The two faces of Erin Patterson: Prosecutors paint a portrait of piety and poison

With her public face, accused killer mushroom cook Erin Patterson came across as a good Christian, who loved her in-laws and had a decent relationship with her estranged husband.

Prosecutors claim that, in private, she mocked her family’s faith, was angry Don and Gail Patterson had sided with their “deadbeat” son in the split, and was miffed at no longer being invited to family events.

Erin Patterson has been accused of having a public and private face.

They were the two faces of Erin Patterson, a Supreme Court jury has been told, that led her to feed her in-laws, and friends Heather and Ian Wilkinson, a beef Wellington poisoned with death cap mushrooms.

Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, on Friday pressed the 50-year-old over what she claimed was frustration and animosity expressed by Erin Patterson towards husband Simon’s parents in the months before their deaths.

In messages to friends online, Patterson had complained her in-laws wouldn’t intervene in disagreements with Simon about child support and school fee payments, and she used derisive emojis when explaining their suggested solution had been to pray.

During a police record of interview, in August 2023, Erin Patterson told detectives that Don and Gail Patterson were the only family she had, and she wanted to maintain a relationship with them.

Don and Gail Patterson.

“Nothing he’s ever done to me will change the fact they are good, decent people,” she told the police.

However, Rogers questioned Patterson about whether that was all an act.

Rogers: “I suggest that you didn’t love them.”

Patterson: “That’s not true.”

Rogers: “I suggest you were angry they had taken Simon’s side.”

Patterson: “That’s not true. I had a good relationship with Don and Gail.”

Rogers then asked how Patterson really felt about Simon, and if she regarded him as “a decent human being”.

Patterson replied: “Actually, I still, believe that.”

The accused said that while her online messages expressed the frustration she felt about what was happening in the family at the time, she was not angry.

Simon Patterson at court.Credit: Jason South

Patterson is accused of murdering Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson by serving them poisonous mushrooms at lunch at her Leongatha home on July 29, 2023. Heather’s husband, Ian, survived after weeks in hospital.

The court heard that while her four guests were critically ill in hospital, Patterson first came to the realisation that mushrooms she had foraged could have been responsible for their illness.

But Rogers said instead of alerting medical staff, Patterson instead returned home and disposed of a dehydrator she had used for the mushrooms.

“Surely if you had loved them you would have immediately notified the medical authorities?” Rogers asked.

“Well I didn’t,” came the mother of two’s reply.

The Morwell jury also heard Rogers quiz Patterson about the reasons for inviting the four to lunch. Simon had been invited, but withdrew the night before.

Rogers: “You thought Simon would be more likely to accept an invitation if he knew that his parents and Ian and Heather would be attending. Agree or disagree?”

Patterson: “I would disagree with that.”

Rogers: “I suggest that you prepared a poisoned beef Wellington for him [Simon] in case he turned up.”

Patterson: “No, that’s not true.”

The 50-year-old said while there was some tension in the family in December 2022, she denied sending “extremely aggressive” messages to a family group chat with her in-laws, as described by Simon in his evidence earlier in the trial.

Patterson also disputed telling her estranged husband she had medical issues to discuss at the lunch in the hope it would prompt him to attend.

“I suggest you told him you had a medical issue to encourage him to attend,” Rogers said.

“No, incorrect,” the accused replied.

Patterson has repeatedly denied telling her lunch guests she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and needed treatment.

The accused broke down in tears in the witness box as she spoke about the Wilkinsons, reaching for a tissue and her voice growing croaky as she explained the lunch was intended as a way of thanking them for being kind to her over the years.

“Ian had been my pastor for years and years. I would see and speak with Ian and Heather a lot after church and I really liked them,” Patterson said.

“And I wanted to have a stronger relationship with them. When I had invited Don and Gail for lunch in June [I thought] that what I had done with the garden was really nice and Heather would love to see it.”

She told the court Heather had helped her a lot when her daughter was little and started attending playgroup at the church.

“Heather would sit with me through those playgroup times and was really kind to me and I wanted to say thank you to her,” Patterson said.

In the last piece of evidence heard on Friday, Rogers questioned Patterson about computer records which showed a map for death cap mushrooms had been accessed on the iNaturalist website in May 2022.

“It does look like somebody did that, yes,” Patterson said. “I don’t remember doing it. It’s possible it was me.”

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder.

She denies knowing death cap mushrooms had been prepared in the lunch, or having ever held any intent to pick, dry, cook and serve the poisonous mushrooms to her lunch guests.

Their deaths, her defence team said, were a tragic accident.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter.