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2023 Leongatha mushroom poisoning

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2023 Leongatha mushroom poisoning
LocationLeongatha, Victoria, Australia
Date29 July 2023 (AEST)
Attack type
Poisoning
WeaponsDeath cap mushrooms
Deaths3
AccusedErin Trudi Patterson

The 2023 Leongatha mushroom poisoning is an ongoing legal case involving three deaths from mushroom poisoning in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia. One woman has been charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The case returned to court in April 2025.[1][2][3]

The case has sparked significant media interest in Australia and overseas.[4][5]

Background

[edit]

Leongatha is a town in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, South Gippsland Shire, located 135 kilometres (84 mi) south-east of Melbourne. At the 2021 census, Leongatha had a population of 5,869.[6]

Lunch and deaths

[edit]
The meal eaten by the victims contained death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides)

On 29 July 2023, Erin Trudi Patterson cooked beef Wellington for a lunch for her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson and Heather’s husband, Ian, at her home in Leongatha.[7] Her estranged husband (separated around 2020[8]), Simon Patterson, was invited but did not attend.[9] Patterson claims her two children went to the cinema at the time of the lunch.[1] It was later confirmed that the meal contained Amanita phalloides death cap mushrooms.[10]

The following day, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson went to Leongatha Hospital with reported stomach pains and diarrhoea, but repeatedly refused to be admitted. Doctors were so concerned for her welfare that they called the police.[11]

On 4 August, five days after the lunch, Gail Patterson, aged 70 and Heather Wilkinson, aged 66, died in hospital and an investigation was launched by Victoria Police. On 5 August, Don Patterson, aged 70, also died in hospital.[1]

Ian Wilkinson, aged 69, remained hospitalized for over seven weeks, but survived.[12] He was discharged on 23 September, having received a liver transplant. A funeral for his wife was held on 4 October.[13][14]

Police investigation

[edit]

Police confirmed on 14 August that Patterson provided them with a detailed statement, in which she said she had bought dried mushrooms from an Asian supermarket in Mount Waverley (around 118 kilometres (73 mi) away from Leongatha) three months before the lunch.[15]

Patterson also said in the statement that she intentionally disposed of the food dehydrator that police found in a skip bin at a transfer station in Koonwarra after she says people "began accusing her of intentionally poisoning the meal".[16]

[edit]

Arraignment

[edit]

Patterson appeared in Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court in Morwell on 3 November. She was remanded in custody to next face court scheduled for 3 May 2024.[17]

On 7 May 2024, Patterson pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges and five attempted murder charges.[18] She elected to "fast track" her case, meaning that her case would skip the Magistrate's Court's committal hearing and proceed directly to a Section 198 hearing in the Supreme Court of Victoria, where the evidence against her would be tested for the first time. Patterson was accused of having attempted to murder Simon Patterson on three occasions: between 16 and 17 November 2021 in Korumburra, between 25 and 27 May 2022 in Howqua and on 6 September 2022 in Wilsons Promontory.[19] However, these charges were subsequently dropped.[20]

Trial

[edit]

First week

[edit]

On 29 April 2025, Patterson's trial began in the Supreme Court of Victoria at Morwell. At that time, Justice Christopher William Beale informed the jury that the prosecution had decided not to pursue charges that Patterson had attempted to kill her estranged husband in the months prior to the fatal lunch.[21] Nanette Rogers SC served as the Crown's prosecutor while Patterson was represented by Colin Mandy SC. A jury panel consisting of ten men and five women was empanelled, with three being designated as reserve jurors.[20]

On 30 April, the prosecution and defence delivered their opening submissions. Crown prosecutor Rogers told the court that Patterson had lied when she told Police that she never owned a food dehydrator. This was contradicted by her Facebook posts showing photos of her dehydrator and dehydrated mushrooms. Rogers said that Patterson had purchased the dehydrator from a Leongatha shop before making two trips to Loch and Outtrim in mid-April 2023. These sites were known habitats for death cap mushrooms. Rogers also presented CCTV footage of Patterson dumping the food dehydrator at the Koonwarra Transfer Station and Landfill following the alleged poisoning of her guests. Rogers told the court that police forensically examined the dehydrator unit and found Patterson's fingerprints and traces of amanita phalloides mushroom toxins, which was also detected in urine samples of the male guests. Rogers also told the court that Patterson had not eaten the same meal as the victims and that she had lied about her cancer diagnosis and about experiencing stomach pains and diarrhoea following the poisoning. Rogers argued that the defendant lied about having serious medical issues to ensure that her children were not present at the lunch on 29 July. Rogers said that the prosecution would not be trying to prove that Patterson had a motive.[22][23]

