Defendant Says Flavour Motivated Her Foraging – Not Malice
In a shocking courtroom revelation, Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of Australia’s sensational “mushroom murder” trial, has defended her use of wild fungi by claiming they offer “more flavour” than their store-bought counterparts.
The 49-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of a fourth after they consumed a beef wellington dish laced with deadly death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023.
Foraging During the Pandemic
Patterson told the jury she began foraging for mushrooms during the Covid-19 pandemic, frequently picking fungi near her home and at botanical gardens. “I mainly picked field mushrooms,” she said, occasionally accompanied by her children. Her mushroom journey began with a simple test: slicing and sautéing a small piece in butter. “It tasted good and I didn’t get sick,” she told the court.
Victims and Allegations
The victims of the fateful lunch were her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66. All three died in hospital days after the meal. A fourth guest, Ian Wilkinson, survived following weeks of intensive treatment. Prosecutors allege Erin deliberately used the toxic death cap mushrooms, but her defence insists the deaths were a tragic accident.
Mixing Store-Bought and Foraged Mushrooms
Patterson admitted that the mushrooms used in the meal came from both supermarkets and an Asian grocery, and that they were mixed with ones she had foraged and dehydrated months earlier. She had purchased a food dehydrator in April 2023 to preserve wild mushrooms, which she said had a short season.
Facebook Messages, Medical Mistrust, and Ovarian Cancer Claim
The court was also shown expletive-laden Facebook messages Patterson had sent privately, complaining about her ex-husband Simon and his parents. Patterson claimed she was merely venting. “It was either tell the sheep in my paddock, or my cheer squad,” she said tearfully.
Patterson also confessed to a longstanding mistrust of the healthcare system, explaining why she discharged herself early after the July 2023 meal despite medical advice. She admitted to health anxiety and obsessive online symptom searches, including misdiagnosing herself with brain tumours, MS, and ovarian cancer. Although she had invited lunch guests under the pretext of discussing a supposed ovarian cancer diagnosis, she later admitted she had never been formally diagnosed Erin Patterson.
What’s Next in the Trial?
Erin Patterson will return to the witness stand on Wednesday. The high-stakes trial has gripped public attention across Australia and beyond, not only because of the tragic deaths but also due to the bizarre mix of foraging, food, family strife, and fatal misunderstanding that surrounds the case.
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