Jailed for 33 years: What is the case of Australia’s ‘mushroom murderer’?| Details
Erin Patterson was found guilty of three murders; Justice Beale cited planning and lack of remorse, handing down one of Australia’s longest sentences.
An Australian woman convicted of murdering three elderly relatives with a meal laced with poisonous mushrooms was sentenced on Monday to a minimum of 33 years in prison, one of the longest sentences ever handed to a woman in the country.
Erin Patterson, 50, showed no remorse, the presiding judge said, after serving her in-laws Beef Wellington laced with deadly death cap mushrooms.
The meal killed her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, survived the 2023 poisoning at Patterson’s home in Leongatha, a town of about 6,000 people southeast of Melbourne.
Conviction and sentence
Patterson was found guilty in July of the three murders and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson. Justice Christopher Beale highlighted the careful planning behind the killings and Patterson’s lack of remorse in imposing one of the longest sentences ever given to a woman in Australia.
“The devastating impact of your crimes is not limited to your direct victims. Your crimes have harmed a great many people,” Reuters quoted Justice Beale as saying, who noted the suffering inflicted on Patterson’s own children, who lost their grandparents.
Solitary confinement
Patterson has been kept in near-continuous solitary confinement for her own safety. Her barrister had urged the court to consider her isolation and notorious reputation, requesting a non-parole period.
Justice Beale acknowledged her confinement but said she will likely remain isolated for years. Including time already served, Patterson will be eligible for parole only at age 82.
The prosecution argued she should never be released. Patterson, who maintains her innocence and claims the poisonings were accidental, has 28 days to appeal.
Deadly mushroom lunch
On July 29, 2023, Erin Patterson invited her estranged in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and their relatives, Heather and Ian Wilkinson, to her home in Leongatha, Victoria.
She served them Beef Wellington that was secretly laced with deadly death cap mushrooms. Within a day, all four became seriously ill and were hospitalised.
Don, Gail, and Heather died within a week, while Ian survived after a long hospital stay, Reuters reported.
Simon Patterson, the estranged husband of Erin Patterson, testified that he had long suspected his wife of attempting to poison him. He recounted an incident in 2022 where he fell seriously ill after consuming a chicken korma prepared by Erin during a camping trip. The illness was so severe that he slipped into a coma and required emergency surgery to remove part of his bowel, CBS News reported.
The revelations suggest that Erin's motive may have been rooted in control and resentment, particularly towards Simon, amid ongoing disputes over finances and custody, the report added.
