025
- ABC News
The fallout from Erin Patterson's mushroom murder convictions is far from over
The skies were clear and the sun was out on Monday afternoon in the regional Victorian town of Morwell. For a week, those involved with the trial and many more watching around the world had been on edge, waiting, as the jury in Erin Patterson's triple-murder trial deliberated. Suddenly, the news rippled across the court precinct: the jury would return its verdict at 2:15pm. A trial that had been played out to audiences across the globe had reached a crescendo. Adrenaline coursing, those at court craned heads and listened intently as the jury's foreperson delivered the crucial verdicts: guilty on all four counts. In a matter of minutes, a tension built over weeks of legal arguments and disputed versions of what happened the day Patterson hosted her in-laws for lunch was resolved. The jury had given the community its answer: the 50-year-old mother of two was a murderer, who had spent weeks planning how to conceal a deadly toxin in a meal served to her trusting in-laws. She had murdered her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, who had checked in on her and prayed for her good health in the weeks before the meal. She had murdered her father-in-law Don Patterson, depriving him of the opportunity to spend more time with his grandson sharing their passion for flying. She had murdered Heather Wilkinson, who had offered love and support after the birth of Simon and Erin's daughter. And she had attempted to murder Ian Wilkinson, the spiritual leader of her family's church community. Immediately after the verdicts, the courtyard outside the courtroom was abuzz. A thick media scrum hovered at the courtroom doors, swarming around those linked to the case as they left the building. The responses from key parties was minimal: there was no comment from her barrister Colin Mandy SC, and police spoke only briefly to acknowledge the work of detectives and the families who had endured two years of investigations and legal proceedings. "We will continue to support [the families] in every way possible following this decision," a Victoria Police spokesperson said. So far, the Wilkinson and Patterson families have made no comment. The stratospheric interest in the case has been unprecedented in recent history, according to the Victorian Supreme Court. More than 250 journalists and outlets were on the court's media management list for the trial, including more than a dozen media outlets across the UK, US and New Zealand. There were slips along the way for media covering the trial too. Perhaps the most high-profile was carried out by Australia radio hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie "O" Henderson, whose on-air banter during the trial attracted the ire of Justice Christopher Beale. In the June 16 radio segment, the pair discussed the case in highly prejudicial terms, including Sandilands, who issued a call to "lock that bitch up"'. That afternoon, while the jury was out of the room, Justice Beale told the court he had read a transcript of the segment. "I encourage all commentators to engage their brains before they open their mouths, as they may otherwise land themselves and their organisations in hot water," he said. Justice Beale referred the matter to the Office of Public Prosecutions for possible contempt of court charges. The office is yet to reveal whether it will lay charges against the pair. The verdict also marks the end of an extraordinary journey for the 12 jurors who sat through the lengthy trial to deliver the verdict. They were among 15,000 people identified in the Latrobe Valley district in February to help cover five Supreme and County court sittings between late April and August 1. That list was further whittled down through availability to 112 people who presented for potential empanelment in the case on April 29. Justice Christopher Beale gave them the opportunity to read through a list of 137 names, including witnesses, places and lawyers involved in the case. "As potential jurors, you have to consider whether you can bring an impartial, open mind to the consideration of the evidence that will be led in this case and can decide the case solely on that evidence," he said. "If you can't do that, or if you think you may struggle to do that, if you have doubts about your capacity to do that, you must ask to be excused." A further 27 people were excused and a panel of 15 people was drawn from the remaining 85. They ranged in age from their 20s to their 70s. Finally, 12 of them formed the panel that deliberated and reached a verdict on Monday, to thanks from Justice Beale. "The way you've conducted yourself throughout this trial has caught my attention and you've remained in good spirits even though the trial went much longer than you were led to believe and even though this was a major intrusion in all your lives," the judge said. As they return to normal life, the jurors are given access to free and confidential counselling. While the ripples of the verdict continue to be