Australian Woman Found Guilty of Poisoning Relatives with Mushrooms in Beef Dish

Erin Patterson, 50, was found guilty on Monday of three counts of murder. An Australian court found Erin Patterson guilty on Monday of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after a 10-week trial that captivated Australia and much of the world. Patterson, 50, was charged with murdering three relatives of her estranged husband by serving a beef Wellington laced with toxic death cap mushrooms over lunch in 2023, and attempting to murder a fourth.

Patterson had pleaded not guilty to all charges, with her lawyers arguing the dish served was a 'terrible accident.' On Monday, the jury of 12 found Patterson guilty of all four charges after a week of deliberation. The mother of two is now facing life in prison. Her sentencing will come at a later date, which hasn't been set yet. She'll be remanded until then, and she can still appeal the guilty verdict.

All four of her guests at a July 2023 lunch were hospitalized with severe stomach issues after they'd eaten, prosecutors said. Patterson's in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, died along with Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor after spending weeks in hospital. He eventually testified. Patterson's husband turned down the lunch invitation, he said during his court testimony.

Patterson's legal team left the court on Monday without commenting on the verdict. Victoria police said the Patterson and Wilkinson families have asked for privacy, and would not be supplying a statement at this time. A woman who local media identified as one of Patterson's friends was visibly upset as she exited the court, saying she was saddened about the verdict 'but it is what it,' according to Australian broadcaster ABC. Local and international media swarmed the entrance to the court on Monday, a testament to the global pull of the case.

There've been plenty of twists and turns during the trial, keeping public interest running high, with the prosecution telling the court that Patterson had employed major deceptions in order to murder her guests, including fabricating a cancer diagnosis to lure them to the lunch. She was alleged to have poisoned the meals of her guests while serving herself an untainted portion. Patterson then lied that she was also sick from the food to avoid suspicion, the prosecution said, adding that she later attempted to destroy evidence and lied to police. Patterson was the only witness in her defence, spending eight days on the stand, with cross-examination taking up most of that time.