On the same day, defence lawyer Mandy acknowledged that Patterson had lied to police when she initially claimed she did not own a food dehydrator or forage for mushrooms, but argued that she had panicked after learning that her lunch guests had died after eating food she had cooked. Mandy also did not dispute the Crown's argument that Patterson had never been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Mandy also told the court that Patterson was close to her children and her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, who had died after eating the lunch. Mandy said the defence did not dispute that death cap mushrooms had caused the deaths of the lunch guests but argued that Patterson did not intend to cause harm to anyone that day. He said that the defence would be arguing that the victims' deaths were a "tragedy and terrible accident."[23][22] Justice Beale summarised the Crown and defence's cases, stating that the two disputed issues in the trial were whether Patterson deliberately poisoned anyone and whether she intended to kill or cause serious injury to her lunchtime guests.[22]

On 1 May, the court heard testimony from Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson. He testified that Patterson had a close relationship with her father-in-law Don, sharing a love for science. He also told the court that he and Patterson had a tumultuous marriage, experiencing several separations and reconciliations. Simon said that the couple had clashed over property and that Patterson had asked her in-laws to intervene in the dispute. He also told the court that Patterson had inherited A$2 million from her grandmother in 2006, with the money being invested in several properties and used to facilitate loans for Simon's siblings.[24] Simon also confirmed that Patterson was "disappointed" that he had declined her invitation to attend the lunch in late July 2023. After Simon took the Wilkinsons to the hospital, he said that Heather Wilkinson had twice recalled that Patterson had eaten from a different-coloured plate from the other guests. During cross-examination, Simon testified that his former wife owned several mismatched plate sets, but had one colourful plastic plate that was made by their daughter. He believed that was the plate that Patterson had used during the lunch.[25] Simon also testified that he had first heard about Patterson using a food dehydrator during a conversation at the hospital a day after the lunch.[24] Simon also told the court that Patterson was upset he had listed himself as "separated" in his tax returns in 2022 since that would affect their tax arrangements.[25]

On 2 May, Simon resumed giving evidence. He told the court that Patterson had sent him "extremely aggressive" messages over child support payments in the months leading up to the alleged murders. The court was shown text messages between the couple. Simon also testified that the defendant never asked about the well-being of her in-laws following the mushroom poisoning incident. The court also heard that Patterson was reluctant to go to Dandenong Hospital for a health check-up on 31 July 2023, two days after the incident. Patterson and the couple's two children subsequently went to the Monash Medical Centre at Clayton.[26]

Simon also testified that Patterson had arranged for the lunch in order to discuss her purported cancer diagnosis to her relatives. Simon was cross-examined by Mandy. During cross-examination, Simon told the court that he remained part of her extended family and attended family celebrations despite their separation in 2015. Simon also told the court that the defendant had a history of leaving hospitals against medical advice and had experienced various medical issues throughout their marriage, including heart arrhythmia, a chronic disease and post-natal depression. As the trial adjourned for the weekend, Justice Beale warned the jury to avoid discussing the case and looking up information online and in the media.[26][27]

Second week

[edit]

On 5 May, Simon gave evidence for the third day. Mandy cross-examined Simon over this testimony that he did not recall hearing Patterson asking for updates on his parents' health after they were admitted to hospital following the mushroom poisoning.[28] During cross-examination, Simon also denied asking his estranged wife if she used a food dehydrator to prepare the meal before dumping it at the local processing plant. This conversation allegedly took place on 31 July 2023, two days after the fatal lunch.[29][28]

Following a lunch break, the Supreme Court heard testimony from three women, Christine Hunt, Daniela Barkley and Jenny Hay, who had befriended Patterson via Facebook groups.[28] The court also viewed photos of the food dehydrator with cut-up mushrooms that were shared on a Facebook group that the three women and the defendant were part of. Hay told the court that Patterson was interested in mushrooms while Barkley testified that the four women bonded through a shared interest in the Keli Lane murder case. Barkley also testified that Patterson had asked the group for advice on cooking a beef Wellington a fortnight prior to the fatal lunch.[29] Barkley and Hunt also testified that Patterson was an atheist who clashed with her Baptist husband Simon, who she alleged was "abusive and coercive."[29]

