The Two Faces of Erin Patterson: Uncovering the Mushroom Murder Trial

Please note I misspoke and I mistakenly said Heather instead of Erin .The error is regretted. 

Erin Patterson faces the Supreme Court of Victoria on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder related to a deadly lunch where mushrooms were allegedly served. The prosecution is suggesting she had "two faces" - a loving public persona contrasting with private resentment toward her former in-laws.

• Crown Prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers claims Patterson's Facebook messages reveal her true feelings about in-laws Don and Gail Patterson
• Ms Patterson denies allegations that she was angry with her in-laws for taking Simon's side in a child allowance dispute
• The accused explains she invited the Wilkinsons to lunch to thank Heather Wilkinson for past kindness and because Gail mentioned Heather would like her garden
• Ms Patterson admits she never told medical professionals about potentially foraged mushrooms in the meal, even after relatives became severely ill
• Evidence presented suggests Ms Patterson disposed of a dehydrator the day after being discharged from hospital
• The prosecution alleges Ms Patterson prepared a separate poisoned beef wellington for Simon who didn't attend the lunch

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 0 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial
podcast.
My name's Lisa and I'mreporting on and following the
Erin Patterson case in theSupreme Court of Victoria.
Quick reminder, before we startand we launch into today's
update and I have a lot toreport to you head to
themushroommurdertrialcom,subscribe for my exclusive
newsletter that I put out everyweek and if you haven't yet,

(00:22):
please subscribe to this podcaston your preferred platform,
because I'll be here until theend and I hope you are as well.
Now to start.
Erin Trudy Patterson, age 50,of Lee and Gathar Victoria, is
facing three counts of murderand one count of attempted
murder.
The plea is not guilty.
Now her murder trial yesterdayheard that she portrayed one

(00:43):
version of herself publicly as aloving family member and
another privately, whichallegedly mocked two of the
people who attended her deadlylunch.
In the Supreme Court at Morwell, crown Prosecutor Dr Nanette
Rogers said the 50 year old'strue feelings about her
parents-in-law, don and GailPatterson, were demonstrated in
the accused's emotional Facebookmessages.

(01:05):
Ms Patterson rejected that andsaid incorrect.
The mother of two was thenasked if she had two faces, a
public one and a private one,inside her Facebook messenger
group.
Erin's voice was wavering andbreaking down during this
exchange.
It started with Dr Rogerssaying that's what you told the
police in your record ofinterview on the 5th of August
2023, correct and that you lovedhis parents.

(01:28):
I suggest that you didn't lovethem.
Correct or incorrect?
That's not true.
I suggest that you were angrythat they took Simon's side in
your argument with him in 2022about the child allowance.
That's not true.
And that feeling towards themcontinued.
Correct or incorrect?
Incorrect, said Miss Patterson.
In fact, you had two faces apublic face appearing to have a

(01:49):
good relationship with Don andGail, as shown to people like
Simon, anna, tanya Matt, ruthDubois, professor Stewart and
police in your record ofinterview.
Agree or disagree?
Are you asking me to agree?
If I had two faces?
I'm asking you do you agreethat you had a public face of
appearing to have a goodrelationship with Don and Gail?
I had a good relationship withDon and Gail.

(02:11):
I suggest your private face wasthe one you showed in your
Facebook Messenger use.
Correct or incorrect?
Incorrect.
In court yesterday, ms Pattersonalso confirmed she had
mentioned having medical issues.
When inviting estranged husbandSimon Patterson to that fateful
lunch as well, she did notalert medical professionals that
the meal might have includedforaged mushrooms even after

(02:34):
learning her relatives were veryunwell.
It was unusual for her to hosta lunch like that at home.
She responded as well.
The accused denied suggestionsthat she allegedly failed to
tell Simon Patterson aboutchanging her children's schools.
She was angry with Don and GailPatterson over child support
and school fees.
Ms Patterson allegedly whichshe denies sent inflammatory

(02:56):
messages to the family groupchat, which she denies.
She allegedly told her Facebookfriend, christine Hunt that
Simon was coercive, which shedenies.
She prepared a separatepoisoned beef wellington for
Simon and discarded it after hedidn't show up.
She denies that as well.
Now then we moved on totestimony about inviting Heather
and Ian Wilkinson to lunch.

(03:16):
Dr Rogers reminds the courtthat Heather was Gail
Patterson's sister.
They live close to each other.
Mr Wilkinson told the court heand his wife were excited to be
invited to lunch.
Did you know that AnneWilkinson's been in the public
gallery like nearly every day?
Erin's son said therelationship with the Wilkinsons
was neutral, so not strong ornegative in July 2023.

(03:39):
Erin agreed yeah, that'sprobably fair.
She agreed that the Wilkinsonshad not previously been to her
Leon Gather home.
Dr Rogers asked why did youinvite Ian and Heather to lunch
on July 29?
Erin, there were a few reasons.
Ian had been her pastor foryears.
She would see and speak withIan and Heather after church.
She liked them and wanted astronger relationship as well.

(04:01):
As this, erin said when sheinvited Don and Gail to a
previous lunch on July 24, hermother-in-law said her garden
looked so nice, heather wouldreally like to see it too and
that gave Erin the idea toinvite the Wilkinsons.
So Heather explained to thecourt emotionally.
I just wanted to say thank youto them for being good to me
over the years.

(04:22):
Heather helped me a lot whenchild was little and I started
taking her to playgroup at CoramBorough Baptist and I was shy
and didn't really know manypeople and Heather would sit
with me through those playgrouptimes and was really kind to me
and I wanted to say thank you toher.
She said sobbing.
The prosecutor then asked MsPatterson about her alleged
actions after being dischargedfrom Monash Medical Centre.

(04:44):
I did not tell anybody On yourevidence, you never told a
medical professional that foragemushrooms were involved or
might have been involved,correct, that's correct.
And you never told anyone, forthat matter, for example, sally
Ann Atkinson, correct, correct.

(05:04):
So this day, this realizationon a Tuesday, the first.
I suggest that this was daysbefore anyone had died, correct?
Even after you were discharged.
So she was in Monash Hospitaleven after you were discharged
from hospital.
On that day.
You didn't tell a single personthere may have been forage
mushrooms used in that meal,correct?
Instead, the next day, youdidn't tell a single person
there may have been foragemushrooms used in that meal,
correct?
Instead, the next day, aWednesday, the 2nd of August,
you got up, you drove yourchildren to school and then came

(05:25):
home, correct?
I did do that.
That was your evidence theother day.
And then you got rid of the teahydrator.
I did do that, correct.
Correct.
So that's all I've got for you.
There'll be a longer version ofYesterday's Hearing recorded by
my friend Louise and I thisweekend.
I hope you all have a fabulousweekend, especially if you've
got a long weekend, like us.
Get out there and enjoy it.
Thank you for listening.

(05:45):
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