Latest news with #MushroomKiller
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
‘A bit of a Hogwarts special': Why society is obsessed with female killers
Erin Patterson looks much like you'd expect any middle-aged Australian woman to – brown hair, glasses, unremarkable clothes. As University of Sydney criminologist Dr Helen Easton pointed out, 'she could be your sister, your mum, your aunty, a neighbour'. At a glance, you wouldn't assume the mother-of-two to be capable of triple murder. Yet on Monday, Patterson was found guilty by a unanimous jury of killing her husband's parents and aunt, and attempting to kill his uncle, with a death cap mushroom-laced beef wellington lunch on July 29, 2023. The 50-year-old, who is yet to be sentenced, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Patterson's case has captivated the world. Newspapers from New York to New Delhi followed every twist of the trial, nicknaming her the 'Mushroom Killer'. Podcasters, film crews and true-crime fanatics descended on the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in Victoria better known for its prize-winning roses. It's unlikely this appetite for the case will be sated any time soon, either. Following the verdict, the ABC, streaming giant Stan and multiple publishers announced a drama series, a three-part documentary and books, respectively, inspired by or about the saga, all pegged for release within the next year. The reasons behind our rabid interest in Patterson, Dr Easton told are manifold, and largely united by a common thread: 'The available data, which for crime data is very accurate, tells us that women, on the whole, tend not to kill.' 'A powerful breach of gender norms' In Australia, per the most recent Institute of Criminology statistics, the male homicide offender rate was 2.45 per 100,000 men – almost seven times the female offender rate of 0.36 per 100,000 women. Of the 314 identified homicides between 2019 and 2020, 87 per cent were committed by men. When women do kill, Dr Easton explained, 'there is usually some connection to having experienced extreme, and often continued, violence or coercive control from their victim'. In cases of infanticide, 'women most often kill in a moment of diminished responsibility or automatism, connected to post-natal psychiatric illness'. 'Patterson's actions are therefore incredibly unusual,' Dr Easton said. 'Not only are they a breach of social norms, but they are also a powerful breach of gender norms. 'Stereotypes of women, which have historic origins but continue to inform legal processes to this day, suggest women to be caring, passive, and emotional – rather than the calculated, heartless and unemotional organiser of a poisoned Sunday lunch.' Society is 'always shocked', Swinburne University's Loryn Sykes said, when it's reminded that women 'have the capacity for violence and murder, as we don't see women as a threat to our collective safety'. 'We associate violence with the realm of men (because) violence is seen as masculine behaviour,' Ms Sykes, who is hoping to complete a PhD in true-crime podcasting, told Given the perception of male killers as 'a broader threat' to the general public than their female counterparts – especially if their victims are young women or girls – their crimes can be a catalyst for mass outrage, increased concern about the level of safety in the community, and even legislative change, she said. 'Murders committed by women, on the other hand, are not seen or framed as a threat … in the same way,' Ms Sykes said. 'Instead, the focus of media and public outrage is about condemning the individual women who perpetrated these murders rather than … what the crime says about the state of the world we live in. 'I think this is the reason why the public's response to this case is more about making fun of Erin Patterson – rather than being genuinely fearful of her.' 'A bit of a Hogwarts special' Patterson's crimes evoke imagery of the Victorian era, Ms Sykes said, pointing to the cases of Christiana Edmunds, the so-called 'Chocolate Cream Killer' of 1871, and Marie-Fortunée Larfarge, who poisoned her husband with arsenic in 1840. 'Even though women killing their family members is quite rare, the narrative of women murdering via poisoning is familiar enough of a trope in true crime that news outlets can craft a story that audiences can recognise and follow along with easily,' she added. The murder weapon itself plays into this narrative, Dr Easton said. 'Mushrooms are a mysterious and magical food – growing out of decay and … a key ingredient in the potions knocked up by witches,' she said. 'It offers up another stereotype Patterson can be associated with – the ugly, middle-aged witch or hag, again confirming her as evil. The mystery and magic of mushrooms and the mundanity of a Sunday lunch create contrast and interest in the story – a bit of a Hogwarts special. 'The fact that Erin's husband – and likely his larger family – were religious and therefore 'good' people further strengthens this contrast, and we enter the familiar narrative of the battle between good and evil.' 'Without the truth, Erin seems 'mad'' Most 'intriguing' of all – at least for Dr Easton – is Patterson's lack of a motive. 'Perhaps (the crime) would be more understandable had Erin's husband had an affair and his family supported him (in his infidelity), or if there was money involved which Erin would only inherit after the deaths of her husband and relatives,' she said. 'This remains a mystery in this case – and perhaps if the truth were out there, it would be a lot less interesting. Without the truth, Erin seems 'mad' – we can't see killing people as normal behaviour.' Criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett said on The Trial podcast earlier this week that she and renowned criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro had 'picked apart' Patterson's personality as they observed the case, in a bid to understand what prompted her to target her extended family. 'It appears, or what I believe happened is, she has this simmering rage for Simon and perhaps felt that his family hadn't supported her,' Dr Mallett said, referring to text messages tendered as evidence during the trial that demonstrated 'some tensions within the family'. 'And therefore some of that rage is transferred to them, and she felt justified in harming them because of this … and therefore she is protecting herself.'
