Erin Patterson Arrested and Charged with Murder and Attempted Murder Over Suspected Poisonous Mushroom Meal Deaths

Erin Patterson, accused of poisoning three guests at a lunch she hosted, claims she had purchased the mushrooms used in the meal from local stores. Authorities allege the suspected poisoning is not an isolated incident, as three additional attempted murder charges stem from previous incidents in 2021 and 2022.

Erin Patterson, 49, has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder after she allegedly served poisonous mushrooms at a family lunch in July, resulting in three deaths.
The victims were Patterson's ex in-laws and another woman. The lunch was held at Patterson's home in Leongatha, Victoria. Another guest became critically ill but survived.
Patterson maintains her innocence, claiming she purchased the mushrooms used in the beef Wellington dish from local stores. However, police believe the symptoms experienced by the victims were consistent with death cap mushroom poisoning.
In addition to the charges related to the lunch, three additional attempted murder charges stem from incidents in 2021 and 2022 where a man fell ill after meals allegedly cooked by Patterson.
Her case was adjourned until May 3 to give prosecutors time to analyze computer equipment seized from her home during a police search. Police used technology detector dogs during the search, which can sniff out electronic storage devices.