(Crankers) An Australian woman convicted of poisoning three lunch guests with the world’s deadliest mushrooms has been sentenced to three life terms, with a non-parole period of 33 years, closing the chapter on a case that has gripped the nation and inspired multiple podcasts and documentaries.
Erin Patterson, 50, was found guilty in July of murdering three relatives of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson — his parents, along with his aunt and uncle — by serving a beef wellington laced with death cap mushrooms she had gathered near her rural Victoria home in 2023.
Her life sentences will run concurrently with a 25-year term for the attempted murder of the sole survivor, Pastor Ian Wilkinson. His wife of 44 years, Heather, was among those who died in hospital days after the lunch.
Simon’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, also died after suffering acute gastrointestinal illness that led to multiple organ failure.
The sentencing hearing was broadcast live from Melbourne’s Supreme Court, underscoring the extraordinary public attention on a case that placed Patterson, her family, and the small town of Leongatha in the international spotlight.
Outside the courthouse, media crews crowded for position as Justice Christopher Beale appeared before cameras in Court 4 to hand down Patterson’s sentence.
Beale said Patterson’s offenses required “substantial premeditation” and that she had engaged in an “elaborate cover-up” when she realized her initial lies would not work.
“I am satisfied by July 16, 2023, when you unusually invited Simon, his parents, and aunt and uncle to a lunch without the children to discuss your non-existent medical issue, you did so with the intention of killing them all,” Beale said.
Crown prosecutors had sought a life sentence without parole, but Justice Beale noted Patterson’s notoriety and the likelihood she would spend much of her time in solitary confinement for her own safety.