Australian woman faces trial over alleged mushroom murders

An Australian woman accused of murdering three people with a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington faces trial Wednesday, in a case that has drawn global attention.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with three counts of murder — including of both her parents-in-law — and one count of attempted murder. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Patterson is accused of hosting a July 2023 lunch where she served the baked pastry-and-beef dish, allegedly laced with poisonous mushrooms. Her estranged parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and a local pastor’s wife, Heather Wilkinson, died in the days after the meal. Wilkinson’s husband, Ian, survived after spending nearly two months in hospital.

The trial will be held at the Latrobe Valley Law Courts in Morwell, south of Melbourne — about an hour’s drive from Leongatha, where the meal took place. It is expected to run for six weeks, beginning with opening statements from the prosecution and defence, outlining their cases and listing the witnesses and evidence they plan to present.

The case has made headlines worldwide, inspiring podcasts and even a television documentary series on the Australian streaming service Stan.

Victoria’s Supreme Court has imposed strict guidelines on reporting to ensure Patterson receives a fair trial.