Mushroom Poisoning Verdict: Erin Patterson Found Guilty in Gail Patterson Case

After a gripping ten-week trial, the shocking mushroom poisoning case reaches its climax as Erin Patterson is found guilty of murdering Gail Patterson and two others. 

Tune in as we break down the details of how Erin Patterson served a fatal beef Wellington containing death cap mushrooms, leading to the tragic deaths of Gail Patterson, Don Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson.

 We also discuss the survival of Ian Wilkinson and the impact this notorious case has had on the Gippsland community. Don't miss this in-depth exploration of the events, the trial, and what comes next in one of Australia's most talked-about true crime stories.

The jury in Victoria has found Erin Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the notorious mushroom poisoning case. The 50-year-old mother of two was convicted of intentionally poisoning her former in-laws with death cap mushrooms in a beef Wellington served at her Gippsland home in July 2023.

• Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather died after the fatal lunch
• Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived after spending two months in hospital 
• Patterson was aggressive towards her in-laws after separating from her husband Simon
• Following the verdict, Patterson was taken to Dame Phyllis Frost maximum security women's prison
• The Herald Sun reports Patterson was accused of tampering with prison food while awaiting trial
• She now faces up to life imprisonment alongside notorious female offenders

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Mushroom Murder Trial Podcast.
My name is Lisa and welcome tomy show.
And what a day.
It's certainly visiting todaybecause after a mammoth 10 weeks
, a jury in Victoria returnedguilty verdicts against the
woman now known as the MushroomKiller.
Erin Trudy Patterson, age 50,of Landgather was found guilty

(00:23):
of three counts of murder andone count of attempted murder
after a 2023 lunch at her home.
The mum of two had also facedcharges of repeatedly attempting
to murder her estranged husband, simon Patterson, but the
allegations were discontinued atthe start of this murder trial.

(00:43):
Miss Patterson now found guiltyof intentionally poisoning her
lunch.
Guests served them a beefwellington meal that contained
death cap mushrooms at herGippsland home in July 2023.
Her former in-laws, don andGail Patterson, and Gail's
sister, heather, all died.

(01:05):
Heather's husband, ianWilkinson, spent two months in
hospital recovering.
He gave evidence at the trialand spent most days at the La
Trobe law courts listening tothe testimony.
During the Supreme Court trialat Morwell, the jury heard from
a range of forensic experts.
Orwell, the jury heard from arange of forensic experts,

(01:27):
medical people who treated thosewho became ill, as well as
relatives of the deceased.
As today's verdict reverberatedacross the courtroom, I was
told.
Patterson did not react,staring intently at the jury as
it read out its finalconclusions on the four charges.
After six days of deliberations, the jury of seven men and five

(01:49):
women returned guilty verdictsin a long trial with many
exhibits.
During the 10 weeks of hearingsand deliberation, the jury
heard Patterson was aggressivetowards her in-laws after the
separation from her estrangedhusband, simon turned nasty in
late 2022.
During the Supreme Court trial,the jury heard from experts and

(02:14):
medical specialists who treatedthose who became ill as well.
Relatives of the deceasedtestified, including Simon
Patterson and other members ofthe Patterson and Wilkinson
families.
Outside the court, more than200 people milled as a massive
media scrum moved in on lawyers,police and friends of those

(02:34):
involved.
Patterson's close friend,alison Rose Pryor, negotiated
her way through the media andspoke briefly to say she would
visit Miss Patterson in thefuture.
Okay, so I suppose now I cansay I know Erin and I know Ali
Rose Pryor from that Facebookgroup.
There you go.

(02:55):
I'm not sure how much more Ican say until she's sentenced.
We shall see.
Now, seven News reporter EstelleGreer-Pink provided some
insight today into what wasexpected to happen to Miss
Patterson now she's been foundguilty.
She said quote because she'sbeen found guilty.
She's been taken from hercustody box in the court through

(03:17):
what we believe is a lift intoa tunnel that connects to the
police station.
She said quote She'll be put inthat prison van and she'll
travel to Dame Phyllis Frost.
That's a maximum securitywomen's prison in Melbourne
they're my words, not hers andthere we are unlikely to see her
again until about August.

(03:38):
That's when her next courthearing has been scheduled.
Now she will presumably stay inDame Phyllis Frost until the
sentencing and the former airtraffic controller now faces up
to life in prison house.
Some of Australia's mostinfamous female offenders,
including teen killer CarolynReed Robertson, gangland widow

(04:11):
Roberta Williams and German drugsmuggler Andrea Moore.
Other high profile inmatesPatterson will be bunking down
with may include the black widowRobin Lindholm, widow Robin

(04:31):
Lindholm, melbourne underworldqueen Judy Moran and serial con
artist Samantha.
As a party Since 2023, pattersonhas been placed in a protected
unit for her own safety.
Now this reminds me ofsomething I just saw the most
incredible thing on the HeraldSun, and I'm going to share it
with you.
So it's a story by BrookeCrevett, craig and Anthony

(04:53):
Dowsley, and it says hold on toyour seat, get ready.
Aaron Patterson accused byanother inmate of tampering with
prison food.
Now this came out today, the7th of July, and it says triple
murderer Erin Patterson wasaccused of tampering with prison
food that made another inmatesick while waiting for her

(05:17):
high-profile trial to begin.
The allegation was made by afellow inmate who was held in
the same unit as Patterson at amaximum security prison,
danefellis Frost Centre inMelbourne.
Patterson was thrown behind barsin November 2023 and was
charged with murdering herestranged husband's family.

(05:37):
So we know those bits.
Sources said the mushroom cookhad fallen out with other
inmates last year before atleast one prisoner fell sick
when they ate a meal that wasprepared in the unit.
Oh my God.
The mother of two was thentransferred into a hard lockdown

(05:58):
area known as the slot.
While officers probed the claimin the slot, inmates were
placed in solitary confinementfor more than 22 hours a day
with little human contact.
It's understood.
The complaint about Pattersonwas investigated, but no known
further action was taken.
Patterson's camp said theallegation was baseless.

(06:22):
The Herald Sun was preventedfrom reporting the alleged
incident when she was awaitingher trial interesting, isn't it?
But she denies it.
The article goes on to sayanother source said patterson
had acted completely entitledwhile she was on remand at dame
phyllis frost center quote allthe girls have issues with each

(06:45):
other in there.
This person said the unit Erinwas housed in was almost like a
melting pot of tension, as theyare confined to the middle of
the jail and have to be escortedanywhere they go.
Interesting.
So thank you so much forlistening.
Today I'm going to be doingmany podcasts, so this is just

(07:07):
episode one of season two, butI'll be putting information on
my website,mushroommurdertrialcom, and
please subscribe to this podcast, the Mushroom Murder Trial
podcast, on your preferredplatform so you never miss an
episode.
And also, if you could, I wouldreally appreciate it if you
could review it.
My social media details arealso in the show notes if you

(07:31):
want to connect with me thereand if you feel like rewarding
me for the thousands of hoursI've spent on this work.
I have a Buy Me A Coffeemembership and that's linked
below as well, but I have awhole lot of material that I
pre-recorded before the trialand now we're at a point where I
can release some of it.
So get ready.

(07:51):
And what an interesting daytoday was.
I thought it might be todayjust because maybe they wanted
to go back in the jury room andjust go over everything one last
time, but certainly we owe ourthanks to the jurors doing their
bit for Australia and the legalsystem.
So have a wonderful rest of theday and I shall speak to you

(08:13):
very, very soon.
Bye, thank you.