Overview

• Erin Patterson is accused of deliberately poisoning four family members with death cap mushrooms during a July 2023 lunch, resulting in three deaths and one survivor.
• Patterson has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that the poisonings were accidental and unintentional.
• Forensic testimony revealed conflicting findings: mycologist Camille Truong identified only field mushrooms, while toxicologist Dimitri Gerostamoulos detected death cap toxins in some samples.
• DNA analysis by David Lovelock found no death cap mushrooms in the beef wellington but detected Amanita phalloides material in two of seven vials from Patterson’s dehydrator.
• The trial continues as the jury examines detailed evidence, including the journey of meal leftovers and expert analyses, against the backdrop of intense media coverage in the small town of Morwell.