On 6 May, the court heard testimony from Ian Wilkinson, the sole guest to survive the poisoning. During the visit, Wilkinson recalled that Patterson was reluctant to let Heather and Gail inspect her pantry. He also testified that Patterson rebuffed Heather and Gail's offer to help plate the beef Wellingtons. He corroborated Simon's testimony that Patterson ate from an "orangey-tan" plate that was different from the grey plates used by the four guests. Wilkinson disagreed with the defence's suggestion that Patterson had told her guests she had a suspected cancer, stating that she had clearly told them that a diagnostic test had found a "life-threatening cancer." The court also heard about the hospital treatment the lunch guests received at hospital, with Dandenong Hospital's toxicology department suggesting they had been poisoned by death cap mushrooms due to the delayed onset of symptoms.[30]

On 7 May, Monash Health emergency health registrar Dr Mark Douglas testified about the similar mushroom poisoning symptoms experienced by Don and Gail Patterson, and Ian and Heather Wilkinson, following the lunch. Prosecutor Rogers read several witness statements following the poisoning. Don and Gail's daughter Anna Terrington also gave testimony about her parents' relationship with Erin Patterson and said that it was unusual for the Wilkinsons to have been invited to Patterson's lunch on 29 July 2023. Defence lawyer Sophie Stafford also cross-examined Terrington about a A$400,000 loan that Erin and Simon had given her to purchase their family home. The court also heard testimony from Matthew Patterson, Erin's brother-in-law who recalled that Erin had told Simon that she had purchased the mushrooms used in the beef Wellington from a Woolworths supermarket and an Asian grocer. The court also heard that Patterson had discharged herself from Leongatha Hospital against the advice of doctors. Leongatha Hospital doctor Chris Webster testified that Erin had claimed her children were frightened of being tested but relented.[31]

On 8 May, Gippsland Southern Health Service nursing director Kylie Ashton told the court that Patterson had refused to let hospital staff examine her and had signed a "discharge at own risk" form. Erin's lawyer Mandy suggested that Patterson was prepared to have treatment, but not at the time. Leongatha director of nursing Cindy Munro also testified about the defendant's stated refusal to accept medical treatment and testing. The court heard testimony from Senior Constable Adrian Martinez-Villalobis, who had picked up the beef Wellington leftovers from Patterson's home on 31 July. The court heard testimony from Erin's sister-in-law Tanya Patterson, who testified that Erin's relationship with Simon had deteriorated in the 12 months leading to the lunch. Tanya also testified that Erin had said she was nauseous, dizzy and tired two days following the lunch. Tanya had visited Erin and her children in the days following the mushroom poisoning. When cross-examined by defence lawyer Stafford, Tanya was unable to provide an exact timeframe of the deterioration of Erin and Simon's relationship. She also testified that Erin had asked about the well-being of her four lunch guests while visiting Monash Health on 1 August 2023.[32]

Also on 8 May, the court heard testimony from Austin Hospital toxicology registrar Dr Conor McDermott, who recalled that Erin had claimed she was experiencing diarrhea but that her blood results and blood gas readings recorded normal results. McDermott also testified that Patterson had given conflicting information about where she had bought the mushrooms before settling on a supermarket and Asian grocery store. Leongatha paramedic Eleyne Spencer testified that Patterson's blood testing showed that her vitals and blood results were in "normal range." Spencer also testified that Patterson had received ondansetron and fentanyl after complaining of an excruciating headache.[32] The jury later watched a pre-recorded police interview of Erin's daughter who told the court that her mother had experienced diarrhea following the lunch. She also told police that she and her brother had eaten leftovers from the lunch for dinner on 30 July.[32][33]

On 9 May, the court continued watching the police interview of Erin's daughter. The daughter told police that she was not aware of Erin using mushrooms in her cooking. That same day, the court watched a police interview of Erin's teenage son, who confirmed details about the lunch and guests on 29 July 2023. The son described Erin's relationship with her husband Simon as "very negative," with Simon asking to be included in the children's school billing records so that he could have access to their school records and activities without consulting Erin. Erin's son also testified that he and his sister were closer to their mother than their father, saying that his dad "does a lot of things to try and hurt Mum."[34][33] Erin's son also told police that his mother had driven him to Tyabb for a flying lesson on 30 July. During the trip, he recalled that his mother did not use the toilet despite telling him that she had diarrhea in the morning. Erin's son also corroborated his sister's testimony that they had finished leftovers from the lunch for dinner. The son also told the court that Erin had taken a photo of mushrooms in July or August 2020. Following the video testimony, the trial was adjourned until 13 May.[34]