felt, back in Morwell things quickly turned back to normal. On Tuesday afternoon, the courtyard outside the courtrooms was empty — cold wind whipping leaves across a space that just 24 hours earlier had been a frenzy of activity. Workers emptying the bin in the middle of the courtyard saw the detritus left behind, including a pile of coffee cups. In the coming weeks, Patterson's sentencing process will begin — and the possibility of an appeal against her convictions still hangs in the air. But as news of the verdicts settles, the unfailing dignity and sense of humanity that drove her victims remains in focus in their home town of Korumburra. After an inspection of the evidence, the jury found those honourable values exemplified in life by Don, Gail and Heather were utterly absent in their killer.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- The Guardian
Two years ago, Erin Patterson's lunch guests were admitted to hospital. This week she became a convicted murderer
It's a case so well-publicised it barely needs introduction. Erin Patterson, a middle-aged mother of two, hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha, a regional town in the Australian state of Victoria, on 29 July 2023. After being served individual beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms, three of her relatives died and one barely survived. After a two-and-a-half month trial that made global headlines, Patterson was on Monday found guilty of murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson. Erin Patterson hosts lunch for estranged husband Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt and uncle Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Patterson serves beef wellington. All four lunch guests are admitted to hospital with gastro-like symptoms. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson die in hospital. Don Patterson dies in hospital. Victoria police search Erin Patterson's home and interview her. Ian Wilkinson is discharged from hospital after weeks in intensive care. Police again search Erin Patterson's home, and she is arrested and interviewed. She is charged with three counts of murder relating to the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson. Jury is sworn in. Murder trial begins. Jury hears that charges of attempting to murder her estranged husband Simon are dropped. Jury finds Erin Patterson guilty of murdering Heather Wilkinson, Don and Gail Patterson and attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson. 'Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty,' the jury's foreperson read in quick succession. Patterson didn't flinch. She looked straight at the jury, her face unreadable. It was all over within minutes. Patterson's lawyers, led by Colin Mandy SC, left the courtroom without making comment. The lead prosecutor, Nanette Rogers SC, wasn't even there. There were no members of the Wilkinson or Patterson families in courtroom four to hear the verdict, either. Just one friend of Erin Patterson's, quietly wiping away tears. It was a sudden end to a trial that lasted more than 10 weeks, featured in excess of 50 witnesses and was forensically covered by the biggest media contingent to follow Victorian supreme court proceedings in recent history. According to the supreme court, more than 250 journalists registered for updates on the trial. Nine authors, seven podcast producers, seven documentary crews and a television drama series were among those who attended Latrobe Valley law courts, alongside court watchers and the victim's families. The media circus contributed to an economic boom in both Morwell, where the court is located, and Traralgon, the biggest town in the region and where most visitors stay. Throughout the trial, there was no dispute that Patterson had served a lunch containing death cap mushrooms that killed three of her guests and made the fourth seriously ill. But had she meant to poison them? Her lawyers had argued it was a tragic accident. They said when the lunch turned deadly, Patterson panicked and lied to police, saying she had never foraged for mushrooms. Prosecutors offered another narrative: Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests 'with murderous intent' and then attempted to cover it up. They did not provide a motive, nor is one required by law. But the court heard that Erin and Simon Patterson's relationship was punctuated by repeated ruptures and reconciliations after their 2007 marriage, until they separated permanently in 2015. The split, which was not formalised through divorce, was amicable, Patterson's estranged husband told the court, until about October or November 2022, when he said a miscommunication between himself and his accountant resulted in him being listed as 'separated' on a tax return form for the first time. In a message shown to the court, Erin wrote it had family tax benefit and child support implications that could cost her up to about $15,000 a year. Simon told the court he was advised by child support authorities not to pay any expenses relating to