Erin Patterson has been charged with three counts of murder over the poisonous mushroom meal that led to the deaths of three of her relatives four months ago.
The arrest
Patterson was arrested at her home in Leongatha in Victoria’s Gippsland region on Thursday morning before police spent the day painstakingly scouring the property.
She spent five hours being questioned by detectives at Wonthaggi Police Station before police announced charges had been laid around 7.30pm.
Patterson was charged with three counts of murder along with five counts of attempted murder.
Details of the murder charges
Four of the attempted murder charges involve her estranged husband Simon Patterson.
The murder charges and two of the attempted murder charges relate to the July 29 mushroom lunch, where four of Erin Patterson’s relatives fell ill following a meal at her home.
Heather Wilkinson, 66, Heather’s sister Gail Patterson and her husband Don Patterson, both 70, all died in August in the days after eating Erin’s beef Wellington.
The Pattersons were the parents of Ms Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, who was also meant to attend the lunch but skipped the meal at the last minute.
Ms Wilkinson’s husband, Baptist church pastor Ian Wilkinson, 68, was the sole survivor but was left critically ill and spent almost two months in hospital.
The three other attempted murder charges relate to three separate incidents involved Erin Patterson’s estranged husband Simon Patterson.
‘The further three attempted murder charges relate to three separate incidents in Victoria between 2021-2022,’ a police statement read.
‘It’s alleged a 48-year-old Korumburra man became ill following meals on these dates.’
Erin Patterson was remanded in custody and will spend Thursday night behind bars, before appearing at Morwell Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning.