Third week

[edit]

On 13 May, court proceedings resumed. The court heard statements from a teenage friend of Erin's son and her son's flying instructor Ulysses Villalobos. Monash Hospital Dr Rhonda Stuart also testified that Erin had visited the emergency department to ask for her children to be checked after eating leftovers from the dinner. Erin told Stuart that she bought the mushrooms from an Asian grocer. The court heard testimony from Dr Laura Muldoon, who testified that Erin's blood tests were normal. Monash emergency physician Dr Varuna Ruggoo told the court that testing indicated that Erin did not display symptoms of liver toxicity and was discharged. Mycologist Dr Thomas May gave expert testimony about death cap mushrooms in Victoria and confirmed that four images uploaded to the iNaturalist website were consistent with death cap mushrooms. May was cross-examined by both the prosecution and defence.[35]

On 14 May, defence lawyer Sophie Stafford continued cross-examining Dr May about death cap mushrooms. May conceded that there was a risk of members of the public misidentifying mushrooms. The court also heard expert testimony from prosecution witness Dr Camille Truong, a mycologist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Truong had received a call from Dr Muldoon in late July 2023. Truong said that it was improbable that Erin purchased death cap mushrooms from an Asian grocer or supermarket since they only grew in the wild and could not be cultivated commercially. Truong also submitted a leftover sample from the beef Wellington lunch as evidence. She told the court that testing found no trace of death cap mushrooms in the leftover sample. The court heard testimony from Darren Canty, the operations manager for the waste company Dasma Group, which operates the Koonwarra Transfer Station and landfill. The prosecution played video footage of a woman taking a food dehydrator to the waste processing facility on 2 August 2023. Canty submitted the CCTV footage to the police to assist with their investigation on 4 August. The court heard evidence from senior constable Paul Burns, who had collected the dehydrator from Koonwarra. Monash intensive care specialist Professor Andrew Bernstein told the court that medical tests indicated that Erin did not have cervical cancer and displayed no symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning. Defence lawyer Colin Mandy cross examined Burns about the defendant's potassium levels in August 2023.[36]

On 15 May, the court heard testimony from child protection practitioner Katrina Cripps, who told the court that Patterson's children disliked visiting their father Simon because he yelled at them and slept during the weekend. She also testified that Patterson's relationship with Simon, Don and Gail had deteriorated in the period leading up to the lunch. Cripps also told the court that Patterson was unable to recall where she had bought the mushrooms and was evasive when asked about whether she had cultivated the mushrooms herself. Defence lawyer Stafford and Prosecutor Sarah Lenthall cross-examined Cripps about Patterson's accounts of eating the meal and of learning about her in-laws' illness. [37][38]

That same day, the court heard testimony from prosecution witness Dr Dimitri Gerostamoulos, the head of forensic science and chief toxicologist of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Gerostamoulos said the Victorian Institute had tested meat, pastry and mushroom paste samples from the beef Wellington recovered from Erin's bin following the lunch. One of the four mushroom paste samples contained beta-amanitin, an amatoxin found in death cap mushrooms. He briefed the jury on toxicology results from Don, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson, which tested negative for alpha-amanitin and beta-amanitin.[38][37] The sole survivor Ian Wilkinson tested positive for beta-amanitin and alpha-amanitin. Patterson's two children also tested negative for these amatoxins. The jury saw photos of exhibits taken during the toxicological analysis.[38] Justice Beale dismissed a jury member for sharing information about the case with family and friends. The trial continued with the fourteen remaining jurors.[38][37]

On 16 May, the court heard further testimony from Gerostamoulos. Defence lawyer Mandy cross-examined him about the methodology in testing two bags of samples from Patterson's lunch. Gerostamoulos explained the toxicology testing and analysis process to the court. Following a break, Mandy cross-examined Gerostamoulos about the time frame in testing urine samples from the defendant and the victims. Later that day, the court heard testimony from prosecution witness Dr David Lovelock, the manager of diagnostics at Plant Health Australia. The Victoria Department of Health had asked Lovelock (formerly with Agriculture Victoria) to test for mushrooms in two samples of beef Wellington from Patterson's lunch. He confirmed that button mushroom DNA was found in the beef Wellington leftovers while samples from the food dehydrator had a 99 percent similarity to death cap mushrooms. Lovelock was cross-examined by both the defence and prosecution about the risk of cross-contamination during the testing process and adverse health effects on mushroom poisoning survivors.[39]