the children, including school and medical fees, while the amount he had to pay in child support was calculated. It spelled an end to their 'chatty' relationship. Simon said Erin became 'extremely aggressive'. In a series of messages written in December 2022, Erin told friends she was disappointed Simon's parents would not help mediate the dispute. '[Don] said they can't adjudicate if they don't know both sides … This family I swear to fucking god,' one message read. Others said she wanted 'nothing to do' with her parents-in-law, that she was 'sick of this shit' and 'fuck em'. Six months later, she invited them to lunch. Simon also agreed to go, but the night before the lunch he texted her to cancel, saying he felt 'too uncomfortable'. Patterson replied: 'That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow which has been exhausting in light of the issues I'm facing and spent a small fortune on beef eye fillet to make beef wellingtons because I wanted it to be a special meal, as I may not be able to host a lunch like this again for some time.' Ian Wilkinson told the court he recalled Patterson plating the individual beef wellingtons on four large grey plates and a smaller plate – an 'orangey, tan' colour. Patterson, he said, ate from the odd plate. After the group had finished eating, Patterson 'announced that she had cancer', the Korrumburra Baptist church pastor said. 'In that moment, I thought, 'This is the reason we've been invited to lunch',' he said. Patterson's four guests all were admitted to hospital the next day. Taking to the witness box herself, Patterson admitted she had never been diagnosed with cancer. She said she had told the lie as she was embarrassed about her plan to undergo gastric bypass surgery for weight loss. It later emerged in court that the clinic where she said she had an appointment offered no such surgery, with Patterson saying she must have been mistaken in her evidence, though it did offer liposuction. She said she was a binge eater who had struggled with her body image since she was a child. On the day of the lunch, she said she binge ate two-thirds of an orange cake brought by Gail, then vomited it up – a plausible explanation, the defence said, for why she was less unwell than her guests later. Much of the trial centred around Patterson's actions after the lunch. She refused treatment on her first presentation at Leongatha hospital and discharged herself against medical advice; was reluctant for her children to be taken to hospital for assessment after she said they had eaten leftovers of the lunch; disposed of a food dehydrator she had used to dry mushrooms; lied in a police interview; and performed a series of factory resets on one of her mobile phones. Another phone, believed to be primarily used by Patterson, was never found by police. The prosecution said Patterson told so many 'lies upon lies' that it was 'hard to keep track of them'. 'When she knew her lies had been uncovered, she came up with a carefully constructed narrative to fit with the evidence – almost. There are some inconsistencies that she just cannot account for so she ignores them,' Rogers said. She said the jury should have 'no difficulty' in rejecting the argument that 'this was all a horrible foraging accident'. They did just that. Now a convicted triple murderer, Patterson will face a sentencing hearing later this year. Her lawyers will have 28 days from the date of her sentence to decide if they are going to appeal. If an appeal does proceed, the saga that has gripped the globe will continue.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- The Guardian
Two years ago, Erin Patterson's lunch guests were admitted to hospital. This week she became a convicted murderer
It's a case so well-publicised it barely needs introduction. Erin Patterson, a middle-aged mother of two, hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha, a regional town in the Australian state of Victoria, on 29 July 2023. After being served individual beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms, three of her relatives died and one barely survived. After a two-and-a-half month trial that made global headlines, Patterson was on Monday found guilty of murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson. Erin Patterson hosts lunch for estranged husband Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt and uncle Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Patterson serves beef wellington. All four lunch guests are admitted to hospital with gastro-like symptoms. