Australian woman found guilty in mushroom murder trial
An Australian woman has been found guilty of murdering her estranged husband’s parents and aunt by serving them a meal laced with poisonous mushrooms.
Erin Patterson was on Monday convicted of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder following a 10-week trial.
Patterson, 50, showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out in the courtroom in Morwell, a regional town located about 152 km east of Melbourne.
Patterson’s parents-in-law, Donald and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, died after eating a lunch of beef Wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms on July 29, 2023.
Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, was also poisoned but survived after spending seven weeks in hospital.
Patterson, 50, had pleaded not guilty to all charges, with her lawyers arguing that she had unintentionally served her relatives the tainted food in a “terrible accident”.
Patterson, who spent eight days on the stand, was only witness called for the defence.
Prosecutors did not allege a motive for Patterson, but told the jury that her relationship with her estranged husband, who declined an invitation to the lunch, had become strained over his child support contributions.
Prosecutors also alleged that Patterson lied about being diagnosed with cancer to lure her guests to the lunch, and that she lied to police about owning a food dehydrator that was later found in a rubbish tip.
The trial, which began on April 29, captivated Australia, spawning multiple true-crime podcasts, and attracted huge media interest overseas.
Patterson, who faces a possible life sentence, will be sentenced at a later date.
Al Jazeera
