Accused mushroom killer Erin Patterson to face court after three people died eating beef wellington at her home

Accused mushroom chef Erin Patterson will appear in court on Monday after three people were killed following an allegedly toxic lunch at her home.

Patterson, 49, is expected to appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court at 10am on Monday via video link from the Dame Phyllis Frost Center.

It is the mother-of-three’s first public appearance in five months and comes nine months after Victoria Police arrested her on November 2.

Patterson was arrested at her home in Leongatha, eastern Victoria, and charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died within days of eating an allegedly poisonous beef wellington lunch at Patterson’s Leongatha home on July 29.

Patterson’s former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, died after lunch on July 29

Mrs Wilkinson’s husband, a local minister, made a miraculous recovery from lunch after spending two months in hospital.

She was also charged with five counts of attempted murder, one for Mr Wilkinson and four for her ex-husband Simon Patterson.

Victoria Police allege Patterson made three attempts on her husband’s life in November 2021, May 2022 and September 2022.

The fourth count relates to the July 29 lunch, which Simon pulled out at the last minute.

At Patterson’s first court appearance, police requested a 20-week delay to analyze the electronic devices seized from her home.

Police were told to present their evidence by March 25, and the case would return to court on May 3.

Patterson returns to court on Monday, two weeks earlier than expected.

Criminal lawyer Celine Ky of Silk Lawyers said witnesses could be questioned in the magistrates’ court on Monday.

Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, (left) died after lunch, but Ian Wilkinson (right) survived

Criminal lawyer Celine Ky of Silk Lawyers (right) said witnesses could be questioned in the magistrates’ court on Monday

“A magistrate will ultimately decide at the settlement stage whether there is sufficient evidence to take the case to trial,” she said.

“If they feel there is enough evidence to take the case to trial, Ms. Patterson will be asked how she plans to plead and then the case will be taken to the Supreme Court in this situation.”

It comes after it emerged that Patterson’s internet search history and deleted social media accounts will reportedly form a key part of the prosecution’s case.

Detectives are particularly interested in Patterson’s Facebook use, according to a report in the Herald Sun.

The newspaper was told that Patterson had allegedly created profiles under different names.

Patterson (pictured before her arrest) was also charged with five counts of attempted murder, one for Mr Wilkinson and four for her ex-husband Simon Patterson.

Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that Patterson once allegedly boasted on Facebook that she was “very good at details” while ridiculing the writing skills of some people in her local community.

Patterson branded contributors to Korumburra newsletter The Burra Flyer “illiterate bastards” during a tirade against an old friend.

She and her then husband Simon had spent years putting together the 48-page booklet of advertorials and promotions from the regional Victorian community after taking it over from Simon’s parents.

Police are also looking at her internet history, with specialist teams able to track down deleted searches.

“It’s not easy, but in most cases it can be done,” a police source told the newspaper.

“She might be involved in conversations or stories where she’s talked about this stuff in online forums… it could be the smallest thing.”

Patterson is currently behind bars in Victoria’s largest women’s prison, the infamous Dame Phyllis Frost Center in Melbourne’s western industrial suburbs.