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Daily Record
'Mushroom Killer' Erin Patterson's warped mind from 'Satanic' wall to cancer deceit
Mum-of-two Erin Patterson invited her in-laws over for a meal before launching her sick plan. Mother-of-two Erin Patterson poisoned her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson and her estranged husband's aunt and uncle, Heather and Ian Wilkinson, after inviting them all over for lunch. Patterson, who has today been found guilty of murder, served up a dish of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans at her home in the town of Leongatha, in Victoria, Australia on July 29, 2023. While the four relatives ate their meals on four large, grey dinner plates, Patterson, 50, instead opted for a smaller, tan-coloured plate. Visibly different enough, the prosecutors would later allege, that the killer didn't risk accidentally ingest the poisonous mushrooms she had mixed into the food, r eports the Mirror. Within hours Don and Gail, both 70, Heather, 66, and Ian fell gravely ill, suffering vomiting and diarrhoea after finishing their Saturday lunch at Patterson's large suburban home. Mere days later, three out of the four lunch guests had sadly died following an agonising ordeal, with Ian only pulling through after undergoing a liver transplant. It's a case that has shocked people across the globe, with the grim details offering a disturbing insight into the warped mind of the notorious 'Mushroom Killer'. Husband's close escape On the day of the deadly gathering, a fifth guest had also been invited, but chose to decline - Patterson's estranged husband, Simon Patterson. reports that civil engineer Simon had declined the invitation just the night before, stating via text that he felt 'too uncomfortable'. Jurors heard how Patterson and Simon had initially remained pals following their 2015 separation, working to maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship, and would regularly attend the same family events. However, reports that things took a turn towards the end of 2022, due to financial disputes. Facebook messages shared under the username Erin ErinErin show Patterson venting her frustration against her in-laws, whom she had reportedly turned to for help. Expressing frustration over Don and Gail's apparent reluctance to involve themselves in the marriage breakdown, Patterson wrote: 'I'm sick of this s*** I want nothing to do with them. I thought his parents would want him to do the right thing, but it seems their concern about not wanting to feel uncomfortable and not wanting to get involved in their son's personal matters are overriding that so f*** em.' Cancer deceit Sole survivor Ian later opened up about his memories of sitting down for the fatal family meal, remembering how Patterson had announced that she'd been diagnosed with a "life-threatening" form of cancer, and was struggling to find the words to tell her kids. Ian, a Reverend, recalled: 'Erin announced that she had cancer. She said that she was very concerned because she believed it was very serious, life-threatening. She was anxious about telling the kids." The compassionate group had been so concerned for Patterson that they prayed for her over their food, oblivious to the fact it had been laced with deadly death cap mushrooms, also known as Amanita phalloides. Speaking in court, Patterson admitted that she had lied about having cancer, as she'd been too 'embarrassed' to discuss her recent weight-loss surgery. While under questioning from her lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, Patterson confessed: 'Not proud of this, but I led them to believe I might be needing some treatment … in regards to [ovarian cancer] in the coming weeks and months. They all showed a lot of compassion about that … Ian said, 'Why don't we pray for Erin?' and so that's what we did. I did lie to them.' She added, 'I was ashamed of the fact that I didn't have control over my body or what I ate. I was ashamed of that, I felt embarrassed. I didn't want to tell anybody, but I shouldn't have lied to them.' Hours of agony Following the meal, Don, Gail, Heather, and Ian began exhibiting severe symptoms, and, sadly, their conditions continued to deteriorate at an alarming pace in the hours afterwards. The victims were left in agony, with vomiting and diarrhoea, comparable to symptoms seen during a cholera outbreak, resulting in extreme dehydration, and ultimately, their vital organs shutting down. According to the Daily Mail Australia, as their bodies worked to preserve blood supply to their brains and hearts, blood flow to the victims' kidneys would have dramatically reduced, stopping them from working properly and leading to excruciating cramps. As well as this physical agony, it's feared the victims would have also had to endure "the existential pain of realising that their livers were melting down in an unstoppable manner". Although doctors would have strived to manage their pain in the hospital, this would have been a cruel way to go, and a tragic death