Estranged husband of accused in Australian mushroom murders tells of strained relationship

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: May 01, 2025 7:04 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The estranged hubby of an Australian pistillate accused of murdering 3 of his aged relatives with a repast laced with deadly mushrooms told a tribunal connected Thursday their narration had go progressively strained successful the twelvemonth earlier the deaths.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with the July 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, on with the attempted execution of Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, successful a lawsuit that has gripped Australia.

All 4 fell sick aft a luncheon of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and greenish beans, the tribunal has heard. Prosecutors allege the accused laced the repast with highly poisonous decease headdress mushrooms astatine her location successful Leongatha, a municipality of astir 6,000 radical immoderate 135 kilometres from Melbourne.

Erin Patterson denies the charges, with her defence saying the deaths were a "terrible accident."

Repeatedly declined accused's luncheon invitations

Erin's husband, Simon Patterson, wept arsenic helium told the Supreme Court of Victoria relations betwixt the pair, who had separated amicably successful 2015, deteriorated successful precocious 2022, erstwhile helium listed himself arsenic separated connected a taxation return.

The determination triggered a strategy of kid enactment payments, meaning Simon Patterson nary longer paid their 2 children's backstage schoolhouse fees directly, helium said.

"I was definite she was precise upset astir that," helium told the court.

He repeatedly declined invitations to the accused's location for lunch, including 1 connected July 29, 2023, erstwhile the murders are alleged to person taken place, saying helium felt uncomfortable astir attending.

Accused told hubby she'd made 'special meal' for the group

The tribunal heard connected Wednesday the accused had lied astir having crab and hosted the luncheon connected the pretense of discussing the champion mode to archer her 2 children astir the illness, successful what the prosecution said was an effort to guarantee the children did not be and devour the poisoned meal.

The defence does not quality the accused lied astir having cancer.

Text messages betwixt Simon and Erin Patterson work retired successful tribunal said the accused recovered his determination not to be "really disappointing" arsenic she had spent important amounts of clip and wealth preparing a "special meal" for the group.

Under cross-examination by the defence, Simon Patterson said the accused had shown important generosity to him and his family, loaning hundreds of thousands of dollars to his siblings successful bid to acquisition oregon physique property. She besides had bully relationships with the deceased, helium added.

The lawsuit has seen aggravated involvement from Australian and planetary media, with podcasters, journalists and documentary-makers descending connected the municipality of Morwell, astir 2 hours eastbound of Melbourne, wherever the proceedings is being held.

The proceedings is scheduled to tally until aboriginal June.