A Victorian woman under investigation by police after mushrooms she served at a family lunch is suspected of fatally poisoning three guests and leaving another one fighting for life was known as ‘blunt’ and somewhat shy by residents from her small town.
Erin Patterson, 48, from Leongatha, two hours southeast of Melbourne, iThey are said to have invited estranged husband Simon Patterson, his parents Gail and Tom Patterson, 70, along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and husband Ian, 68, to the meal.
Simon pulled out of the July 29 luncheon at the last minute, but Gail, Tom and Heather were dead within a week and Ian is still in critical condition in hospital.
Doctors initially thought the patients were suffering from gastroenteritis, or possibly a nasty bout of food poisoning. But as the weekend drew to a close, it became clear that the situation was much more serious.
Ms Patterson was interviewed by police, who said the victims’ symptoms were consistent with eating death caps – the most poisonous mushrooms in the world. An official toxicology report has yet to be completed.
According to accounts from residents of the largely Christian rural town of Leongatha, Mrs. Patterson was a harmless – if aloof and somewhat odd – person who loved to cook, was a good mother and, as a neighbor described The Australianwas naive and ‘into unicorns’.
It is understood that Erin Patterson initially told police during an interview that she bought the mushrooms from a grocer in the Leongatha area.
Syd Whyte, who has chaired the Korumburra Community Development and Action Group for more than a decade, said Ms Patterson was responsible for putting together the community newsletter.
The Burra Flyer is published four times a year and features local news, event information and advertisements for local businesses.
Mr Whyte said he found Ms Patterson’s manner blunt and that she rarely made small talk but that she did her job well.
“She was very good at putting the Flyer together…I thought she was fine,” Mr Whyte told The Australian.
Other parents in the town, which has a population of 5,800, noted that Ms. Patterson mostly kept to herself during school pick-ups in her bright red SUV.
Mrs. Patterson and her estranged partner Simon have two high school-aged children together.
The children also attended the lunch but, along with Mrs. Patterson, did not become ill after being fed food other than the possibly contaminated beef wellington, although all three went to hospital when the other guests showed symptoms.
Ian Wilkinson and Heather Wilkinson (both pictured) became seriously ill after eating wild mushrooms. Mrs. Wilkinson has sadly passed away while her husband is in critical condition in hospital
Simon’s parents Gail and Tom Patterson, 70, fell ill after lunch with what was believed to be food poisoning or gastro until their symptoms turned deadly
Simon had previously been in ICU for 21 days after falling ill when he collapsed in the family home in 2022.
It was one of several mysterious bouts of illness.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that Erin tried to poison Simon or her four guests.
Several of Simon’s friends have told the Daily Mail Australia that he has never accused his wife of cheating.
Sources have even told Daily Mail Australia that the fatal luncheon was an attempt to mend the failed marriage as part of church mediation.
Mrs. Patterson was involved in the church, although it doesn’t seem as heavy as her in-laws. Clinging to hospital life, Ian Wilkinson is a local pastor of Korumburra Baptist Church.
Simon Patterson (pictured), Erin’s estranged husband, has reportedly suffered from mysterious stomach ailments in the past
According to neighbors, Mrs. Patterson also has a fondness for animals and kept sheep on the family’s hobby farm.
The hobby farm is one of two properties she owns, the other a semi-detached mansion in East Melbourne worth more than $1 million that she inherited after her mother passed away four years ago.
A neighbor said they had scribbled graffiti on a wall at a previous family property.
Ms Patterson, who stayed at her family home this week while reporters camped outside, has strongly denied intentionally hurting her in-laws.
‘I have done nothing; I loved them. I just can’t fathom what happened,” she told reporters this week.
Homicide detectives are continuing to investigate how the four guests became seriously ill.
Detective Dean Thomas said the type of mushroom the guests ate was unknown, but the symptoms were consistent with eating a deadly hat.
He said it would take a while for investigators to figure out what happened and that police are open.
“It could be very innocent, but again, we just don’t know,” he said.
The family were all deeply involved in the Korumburra Baptist Church (pictured)
Mushrooms seen at the family home in Leongatha in the Gippsland region of Victoria