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson die in hospital. Don Patterson dies in hospital. Victoria police search Erin Patterson's home and interview her. Ian Wilkinson is discharged from hospital after weeks in intensive care. Police again search Erin Patterson's home, and she is arrested and interviewed. She is charged with three counts of murder relating to the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson, and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson. Jury is sworn in. Murder trial begins. Jury hears that charges of attempting to murder her estranged husband Simon are dropped. Jury finds Erin Patterson guilty of murdering Heather Wilkinson, Don and Gail Patterson and attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson. 'Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty,' the jury's foreperson read in quick succession. Patterson didn't flinch. She looked straight at the jury, her face unreadable. It was all over within minutes. Patterson's lawyers, led by Colin Mandy SC, left the courtroom without making comment. The lead prosecutor, Nanette Rogers SC, wasn't even there. There were no members of the Wilkinson or Patterson families in courtroom four to hear the verdict, either. Just one friend of Erin Patterson's, quietly wiping away tears. It was a sudden end to a trial that lasted more than 10 weeks, featured in excess of 50 witnesses and was forensically covered by the biggest media contingent to follow Victorian supreme court proceedings in recent history. According to the supreme court, more than 250 journalists registered for updates on the trial. Nine authors, seven podcast producers, seven documentary crews and a television drama series were among those who attended Latrobe Valley law courts, alongside court watchers and the victim's families. The media circus contributed to an economic boom in both Morwell, where the court is located, and Traralgon, the biggest town in the region and where most visitors stay. Throughout the trial, there was no dispute that Patterson had served a lunch containing death cap mushrooms that killed three of her guests and made the fourth seriously ill. But had she meant to poison them? Her lawyers had argued it was a tragic accident. They said when the lunch turned deadly, Patterson panicked and lied to police, saying she had never foraged for mushrooms. Prosecutors offered another narrative: Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests 'with murderous intent' and then attempted to cover it up. They did not provide a motive, nor is one required by law. But the court heard that Erin and Simon Patterson's relationship was punctuated by repeated ruptures and reconciliations after their 2007 marriage, until they separated permanently in 2015. The split, which was not formalised through divorce, was amicable, Patterson's estranged husband told the court, until about October or November 2022, when he said a miscommunication between himself and his accountant resulted in him being listed as 'separated' on a tax return form for the first time. In a message shown to the court, Erin wrote it had family tax benefit and child support implications that could cost her up to about $15,000 a year. Simon told the court he was advised by child support authorities not to pay any expenses relating to the children, including school and medical fees, while the amount he had to pay in child support was calculated. It spelled an end to their 'chatty' relationship. Simon said Erin became 'extremely aggressive'. In a series of messages written in December 2022, Erin told friends she was disappointed Simon's parents would not help mediate the dispute. '[Don] said they can't adjudicate if they don't know both sides … This family I swear to fucking god,' one message read. Others said she wanted 'nothing to do' with her parents-in-law, that she was 'sick of this shit' and 'fuck em'. Six months later, she invited them to lunch. Simon also agreed to go, but the night before the lunch he texted her to cancel, saying he felt 'too uncomfortable'. Patterson replied: 'That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow which has been exhausting in light of the issues I'm facing and spent a small fortune on beef eye fillet to make beef wellingtons because I wanted it to be a special meal, as I may not be able to host a lunch like this again for some time.' Ian Wilkinson told the court he recalled Patterson plating the individual beef wellingtons on four large grey plates and a smaller plate – an 'orangey, tan' colour. Patterson, he said, ate from the odd plate. After the group had finished eating, Patterson 'announced that she had cancer', the Korrumburra Baptist church pastor said. 'In that moment, I thought, 'This is the reason we've been invited to lunch',' he said. Patterson's four guests all were admitted to hospital the next day. Taking to the witness box herself, Patterson admitted she had never been diagnosed with cancer. She said she had told the lie as she was embarrassed about her plan to undergo gastric bypass surgery for weight loss. It later emerged in court that the clinic where she said she had an appointment offered no such surgery, with Patterson saying she must have been mistaken in her evidence, though it did offer liposuction. She said she was a binge eater who had struggled with her body image since she was a child. On the day of the lunch, she said she binge ate two-thirds of an orange cake brought by Gail, then vomited it up – a plausible explanation, the defence said, for why she was less unwell than her guests later. Much of the trial centred around Patterson's actions after the lunch. She refused treatment on her first presentation at Leongatha hospital and discharged herself against medical advice; was reluctant for her children to be taken to hospital for assessment after she said they had eaten leftovers of the lunch; disposed of a food dehydrator she had used to dry mushrooms; lied in a police interview; and performed a series of factory resets on one of her mobile phones. Another phone, believed to be primarily used by Patterson, was never found by police. The prosecution said Patterson told so many 'lies upon lies' that it was 'hard to keep track of them'. 