Erin Patterson charged with murder over mushroom deaths

Erin Patterson, who cooked an allegedly toxic meal blamed for the deaths of three ­elderly people, has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Erin Patterson at her Leongatha home. Picture: Jason Edwards

The woman who cooked an allegedly toxic beef Wellington meal blamed for the deaths of three ­elderly people has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Erin Patterson, 49, is accused of killing Heather Wilkinson, 66, Gail Patterson, 70, and Don Patterson, 70, who died from what police suspect was poisoning from death cap mushrooms.

Ms Patterson also has been charged with three counts of ­attempted murder relating to three incidents in 2021 and 2022 involving a 48-year-old Korumburra man who became ill following meals he ate in this period.

The man is believed to be her former husband, Simon Patterson, who is the son of two of the dead elderly people who dined at Ms Patterson’s home on July 29.

Mr Patterson did not dine with his estranged wife on July 29.

Erin Patterson is also charged with another two attempted murder charges in relation to the July 29 meal.

Korumburra pastor Ian Wilkinson, 69, almost died after the meal allegedly prepared by Ms Patterson. He was released from hospital after seven weeks.

Police released the bombshell statement on Thursday night. Ms Patterson is due in court in Morwell, about two hours’ drive east of Melbourne, on Friday.

Detective Inspector Dean Thomas of the Homicide Squad said the case was unprecedented.

“Over the last three months, this investigation has been subjected to incredibly intense levels of public scrutiny and curiosity,’’ Mr Thomas said.

“I cannot think of another investigation that has generated this level of media and public interest, not only here in Victoria but also nationally and internationally.

“I think it is particularly important that we keep in mind that at the heart of this, three people have lost their lives.

“These are three people who by all accounts were much beloved in their communities and are greatly missed by their loved ones.

“These deaths and incidents also continue to have a significant impact on the immediate families of those involved and I ask that people are particularly mindful of this over the coming days.

“In smaller communities such as Leongatha and Korumburra, a tragedy such as this can reverberate for years to come.

“Today’s charges are just the next step in what has been an incredibly complex, methodical and thorough investigation by Homicide Squad detectives.’’

Don and Gail Patterson. Picture: supplied

Heather Wilkinson and Ian Wilkinson. Picture: Supplied

Detectives investigating the suspected death by toxic mushrooms of the three elderly people had earlier seized computer and other technology equipment from Ms Patterson’s house.

Ms Patterson was arrested after special AFP technology dogs were called in to help search her house in Leongatha, where the lunch­time meal was allegedly served.

Police were photographed leaving the house with several bags of evidence, including bagged Wi-Fi equipment.

They also seized computer hard drives that were marked photos and a memory stick.

In the most dramatic day in the three months since the deaths, Ms Patterson was driven by police to nearby Wonthaggi, on Thursday afternoon where she was interviewed by officers for hours.

Ms Patterson has steadfastly denied responsibility for the deaths.

Erin Patterson was driven away from her house by police shortly before 2pm, in an unmarked, dark grey Kia Sorrento with tinted windows. She walked into the station ahead of police and her lawyer Ophelia Holloway was with her, inside the station.

Mushroom death suspect Erin Paterson’s lawyer, Ophelia Hollway, has left the Wonthaggi Police Station. @australianpic.twitter.com/G2lAUKtg9K

— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) November 2, 2023

She has been represented by lawyers from the same firm that acted for former governor-general Peter Hollingworth during a ­recent internal inquiry into his ­behaviour while archbishop of Brisbane.

Erin Patterson has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, stressing that Gail and Don Patterson were like ­family.

Ms Patterson has previously given a written statement to police but the legal status of the document is unknown.

In the statement, she reportedly said that she intentionally disposed of a food dehydrator used to prepare the meal but police found the dehydrator at a nearby tip.

Ms Patterson reportedly claimed that she was spooked and dumped the appliance because people were accusing her of deliberately poisoning her guests.

In August, The Australian broke the news of the suspected mass poisoning.

Homicide detectives have also departed the Wonthaggi Police Station. Erin Patterson was not with them, and is understood to still be inside. She’s expected to be transported to Morwell later tonight. ⁦@australian⁩ pic.twitter.com/GSQNgr81ti

— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) November 2, 2023

Homicide Squad detectives at the Leongatha house of Erin Patterson. Picture: Ian Currie

Ms Patterson told The Australian on August 16 that she was tired of the relentless speculation.

Painting herself as a victim, Ms Patterson also denied leaking her police statement which detailed for the first time her version of events.

This included that she had lied about the disposal of the food dehydrator, which may have been used to prepare the meal being blamed for the deaths.

Erin Patterson leaving Wonthaggi police station in the back of a police van about 8.15pm tonight. She has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/c0rGSvsDW3

— Brooke Grebert-Craig (@brooke_gc) November 2, 2023

“I lost my parents-in-law, my children lost their grandparents,’’ she told The Australian.

“And I’ve been painted as an evil witch. And the media is making it impossible for me to live in this town. I can’t have friends over.

“The media is at the house where my children are at. The media are at my sister’s house so I can’t go there. This is unfair.’’

Ms Patterson is a former editor of a local newsletter and the daughter of a prominent but late Melbourne academic.

She is the owner of her house in Leongatha and a unit in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and is described as being well off by country standards.

Ms Paterson has departed the Wonthaggi Police Station in a police divisional van, on her way to police cells in Morwell, where she will spend the night ahead of her court appearance there on Friday morning. The Latrobe Valley town of Morwell is 100km northeast of Wonthaggi.