for loved ones to witness. Speaking through tears before the jury, Simon recalled seeing his parents hooked up to IV drips at Korumburra Hospital. He remembered: 'Dad was substantially worse than Mum. He was really struggling. He was lying on his side, he was hunched quite noticeably. His voice was strained in a way that was … he wasn't right inside. He was feeling pain.' Tragically, sisters Gail and Heather passed away from liver failure on Friday, August 4, 2023, while Don died the following day. Ian spent seven weeks in hospital but somehow he survived the horror ordeal. Now, a leading US expert on amatoxin poisoning has alleged that the group were doomed from the start, on account of Australia's reportedly outdated use of the milk thistle-based drug silibinin. This medicine works by flushing poison out through a person's kidneys - a measure which the expert argues would have been "almost useless" in this case. Speaking with the Mail Online, the medic, who went only by the name Dr L, remarked that Australian doctors, unfamiliar with such rare instances, had to rely on 'past wisdom' around silibinin, which would have been no help once severe dehydration resulted in organs shutting down. Dr L commented: 'They went from sick to catastrophic in a short space of time. The very rapid progression from ingestion to death is characteristic of cases where early low urine output acute kidney injury has occurred, and intravenous volume replacement has been inadequately aggressive. 'Or it has been interrupted, or there has been a restricted maintenance of IV hydration following admission to hospital. I don't know what occurred, and what the physicians, who must have desperately tried to save these people's lives, must have gone through. I have no knowledge of the management details, and I haven't seen medical records." 'Satanic' death wall In August 2023, a decorator claimed that Patterson had an eerie "death wall" in her home, covered with Satanic graffiti. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, the tradesman alleged that he'd been hired to remove graffiti, which includes images of grave stones, decapitated heads, and daggers, as well as creepy lines of text scrawled in red and black ink. These dark messages supposedly read, "You are dead by the sword" and "You will die within a year". Describing the "disturbing" scribbles as "Satanic", the anonymous worker told the publication: "They were done by their (the Pattersons') daughter. It is pretty disturbing for mum to let the kids draw on their dining room wall." Lies over mushrooms After tests were conducted on lunch leftovers recovered from Patterson's bin, it became clear that at least some of the food contained the toxin from death cap mushrooms, which are found growing beneath oak trees throughout the south Melbourne region. The question remained as to whether they had deliberately been put there, and whether Patterson had intended for her in-laws to die. Patterson pleaded not guilty, but did accept that death cap mushrooms had been baked into the individual Beef Wellingtons. She argued that the three deaths were a result of a tragic accident and that she hadn't meant to harm anyone. However, her web of lies quickly unravelled under scrutiny. As initially claimed by Patterson, she had purchased dehydrated mushrooms from an Asian supermarket in Melbourne; however, she couldn't remember precisely where she had bought them from. At first, Patterson denied she had foraged for wild mushrooms or that she had her own food dehydrator to dry these out. But she later confessed both to foraging for mushrooms and to owning a dehydrator. Children's loyalty The Mail Online has previously revealed that Patterson's two children have continued to visit her behind bars while she awaited trial, unable to accept that their mother was capable of ruthlessly slaying their grandparents and great-aunt. During trial breaks, Patterson could be heard enquiring about her children, even asking one woman to make sure her now 16-year-old son had "extra hugs". The jury also saw video testimony from Patterson's children, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The pre-recorded police footage, filmed August 16, 2023, shows the children recalling eating beef Wellington leftovers the day after the now notorious lunch. The Guardian reports that Patterson's daughter praised her mother as a 'very good cook'., while her son stated that the eye-fillet beef used in the dish was 'some of the best meat I've ever had'. The teenager went on to state that the relationship between his parents was 'very negative', telling officers that his father 'does a lot of things to try and hurt' his mother. Both children asserted that they did not know their mother to forage for mushrooms, while Patterson's son remembered her photographing a mushroom during a walk in Korumburra Botanic Gardens back in 2020. He added that he believed she'd taken a picture because she 'thought they looked nice'. Patterson will be sentenced at a later date.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside warped mind of 'Mushroom Killer' from 'Satanic' death wall to cancer lies
'Mushroom Killer' Erin Patterson, who has been found guilty of murder, poisoned her own in-laws after they prayed for her over a family lunch, in a twisted story filled with shocking details On July 29 2023, mother-of-two Erin Patterson invited her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, over for lunch, along with her estranged husband's aunt and uncle, Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Patterson, who has today been found guilty of murder, served up a dish of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans at her home in the town of Leongatha, in Victoria, Australia. While the four relatives ate their meals on four large, grey dinner plates, Patterson, 50, opted for a smaller, tan-coloured plate. Visibly different enough, the prosecutors would later allege, that the killer didn't risk accidentally ingesting the poisonous mushrooms mixed into the food. It wasn't long before Don and Gail, both 70, Heather, 66, and Ian fell gravely ill, suffering vomiting and diarrhoea within hours of finishing their Saturday lunch at Patterson's large suburban home. Mere days later, three out of the four lunch guests died following an agonising ordeal, with Ian only pulling through after undergoing a liver transplant. It's a case that has shocked people across the world, with the grim details offering a disturbing insight into the warped mind of the notorious 'Mushroom Killer'. Husband's close escape On the day of the deadly gathering, a fifth guest had been invited, but chose to decline - Patterson's estranged husband, Simon Patterson. reports that civil engineer Simon had cancelled just the night before, stating via text that he felt 'too uncomfortable'. Jurors heard how Patterson and Simon had initially remained friends following their 2015 separation, working to maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship, and would regularly attend the same family events. However, reports that things took a turn towards the end of 2022, due to financial disputes. Facebook messages shared under the username Erin ErinErin show Patterson venting her frustration against her in-laws, whom she had reportedly turned to Expressing frustration over Don and Gail's apparent reluctance to involve themselves in the marriage breakdown, Patterson wrote: 'I'm sick of this s*** I want nothing to do with them. I thought his parents would want him to do the right thing, but it seems their concern about not wanting to feel uncomfortable and not wanting to get involved in their son's personal matters are overriding that so f*** em.' She also commented: 'This family, I swear to f***ing god.' Cancer deceit Sole survivor Ian later opened up about his memories of sitting down for the fatal family meal, remembering how Patterson had announced that she'd been diagnosed with a "life-threatening" form of cancer, and was struggling to find the words to tell her children. Ian, a Reverend, recalled: 'Erin announced that she had cancer. She said that she was very concerned because she believed it was very serious, life-threatening. She was anxious about telling the kids." The compassionate group had been so concerned for Patterson that they prayed for her over their food, oblivious to the fact it had been laced with deadly death cap mushrooms, also known as Amanita phalloides. Speaking in court, Patterson admitted that she had lied about having cancer, as she'd been too 'embarrassed' to discuss her weight-loss surgery. While under questioning from her lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, Patterson confessed: 'Not proud of this, but I led them to believe I might be needing some treatment … in regards to [ovarian cancer] in the coming weeks and months. They all showed a lot of compassion about that … Ian said, 'Why don't we pray for Erin?' and so that's what we did. I did lie to them.' She added, 'I was ashamed of the fact that I didn't have control over my body or what I ate. I was ashamed of that, I felt embarrassed. I didn't want to tell anybody, but I shouldn't have lied to them.' Hours of agony In the hours after the meal, Don, Gail, Heather, and Ian began exhibiting severe symptoms, and, sadly, their conditions continued to deteriorate at an alarming pace. The victims were left in agony, with vomiting and diarrhoea, comparable to symptoms seen during a cholera outbreak, resulting in extreme dehydration, and ultimately, the shutting down of their vital organs. According to the Daily Mail Australia, as their systems worked to preserve blood supply to their brains and hearts, blood flow to the victims' kidneys would have dramatically reduced, stopping them from working properly and leading to excruciating cramps. As well as this physical agony, it's feared the victims would have also had to endure "the existential pain of realising that their livers were melting down in an unstoppable manner". Although doctors would have strived to manage their pain in the hospital, this would have