Australian woman sentenced for mushroom murders

Erin Patterson, who was convicted in July of killing three of her relatives with a poisonous mushroom meal, received three sentences of life imprisonment on Monday. Justice Christopher Beale also sentenced her to 25 years in prison, served concurrently, for the attempted murder of survivor Ian Wilkinson, according to a livestream of the hearing by The Australian. Due to the high-profile nature of her crimes, she will likely remain in solitary confinement for the foreseeable future, he said. Patterson, who is 50, would be eligible for parole in 33 years, he said.

Patterson carefully planned her 2023 meal of beef Wellington containing a paste of death cap mushrooms, Beale said. She engaged in an elaborate cover-up to make the meal look like a mistake, he said. Three of her relatives died of multiple organ failure. Beale noted that Patterson’s motive for the murders was never uncovered during the trial process, though she’d expressed frustration with her estranged husband’s family.

Beale also said that the three victims and survivor Wilkinson were known for positive investment in their families and communities, driven by their Christian faith. It was a shame that media coverage mainly focused on the evil actions of the murderer, he said. Wilkinson, whose wife was one of the victims, previously said he forgave Patterson, according to local news.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Patterson’s trial and conviction.