Black tarps come down at Erin Patterson’s house, curious crowds remain
Black tarps shielding Erin Patterson’s home have been quietly removed, but the convicted killer’s Leongatha property remains a magnet for gawkers.
Black tarps erected around Erin Patterson’s house in Leongatha have been taken down by a mysterious supporter of the convicted killer.
The thick black plastic sheets were installed around the Gibson Street house days before the jury began deliberating on June 30, blocking the view into the verandah, carport and front door.
The coverings appeared to be an effort to shield the property from public and media scrutiny in the event Patterson returned home following the verdict.
They were taken down on Friday by an unknown supporter of the 50-year-old, who was convicted of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
A laminated legal notice remains pinned to the front gate, warning media representatives from entering the property.
The Australian has observed dozens of locals drive past Patterson’s lifestyle block for a glimpse at the home that made their small town famous over the past two years.
Cars have been observed slowing down to a crawl or looping around the block for a second look. Two teenagers were seen standing at the gate for several minutes and snapping photos with their phones.
Patterson reportedly purchased the 1ha land for $260,000 after she sold her mother’s home in 2019.
She then built the two-storey home that would eventually be the scene of her murder plot.
During her murder trial, Patterson told the jury she was heavily involved in the design of the house.
“I was involved right from the beginning of the design,” she said when she took the stand.
The jury found that she was guilty of deliberately murdering her estranged husband’s parents Don and Gail Patterson, his aunt Heather Wilkinson and attempting to murder his uncle Ian Wilkinson on July 29, 2023.
She is expected to be sentenced at a later date and has been remanded at the Dame Phyllis Frost women’s prison at Ravenhall.
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