Fourth week

[edit]

On 19 May, the court heard from retired pharmacist and Victoria Poisons Information Centre specialist Christine McKenzie, who gave expert testimony about her observations of death cap mushrooms growing in April 2023. The defence team cross-examined about her photos and posts of death cap mushrooms uploaded onto the platform iNaturalist. The court heard expert testimony from digital forensics science expert Matthew Sorell, who had analysed the call records of one of Patterson's mobile phones between 1 January 2019 and 3 August 2023. Patterson had used that phone to access photos of death cap mushrooms on iNaturalist in April and May 2023. Sorell confirmed that his analysis of Patterson's phone showed that the defendant had visited Loch twice in the autumn of 2023. The court was also told that police had been unable to recover Patterson's mobile phone which the prosecution says was used during those visits.[40]

On 20 May, prosecutor Jane Warren continued her cross-examination of Sorell's analysis of Patterson's mobile phone data and movements. Justice Beale suspended proceedings temporarily to discuss procedural matters with both the prosecution and defence teams. Warren explained that the phone data showed that Patterson had made several visits to Loch, Outtrim and Koonwarra during the 18-month period leading up to the lunch. Defence counsel Mandy cross examined Sorell about the mobile phone evidence, with the latter conceding there was no record of Patterson's phone's location between Leongatha, Koonwarra and Outtrim on 31 July 2023. Mandy also questioned Sorell about the event-based monitoring data, and presented maps and topography to the court. Following a lunch break, Mandy continued his cross-examination of Sorell, disputing the prosecution evidence that Patterson had visited Loch and Outtrim on 23 May. He also suggested that the defendant had swapped her two phones. The prosecution later questioned Sorell about the topography evidence.[41]

That same day, the court heard testimony from Detective Senior Constable Khuong Tran, who presented CCTV footage of Patterson's vehicle visiting a petrol station in Caldermeade on 30 July at 3:20pm following the lunch. Warren told the court that Patterson had visited the service station's toilet for nine seconds. Earlier, the court had heard evidence that Patterson had told hospital staff about experiencing diarrhoea symptoms. Justice Beale adjourned proceedings early so that the lawyers could discuss an issue related to the case.[41]

On 21 May, Victoria Police digital forensics officer Shamen Fox-Hendry testified about his examinations of Patterson's devices that were seized by police on 5 August 2023. An analysis of the defendant's Cooler Master computer found that Patterson had searched for the iNaturalist website and death cap mushrooms on 18 and 28 May 2022.[42][43]

On 22 May, Fox-Hendry resumed testimony and was questioned by the prosecution about a series of Facebook messages that Patterson had posted using her Samsung phone and tablet in December 2022 expressing anger and frustration at her husband Simon and his parents over a child support issue.[44][45] Fox-Hendry told the court that Patterson's phone had been factory-reset four times on 12 March, 1 August, 5 August and 6 August 2023. Prosecutor Warren also questioned Fox-Hendry about 13 images found in the Google Photos cache data on Patterson's tablet. These included photos of a food dehydrator, dehydrator trays containing what appeared to be mushrooms and apparent mushrooms on a weighing scale.[45]

That same day, Monash City Council officer Troy Schonknecht gave evidence about his investigation into over 12 local grocers selling mushrooms based on Patterson's initial testimony that she had purchased the mushrooms from local grocers. Schonknecht said that the photos of Patterson's mushrooms did not match those sold by local grocers.[45] Leongatha Hospital nurse Māoris Cespon testified that Patterson became emotional and started crying on 31 July when she was told that her two children needed to be tested for mushroom poisoning. Cespon said that the defendant reported diarrhoea symptoms and underwent a stool test, which recorded liquid bowel movements.[45] After the prosecutor Warren questioned Fox-Hendry about generating online search results, Judge Beale warned the jury against doing their own research on the case online.[45]

On 23 May, Austin Hospital intensive care specialist Stephen Warrilow gave testimony about the amanita poisoning symptoms and treatment of the four victims in early August 2023. While Ian received a liver transplant, Heather was too sick to receive one and subsequently died. Warrilow told the court that the Wilkinsons' and Gail's injuries were "un-survivable."[46][47] Patterson was emotional during Warrilow's testimony.[47]

