On 29 July 2023, Erin Trudi Patterson hosted a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, for her estranged husband's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister and brother-in-law, Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Patterson served individual beef Wellingtons that contained Amanita phalloides (death cap) mushrooms. All four guests were hospitalised the following day with what was initially suspected to be gastroenteritis, and were subsequently diagnosed with severe liver failure. Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died on 4 August 2023; Don Patterson died on 5 August 2023 despite receiving a liver transplant. Ian Wilkinson survived after more than seven weeks in hospital, being discharged on 23 September 2023.
Victoria Police launched an investigation following the deaths. Patterson told police she had purchased dried mushrooms from an Asian supermarket in Mount Waverley roughly three months before the lunch, and admitted disposing of a food dehydrator in a skip bin after being accused of intentionally poisoning the meal. She was arrested on 2 November 2023 and charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder, the latter including four counts relating to her estranged husband Simon Patterson, which were later dropped.
Patterson was tried before a jury in the Supreme Court of Victoria, sitting in Morwell, with proceedings beginning on 29 April 2025. The Crown, led by prosecutor Nanette Rogers, presented evidence including Patterson's Facebook posts about mushroom dehydrating, CCTV footage of her disposing of the dehydrator, forensic detection of death cap toxins on the dehydrator and in victims' urine, and evidence that she had lied about a cancer diagnosis used as a pretext for the lunch. The defence, led by Colin Mandy, argued the poisoning was a tragic accident and that Patterson had panicked rather than deliberately concealed a crime. Patterson testified in her own defence, admitting to numerous lies to police and health authorities but denying deliberate poisoning.
On 7 July 2025, the jury found Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. On 8 September 2025, Justice Christopher Beale sentenced her to three concurrent life sentences plus 25 years, with a non-parole period of 33 years, making her eligible for parole in 2056. She was imprisoned at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in western Melbourne.
Patterson's legal team announced an appeal against the guilty verdicts on 2 October 2025, and the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions separately confirmed on 6 October 2025 it would appeal the sentence as "manifestly inadequate." On 3 November 2025, the Court of Appeal granted leave for Patterson to appeal her conviction, with the appeal scheduled for hearing in August 2026.
The case attracted extensive domestic and international media coverage, including from The Washington Post, BBC News, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, The New York Times, and NBC, and prompted multiple documentary and podcast productions as well as a book, The Mushroom Tapes, co-authored by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, and Sarah Krasnostein.
Gail Patterson, Heather Wilkinson, Don Patterson, Ian Wilkinson
Date
2023
Location
Leongatha, Victoria, Australia
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2023-07-29
Erin Patterson serves beef Wellingtons containing death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her Leongatha home, attended by Don and Gail Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson.
2023-07-30
All four lunch guests are admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis; later diagnosed with severe liver failure.
2023-08-01
Erin Patterson discharges herself from Leongatha Hospital against medical advice.
2023-08-04
Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson die in hospital; Victoria Police launch an investigation.
2023-08-05
Don Patterson dies in hospital despite receiving a liver transplant.
2023-08-14
Police confirm Erin Patterson provided a detailed statement about purchasing dried mushrooms from a Mount Waverley supermarket.
2023-09-23
Ian Wilkinson is discharged from hospital after surviving the poisoning.
2023-10-04
A funeral is held for Heather Wilkinson.
2023-11-02
Erin Patterson is arrested.
2023-11-03
Patterson appears in Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court in Morwell and is charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
2024-05-07
Patterson pleads not guilty to all charges.
2025-04-29
Trial begins before a jury in the Supreme Court of Victoria, sitting in Morwell.
2025-07-07
Jury finds Patterson guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
2025-07-30
Supreme Court of Victoria bars Patterson from selling her Leongatha home.
2025-08-25
Justice Beale hears victim impact statements from relatives.
2025-09-08
Patterson is sentenced to three concurrent life sentences plus 25 years, with a 33-year non-parole period.
2025-10-02
Patterson's legal team announces intention to appeal the guilty verdicts.
2025-10-06
Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions confirms it will appeal the sentence.
2025-11-03
Court of Appeal grants leave for Patterson to appeal her guilty verdict; appeal scheduled for August 2026.
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Died in hospital on 4 August 2023 after eating the poisoned lunch.
Erin Trudi Patterson
CONVICTED
Convicted on 7 July 2025 of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for serving death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 33-year non-parole period.
Heather Wilkinson
VICTIM
Died in hospital on 4 August 2023 after eating the poisoned lunch.
Don Patterson
VICTIM
Died in hospital on 5 August 2023 despite receiving a liver transplant, after eating the poisoned lunch.
Ian Wilkinson
VICTIM
Survived after more than seven weeks in hospital following the poisoning; testified as a Crown witness at trial.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Erin Patterson murdered three relatives and seriously injured a fourth by serving beef Wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms at a family lunch in Leongatha, Victoria, in July 2023. She was convicted on all charges in July 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Where did the murders happen?
Leongatha, Victoria, Australia.
Who was convicted?
Erin Trudi Patterson (Convicted on 7 July 2025 of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for serving death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons; sentenced to life imprisonment with a 33-year non-parole period.).