been a cruel way to go, and a terrible death for loved ones to witness. Speaking through tears before the jury, Simon recalled seeing his parents hooked up to IV drips at Korumburra Hospital. He remembered: 'Dad was substantially worse than Mum. He was really struggling. He was lying on his side, he was hunched quite noticeably. His voice was strained in a way that was … he wasn't right inside. He was feeling pain.' Tragically, sisters Gail and Heather passed away from liver failure on Friday, August 4, 2023, while Don died the following day. Ian spent seven weeks in hospital but ultimately survived the horror ordeal. Now, a leading US expert on amatoxin poisoning has claimed the group were doomed from the start, on account of Australia's reportedly outdated use of the milk thistle-based drug silibinin, This medicine works by flushing poison out through a person's kidneys - a measure which the expert argues would have been "almost useless" in this case. Speaking with the Mail Online, the medic, who went only by the name Dr L, remarked that Australian doctors, unfamiliar with such rare instances, had to rely on 'past wisdom' around silibinin, which would have been no help once severe dehydration resulted in organs shutting down. Dr L commented: 'They went from sick to catastrophic in a short space of time. The very rapid progression from ingestion to death is characteristic of cases where early low urine output acute kidney injury has occurred, and intravenous volume replacement has been inadequately aggressive. 'Or it has been interrupted, or there has been a restricted maintenance of IV hydration following admission to hospital. I don't know what occurred, and what the physicians, who must have desperately tried to save these people's lives, must have gone through. I have no knowledge of the management details, and I haven't seen medical records." 'Satanic' death wall In August 2023, a decorator claimed that Patterson had an eerie "death wall" in her home, covered with Satanic graffiti. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, the tradesman alleged that he'd been hired to remove graffiti, which includes images of grave stones, decapitated heads, and daggers, as well as creepy lines of text scrawled in red and black ink. These dark messages supposedly read, "You are dead by the sword" and "You will die within a year". Describing the "disturbing" scribbles as "Satanic", the anonymous worker told the publication: "They were done by their (the Pattersons') daughter. It is pretty disturbing for mum to let the kids draw on their dining room wall." Lies over mushrooms After tests were conducted on lunch leftovers recovered from Patterson's bin, it became clear that at least some of the food contained the toxin from death cap mushrooms, which are found growing beneath oak trees throughout the south Melbourne region. The question remained as to whether they had deliberately been put there, and whether Patterson had intended for her in-laws to die. Patterson pleaded not guilty, but did accept that death cap mushrooms had been baked into the individual Beef Wellingtons. She argued that the three deaths were a result of a tragic accident and that she hadn't meant to harm anyone. However, her web of lies quickly unravelled under scrutiny. As initially claimed by Patterson, she had purchased dehydrated mushrooms from an Asian supermarket in Melbourne; however, she couldn't remember precisely where she had bought them from. At first, Patterson denied she had foraged for wild mushrooms or that she had her own food dehydrator to dry these out. But she later confessed both to foraging for mushrooms and to owning a dehydrator. Children's loyalty The Mail Online has previously revealed that Patterson's two children have continued to visit her behind bars while she awaited trial, unable to accept that their mother was capable of ruthlessly slaying their grandparents and great aunt. During trial breaks, Patterson could be heard enquiring about her children, even asking one woman to make sure her now 16-year-old son had "extra hugs". The jury also saw video testimony from Patterson's children, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The pre-recorded police footage, filmed August 16, 2023, shows the children recalling eating beef Wellington leftovers the day after the now notorious lunch. The Guardian reports that Patterson's daughter praised her mother as a 'very good cook'., while her son stated that the eye-fillet beef used in the dish was 'some of the best meat I've ever had'. The teenager went on to state that the relationship between his parents was 'very negative', telling officers that his father 'does a lot of things to try and hurt' his mother. Both children asserted that they did not know their mother to forage for mushrooms, while Patterson's son remembered her photographing a mushroom during a walk in Korumburra Botanic Gardens back in 2020. He added that he believed she'd taken a picture because she 'thought they looked nice'. Patterson will be sentenced at a later date.