Fifth week

[edit]

On 26 May, Fox-Hendry gave testimony for the fourth day and was cross-examined by Mandy. During questioning, Fox-Hendry admitted that he had not received formal training on Magnet Axiom software, which he used to extract data from Patterson's personal computer. A protester disrupted the cross-examination and made allegations against Justice Beale, before being escorted out of the public gallery. The trial resumed with Mandy questioning Fox-Hendry about the police evidence that Patterson had factory reset her phone four times. During re-examination by Warren, Fox-Hendry clarified that he had received a mixture of formal training with certification and practical training with Magnet Axiom software prior to working on the Patterson murder investigation.[48][49]

That same day, the court heard testimony from Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine pathologist Dr Brian Beer, who supervised Heather Wilkinson's autopsy. He testified that Wilkinson had necrosis of the liver and that her bowel lining was also necrotic. When questioned by the prosecution, Beer told the court that Don Patterson received a liver transplant but that it failed. He confirmed that Patterson died from liver failure and multiple organ failure. Amanita phalloides toxin was also detected in his body.[49] The court heard testimony from Health Department official Sally Ann Atkinson, who had investigated the circumstances of the beef Wellington lunch on 30 July. Atkinson had corresponded with Patterson between 1 and 4 August 2023 to determine the source of the mushrooms. Patterson had lied about purchasing the mushrooms from a grocer.[50]

On 27 May, Atkinson resumed her testimony and said that the Health Department concluded that it was highly unlikely that commercial mushroom supply chains were contaminated with death cap mushrooms. Atkinson was also cross-examined by Mandy about the Crown's mushroom evidence. She disagreed with Mandy's statement that Austin Hospital doctor Conor McDermott had suggested that the death cap mushrooms had been purchased from Glen Waverley. Atkinson also told the court that Patterson's description of the mushrooms used during the dinner did not match commercial varieties. The court also heard from prosecution witness Detective Sergeant Luke Farrell, who had searched Patterson's home on 5 August 2023 and seized her computer and mobile devices. During cross-examination by Mandy, Farrell said that Patterson had expressed surprise after learning about the death of Heather Wilkinson that same day. He also confirmed that police did not seize any of Patterson's plates during their investigation.[51]

Following a lunch break, the court heard evidence from the final prosecution witness Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall. He told the court that his team had analysed Patterson's bank records and identified a transaction of interest from the Koonwarra Transfer Station on 2 August 2023. Following the deaths of Heather Wilkinson and Gail Patterson on 4 August, Eppingstall had questioned the defendant about her beef Wellington recipe. When questioned by Warren, Eppingstall said that he did not see four grey-coloured plates in a video used during the search of Patterson's home. Eppingstall said his team also concluded that Patterson's Samsung phone had been factory reset four times. The Court watched Patterson's police interview video of 5 August, where she denied owning a food dehydrator. The prosecution submitted maps of the Loch and Outtrim area, and CCTV movements of Patterson's car on 8 August 2023.[51]

On 28 May, Eppingstall resumed giving testimony. He told the court that Patterson's daughter had initially said she could not recall her mother visiting a local Asian grocer before changing her testimony after watching the video. Eppingstall showed the jury other evidence including Patterson's Woolworths transaction history, her medical records, information about Woolworths's mushroom suppliers' cultivation practices, Patterson's diary, text and Facebook messages, phone call history and screenshots of webpages found on her computer. Eppingstall testified that Patterson acknowledged owning Samsung and Nokia phones. Her phone messages contradicted her Medicare records on the matter of health appointments. Later that day, Eppingstall was cross-examined by Mandy about the defendant's medical history and a Signal conversation between Patterson and Simon from 4 January 2022 about her heart problems.[52]

On 29 May, Mandy continued his cross-examination of Eppingstall about devices that police did not seize from Patterson's home. Eppingstall rejected Mandy's suggestion that a photo showed a Samsung phone, labelled "Phone A", that police had said was never located. Eppingstall said that if the device was a phone, it would have been seized by police. Mandy disputed Eppingstall's evidence that Patterson's son appeared in CCTV footage outside a Subway restaurant a few hours after the lunch on 30 July 2023. Mandy discussed the Facebook evidence submitted by the Crown, contending that the defendant and her online friends were venting about issues in their life.[53]

