The Australian mushroom killer, Erin Patterson, has been sentenced to life in prison for killing three relatives with poisonous mushrooms, in a case that horrified people worldwide.
Patterson, 50, was found guilty in July of murdering her husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, as well as attempting to murder his uncle, pastor Ian Wilkinson. She must serve at least 33 years before being eligible for parole, the Supreme Court of Victoria ruled.
“The complete absence of remorse on your part twists the knife in the victims’ wounds,” said Justice Christopher Beale in Melbourne, handing down the sentence.
The crimes stem from a July 2023 family lunch in rural Victoria, where Patterson prepared beef Wellington filled with death cap mushrooms — among the deadliest fungi in the world. Don, Gail, and Heather all died within a week; only Ian survived after weeks in hospital. Her estranged husband Simon, who had refused the invitation, was not present.
The trial revealed that Patterson had lied to her guests, claiming she had cancer and asking for advice on how to tell her children. Prosecutors argued this was a ploy to gain sympathy.
Patterson denied any intent to kill, insisting the poisoning was accidental. However, police evidence showed she had previously tried to poison her husband with tainted food on three occasions between 2021 and 2022.
Once described as a devoted mother and active community volunteer, she was also a member of a Facebook group dedicated to notorious Australian murders, where friends jokingly called her an “unparalleled detective.”
The Australian mushroom killer now has 28 days to appeal the verdict.
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Also read: Death cap kitchen: mushroom murderer found guilty
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