Australian woman guilty of triple murder involving poisonous mushrooms
Australia is known for its surfers, cute koalas and barbecues with thick steaks. But recently, all attention turned to a very unpleasant lunch in Leongatha (Victoria). This is where fifty-year-old Erin Patterson served her in-laws a classic beef Wellington—but with a surprise nobody would wish on anyone: poisonous mushrooms. The result? Three deaths and a court case Netflix itself would be jealous of.
Poisonous mushrooms in the starring role
According to the court, it was no stupid mistake: this week, Erin Patterson was found guilty of three murders and one attempted murder. The murder weapon? Not a knife or a gun, but a serving of death cap mushrooms, also known as every mycologist’s nightmare.
The victims were her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather. Only Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, survived the infamous dinner.
Falling ill after twelve hours
The lunch began with an excuse. Patterson had invited her in-laws under the pretext of an important family meeting about medical news. She was supposedly suffering from ovarian cancer. Spoiler alert: that turned out to be a lie too.
Twelve hours after the meal, the guests began to fall seriously ill. At the hospital, it soon became clear that they had suffered mushroom poisoning. Don, Gail and Heather died several days later.
But she wasn’t sick?
What makes it even more suspicious: Erin herself felt nothing. She even insisted on going home after a medical check-up. While her guests lay seriously ill in intensive care, she maintained that it was all an unfortunate coincidence.
And then things got even darker: she had given her children leftovers from the meal. But, she claimed, she had “removed the mushrooms”.
A plate with a different color
Victim Heather had previously told someone that Erin had a different-colored plate from everyone else. Coincidence? Maybe. But in a case where absolutely everything is suspicious, nothing goes unnoticed.
More lies came to light during the trial. Patterson initially said that she had bought the mushrooms at an Asian supermarket. Later, she admitted that she had picked them herself—in a place known to be home to poisonous varieties.
No remorse, just silence
The woman herself remained strikingly silent during the verdict. She listened to the judgment without a word and did not shed a tear. Whether she will appeal is still unknown. But with a possible life sentence looming, it would be understandable.
Just this: how poisonous are these mushrooms, exactly?
Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) are responsible for 90% of all fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Just one cap can be fatal to an adult. Symptoms only begin after 6–12 hours, by which time your liver is already in serious trouble. Want to be on the safe side? Simply don’t pick them.
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