'When she knew her lies had been uncovered, she came up with a carefully constructed narrative to fit with the evidence – almost. There are some inconsistencies that she just cannot account for so she ignores them,' Rogers said. She said the jury should have 'no difficulty' in rejecting the argument that 'this was all a horrible foraging accident'. They did just that. Now a convicted triple murderer, Patterson will face a sentencing hearing later this year. Her lawyers will have 28 days from the date of her sentence to decide if they are going to appeal. If an appeal does proceed, the saga that has gripped the globe will continue.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The face looks familiar and the crime is all too real. However the evil killer mushroom chef in these videos is anything but - and the viral videos have sparked a furious backlash
Disturbing AI-generated videos have gone viral on TikTok, showing convicted triple-killer Erin Patterson preparing her deadly beef Wellington dish. Erin Patterson, 50, was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth on Monday after she laced their meal with death cap mushrooms. Patterson's father-in-law and mother-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson died following the lunch at her Leongatha home in south-east Victoria on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor of the deadly meal. The high-profile case drew global attention and developed a cult following online, spawning memes and satirical content. Now, a TikTok account named has attracted widespread attention for its AI-generated videos depicting Patterson in a fictional cooking series. The account, which uses the tagline, 'Just a Mum who loves making homemade meals for my family,' features a digital recreation of Patterson foraging for mushrooms and preparing the fatal dish. In one video, the AI version of Patterson can be seen welcoming viewers: 'What's up guys, welcome to my cooking series. 'Today we're making beef Wellington, but first we need to find some special mushrooms.' She then joked, 'The in-laws are going to love this,' while holding a mushroom. Another clip showed her in a supermarket asking for a dehydrator 'for death cap mushrooms - I mean, beef,' followed by scenes of mushrooms drying in her kitchen. 'Not long now. If anyone knows a good place to dispose of evidence, let me know,' the AI character said in the fake footage. The series continues with Patterson handing a dehydrator to a worker at a rubbish tip and cooking the dish while laughing about her 'special ingredient'. 'I'd hate to undercook it and make someone sick,' she quips, referencing trial details that she served her portion on a differently coloured plate. In another video, the AI version of Patterson could be seen between the aisles of a supermarket asking a staff member what kitchen appliance she recommends for drying 'death cap mushrooms...I mean, beef'. The video cut to a depiction of Patterson's kitchen, with the mushrooms inside a dehydrator on top of the bench. 'Not long now. If anyone knows of a good place to dispose of evidence let me know,' the AI Patterson said. In the third episode of the series, the AI Patterson could be seen walking through a rubbish tip and handing a dehydrator to a worker. Another video showed Patterson cooking the beef Wellington and laughing as she added her 'special ingredient'. 'I better cook this for an hour and I would hate to under cook it and make someone sick,' the AI Patterson said. 'Gotta make sure I don't get mixed up,' she added as she showed the camera a blue plate among red plates. Her trial heard she served her portion on a differently-coloured plate from her guests. The videos have sparked mixed reactions. Many viewers condemned the content as insensitive to the victims' families. 'People died. It's really not a joke,' one user commented. 'I laughed, then remembered three people died,' another added. Others defended the videos as dark humour. 'This is kind of funny, like a twisted joke. I'm laughing so hard,' one person wrote. 'Please do vlogs from her in prison next,' another suggested. One insisted: 'This is the best account I've ever come across,' while another fan said: 'This is fantastic.' While some admitted they found the fake videos entertaining, others argued it crossed a line and trivialised a tragic event that devastated multiple families.
