Erin Patterson has concluded her testimony in the Supreme Court of Victoria, marking the end of eight days in the witness box in her high-profile triple murder trial.
Ms Patterson, 50, faces three charges of murder and one of attempted murder for allegedly serving death cap mushrooms in a beef wellington meal to her estranged husband’s relatives at her home in Leongatha, Victoria, on 29 July 2023.
Her former husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, took seriously ill after eating the lunch and died a few days later. Ms Wilkinson’s husband, Ian, was hospitalised but survived.
Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining the deaths were accidental.
In the final moments of her cross-examination, chief prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC put three key accusations to Ms Patterson: that she deliberately sourced death cap mushrooms, knowingly included them in the beef wellington and intended to kill her guests.
To all three, Ms Patterson responded: “Disagree.”
Ms Patterson claimed she dehydrated dried mushrooms from an Asian grocer before using them in the beef wellington. However, she admitted this detail wasn’t mentioned earlier, prompting the prosecution to accuse her of making it up to obscure the origin of the mushrooms.
Ms Patterson denied the accusation, insisting her explanation was truthful.
“I suggest this is another lie you made up on the spot,” the prosecutor Rogers said, accusing Ms Patterson of trying to hedge her bets by implying there could be several possible sources for the death cap mushrooms.
“Incorrect,” the accused responded.
The prosecutor also implied that Ms Patterson might have lied about taking diarrhoea medication after the lunch, noting that she had previously claimed one reason for going to hospital was her belief they would provide a stronger treatment.
Ms Patterson acknowledged that she hadn’t informed hospital staff about taking the medication but insisted it was because no one asked.
“If you were looking for something stronger, you would’ve told medical staff you had already taken Imodium and it didn’t work,” Ms Rogers said.
“I don’t agree,” Ms Patterson responded.