On 30 May, Mandy continued his cross-examination of Eppingstall about the text and social media messages between Patterson, Simon, Don and Gail between April and July 2023. Mandy drew attention to messages where Patterson expressed affection for her in-laws. Justice Beale adjourned court proceedings at 12:30pm due to unspecified legal issues with the trial.[54][55]

Media coverage

[edit]

The Leongatha mushroom poisoning case and Patterson's arrest and arraignment in early November 2023 attracted significant domestic and international media attention.[4][5] Six media film crews attended Patterson's arraignment at the Morwell courthouse on 3 November 2023.[4] On 3 November 2023, Victoria Police Inspector Dean Thomas said that the police investigation had been "subject to incredibly intense levels of public scrutiny and curiosity" by local, national and international media over the past three months. Notable international media covering the case included The Washington Post, BBC News, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, People magazine, The New York Times and NBC.[5]

Patterson's trial attracted significant Australian and international media coverage.[56][57] The Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court reserved six seats for the media on a daily ballot. To accommodate the large media contingent, an overflow room was established in the court building. The Victoria Supreme Court imposed strict guidelines on media coverage to ensure fairness. While the court was open to the public and media, the case was not televised.[56]

According to ABC News, Morwell's hotels and motels were inundated by the large media contingent.[58] ABC News and the Globe and Mail reported that the court case attracted significant local interest as well as substantial coverage from Australian and international media.[57] A local newspaper, the South Gippsland Sentinel Times, published a list of local landmarks and locations featured in the trial.[59] Notable media productions featuring the case included a Stan documentary series,[56] the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Mushroom Case Daily, the Herald Sun's The Mushroom Cook: The Trial and Nine Entertainment's The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace podcast series.[60]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Al Saafin, Aziz (2 November 2023). "Timeline: How the Australia mushroom poisoning saga unfolded". 1News. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  2. ^ Ferguson, John (2 November 2023). "Erin Patterson arrested over mushroom poisoning deaths in Leongatha". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  3. ^ Bucci, Nino; Justice, Nino Bucci; reporter, courts (21 August 2024). "Erin Patterson to face trial nearly two years after allegedly murdering relatives with mushroom lunch". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2 March 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Ritchie, Hannah; Atkinson, Simon (3 November 2023). "Suspected mushroom poisoning: Erin Patterson faces Australian court on murder charges". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Sciberras, Allanah (5 November 2023). "How a suspected mushroom poisoning case in a small Aussie town dominated headlines around the world". Nine News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
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  7. ^ Callanan, Tim; Lenton-Williams, Georgia (2 November 2023). "Erin Patterson interviewed by police over Leongatha mushroom poisoning deaths". ABC News. Archived from the original on 6 February 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  8. ^ Ewe, Koh (7 May 2024). "Erin Patterson Case: Australian Woman Accused of Murder With Mushrooms". TIME. Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  9. ^ Acosta, Nicole (April 15, 2025). "She Made Beef Wellington — with a Side of Poison? After 3 People Died, Police Say It Was No Accident". People.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  10. ^ Turnbull, Tiffanie; Watson, Katy; Atkinson, Simon (2025-04-30). "Toxic mushroom meal was 'terrible accident', says woman on trial for murder". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-05-01.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Clark, Poppy (November 3, 2023). "Australia mushroom poisoning: How Erin Patterson's deadly lunch saga played out". Stuff. Archived from the original on 2023-11-06. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  12. ^ Turnbull, Tiffanie; Watson, Katie; Atkinson, Simon (30 April 2025). "Toxic mushroom meal was 'terrible accident' says woman on trial for murder". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 April 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  13. ^ Wood, Richard; Sciberras, Allanah (4 October 2023). "Surviving victim of mushroom poisoning farewells wife at emotional service". Nine News. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
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  15. ^ Pal, Alasdair (3 November 2023). "Mushroom murders: Australian Erin Patterson charged after lunch killed three". Reuters. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  16. ^ Vedelago, Chris; Juanola, Marta Pascual (August 14, 2023). "Mushroom cook says she bought fungi from Asian grocer and her children ate the lunch leftovers". The Age. Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  17. ^ Mae-Beers, Lucy (3 November 2023). "Erin Patterson fronts court after being charged over mushroom lunch that killed three in Leongatha". Seven News. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  18. ^ Sharma, Schwerta (7 May 2024). "Australian woman accused of mushroom poisoning murders pleads not guilty". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
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