Shocking new revelations have emerged in the case of Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of killing three people and hospitalizing a fourth with a lunch of mushroom-laced beef Wellington, as a judge lifted a gag order on previously suppressed testimony.
Simon Patterson Says He Declined Lunch Over Poisoning Fears
According to newly released court evidence, Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, told a pre-trial hearing that he suspected she might try to kill him — more than a year before the fatal meal that claimed the lives of his parents and an aunt.
“I thought there’d be a risk that she’d poison me if I attended,” Simon told the court, explaining why he canceled his acceptance of the July 2023 lunch invitation.
Simon and Erin Patterson had been separated since 2015. Though Simon said he had stopped eating food she prepared, he admitted he never expected she would harm others.
The details were originally withheld from jurors during Erin’s high-profile trial but are now public following a ruling by Justice Christopher Beale, according to Associated Press.
Triple Murder Conviction After Death Cap Mushroom Meal
In July 2023, Erin Patterson hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, serving beef Wellington that contained deadly death cap mushrooms. The meal resulted in the deaths of:
- Don Patterson (her former father-in-law)
- Gail Patterson (her former mother-in-law)
- Heather Wilkinson (Gail’s sister)
Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, also consumed the meal and was hospitalized for weeks but survived.
Erin was convicted in July of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the Victoria State Supreme Court. She now faces a possible life sentence for each murder and up to 25 years for the attempted murder.
Husband Suspected Earlier Poison Attempts
In pre-trial testimony, Simon alleged that Erin may have tried to poison him on three earlier occasions, between November 2021 and September 2022, during family camping trips.
He described falling violently ill after consuming her cooking — including penne bolognese, chicken korma, and a vegetable curry wrap.
“I was encouraged by my doctor to start a spreadsheet to track the foods I ate before getting sick,” Simon told the court.
Although Erin was originally charged with attempted murder of her husband in those cases, prosecutors dropped those charges before her murder trial began in April. No toxic substances were ever found in those earlier incidents.
Media Gag Lifted Amid Appeal Plans
Justice Beale ruled that the gag order should be lifted, siding with media outlets seeking public access to the full case file. Erin Patterson’s lawyers had requested that all inadmissible evidence be kept secret until her appeal was resolved, citing concerns that media attention, books, podcasts, and a planned mini-series could influence potential jurors if a retrial occurs.
Defense attorney Colin Mandy argued that such coverage would “leave an indelible impression on the minds of potential jurors in the event that there is a retrial.”
Despite that, the judge ruled in favor of transparency.
Sentencing and Appeal Process Ahead
A sentencing hearing is set to begin on August 25, where prosecutor Jane Warren told the court that “a lot of victim impact statements” would be submitted over two days.
Once sentenced, Erin Patterson will have 28 days to file an appeal against her sentence, the convictions, or both.
Do you think the appeal will succeed? Share your thoughts in the comments.
