Australian Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murdering three of her family members with a poisoned mushroom meal.
Patterson, 50, served Beef Wellington to her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, during a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia on July 29, 2023.
The 50-year-old mother was also found guilty of attempted murder after Reverend Ian Wilkinson - Heather's husband - survived the lunch.
Prosecutors accused Patterson of knowingly serving the guests lethal death cap mushrooms or "amanita phalloides", but her defence claimed the deaths were a "terrible accident".
Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murdering three of her family members with a poisoned mushroom meal
REUTERS
On Monday, the jury in the case found her guilty of all four charges.
Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Patterson died on August 4, 2023, while Mr Patterson died a day later.
Rev Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital - but survived.
The pastor said that Patterson fabricated a cancer diagnosis to bring her relatives together so she could ask them the best way to tell her children about her supposed illness.
That, he said, explained why the children were not there.
But the fake cancer was only the first of Patterson's four deceptions.
READ MORE ON THE ERIN PATTERSON CASE:
- Mushroom poisoning chef charged with murder after family members suspiciously die after lunch
- Mushroom cook Erin Patterson admits lying to the police after Beef Wellington left three dead
- 'Mushroom lunch killer' made unusually 'generous gesture' to family of estranged husband before deadly meal, court hears
- Woman 'promised husband special meal' before serving poisoned mushrooms to relatives
PICTURED: Erin Patterson's house in Leongatha, Australia, June 24, 2025
REUTERS
She then fed them the poisoned meals while serving herself an untainted portion.
The guests ate their meals off four large grey dinner plates, while Patterson ate from a smaller, tan-coloured plate, the court was told.
The 50-year-old went on to lie about being sick from the food to avoid suspicion, before finally embarking on a cover-up when police began investigating the deaths.
She told the court herself about a life-long struggle with her weight, eating disorders and low self-esteem, frequently becoming emotional as she spoke about the impact of the lunch on her family and children.
Reverend Ian Wilkinson - Heather's husband - survived the lunch. He was the only guest to do so
REUTERS
The world's media had descended on the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court to cover the case which has gripped Australia
REUTERS
She told the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court of how she was embarrassed to say that she actually planned to have weight loss surgery.
Patterson had also not become as sick as her lunch guests because she secretly binged on a cake brought by her mother-in-law and then purged herself, she told the court.
Her case has gripped Australia since it came to light two years ago - and in Morwell, a town around two hours east of Melbourne where Patterson had requested the case be heard, the world's media had descended on the court to cover her trial.
The murderer pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying the deaths were accidental.
She now faces a maximum life sentence.
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