The Australian woman accused of killing three people from her ex-husband’s family with a poisonous meal containing “exotic mushrooms” said she chose them because they had “more flavor.” According to PEOPLE, 50-year-old Erin Patterson said this to the court.
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Woman Claims Poisonous “Exotic Mushrooms” Had “More Flavor” During Murder Trial
This comes after allegedly poisoning her ex-husband’s parents, 70-year-old Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, 66-year-old Heather Wilkinson, on July 29, 2023. Gail’s husband, 68-year-old Ian Wilkinson, also attended the meal but survived after hospitalization, per NBC News.
Authorities have accused her of lacing beef wellington with poisonous mushrooms. On top of that, Patterson was accused of attempting to murder her ex-husband, Simon. Not only at that July lunch, but in three separate incidents in 2021 and 2022. Although she invited him to the lunch in Leongatha, he did not attend.
After analyzing the symptoms exhibited by the poisoned victims, police noticed they were similar to symptoms from wild Amanita phalloides. These are also known as the death cap mushrooms.
Patterson had her most recent trial on Monday, June 2, where she revealed some sinister news, via The Guardian. Defense barrister Colin Mandy SC asked, “Do you accept there must have been death cap mushrooms in there?”
Patterson replied, “Yes I do.” She then mentioned picking the wild mushrooms and how she found them growing on her property. She then thought of testing them to see if they were safe to eat.
Why did she enjoy these “exotic mushrooms” so much? Apparently, they “taste more interesting” and have “more flavor.”
“I fried it up with some butter, ate it, saw what happened … [it] tasted good,” said Patterson. The suspect claimed she did research of mushroom types on Facebook groups. Once she realized the mushrooms didn’t make her sick, Patterson said she put them in meals. Not only for herself, but for her children to eat.
Patterson allegedly foraged the death cap mushrooms “from the local Woolworths in Leongatha.” Some of them reportedly came from a grocery store.
Since the deaths in 2023, police have charged Patterson with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Despite how planned the whole ordeal seemed, Patterson claimed no wrongdoing upon her arrest.
“I didn’t do anything,” she had said. Patterson described the guests as “some of the best people I’ve ever met” and claimed to be “devastated” by the deaths.