An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, 50, has been convicted of a shocking case of murder and attempted murder that captivated the nation. She was found guilty by a jury of murdering three elderly relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth, by serving them a meal laced with deadly death cap mushrooms. The tragic incident occurred on July 29, 2023, at Patterson's home in Leongatha, a town southeast of Melbourne.

The victims of the fatal lunch were Patterson's mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, 70, her father-in-law, Donald Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. All three sadly succumbed to the poisoning in early August 2023. Heather Wilkinson's husband, Reverend Ian Wilkinson, also fell critically ill but survived after spending seven weeks in hospital. The four guests had gathered at Erin Patterson's residence, where she served them individual Beef Wellingtons, which were later confirmed to contain the highly toxic Amanita phalloides mushrooms. Evidence presented in court indicated that while the guests ate from large grey dinner plates, Patterson herself consumed her meal from a smaller, tan-coloured plate.

Patterson, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintained that the deaths were accidental. However, the prosecution, led by barrister Nanette Rogers, argued that she employed four major deceptions to carry out the murders. Rogers told the court that Patterson first fabricated a cancer diagnosis to entice the guests to the lunch, subsequently poisoning their meals while ensuring her own portion remained untainted. Following the meal, Patterson allegedly feigned illness from the food to deflect suspicion. The prosecution further asserted that she embarked on a deliberate cover-up when police began their investigation, attempting to destroy evidence and actively lying to law enforcement.

During the extensive 10-week trial in Morwell, Patterson was the sole witness for her defence, spending eight days on the stand, including five days under cross-examination. She spoke emotionally about her life-long struggles with weight, an eating disorder, and low self-esteem. Patterson testified that her lie about having cancer was not to lure her guests to their deaths but rather a desperate attempt to seek their help in informing her children about her planned weight loss surgery, a fact she was too embarrassed to reveal. Furthermore, she claimed that she did not become as sick as her guests because she secretly binged on a cake brought by her mother-in-law and then purged herself. It was also revealed that her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, who shares two children with Erin, was initially invited to the lunch but declined to attend. Prosecutors had previously dropped three charges that Patterson had attempted to murder her husband.

The highly complex and lengthy case garnered immense global interest, with local and international media, podcasters, and documentary-makers descending on Morwell. State broadcaster ABC's daily podcast on the proceedings consistently ranked among Australia's most popular during the trial. After retiring on June 30, the jury of seven men and five women took a week to reach their verdict. Justice Christopher Beale granted the jurors special dispensation, exempting them from jury duty for the next 15 years, acknowledging the significant demands of the case. Erin Patterson, who has been in custody since her arrest in November 2023, now faces a maximum life sentence, with a sentencing date yet to be scheduled.