The spouse of an Australian woman facing triple murder charges over a beef Wellington supposedly laced with toxic mushrooms has testified in court that his father was “hunched” in agony prior to his passing.
Erin Patterson, aged 50, is accused of murdering her estranged husband’s parents and aunt, along with one count of attempted murder.
She has pleaded not guilty to all allegations, with her defense claiming that the deadly meal containing death cap mushrooms was merely a “terrible accident.”
On the second day of a trial that has captured global attention, the estranged husband, Simon Patterson, recounted witnessing his parents in the hospital after their poisoning.
“He was lying on his side, he was hunched,” Mr. Patterson remarked, noting that his father’s face appeared “really discolored.”
He added that his father “wasn’t right inside, he was feeling pain.”
The victims were diagnosed with death cap mushroom poisoning by medical professionals.
Mr. Patterson had received an invitation to lunch at his wife’s home in Leongatha, Victoria, in late July 2023.
However, he informed the court that he chose to decline, texting Ms. Patterson that he felt “uncomfortable” with the invitation.
She urged him to reconsider, stating she had prepared a “special meal” and spent a “small fortune” on beef eye fillet.
“I hope you will change your mind,” her text, read in court, stated.
“I hope to see you there,” she added.
According to testimony, Ms. Patterson invited guests under the pretense of discussing a health issue she needed advice on.
Although Mr. Patterson did not attend the lunch, his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, along with his aunt Heather Wilkinson and her husband, local pastor Ian Wilkinson, did.
Tragically, within days, Mr. Patterson’s parents and aunt had died, while Mr. Wilkinson survived after spending nearly two months in the hospital.
During the lunch, Ms. Patterson claimed to have cancer and sought advice on how to inform her two children, as noted by crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers.
Medical examinations later revealed no evidence supporting her cancer claim, according to the prosecutor.
Within 12 hours following the lunch, the four guests experienced severe diarrhea and vomiting and were hastily transported to the hospital.
Doctors diagnosed them with poisoning from death cap mushrooms.
Ms. Patterson is currently on trial at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts, located south of Melbourne.
At the hospital, Mr. Patterson recounted that his father disclosed Ms. Patterson’s alleged cancer diagnosis, which he had not previously been aware of.
He noted that his parents were “really strong” in urging the couple to mend their marital issues.
The prosecution alleges that Ms. Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests while refraining from consuming the death caps herself.
Instead, she supposedly feigned similar symptoms as a “cover,” according to the allegations.
While the jury might question her motives, “motive is not something the prosecution is required to prove,” Ms. Rogers stated at the start of the trial.
Ms. Patterson’s attorney, Colin Mandy, argued that the poisoning was a “tragedy and a terrible accident.” Mr. Mandy claimed she consumed the same meal containing death cap mushrooms but did not suffer as severely as her guests.
The trial, taking place in the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in Morwell, south of Melbourne, is projected to last approximately six weeks.
