Erin Patterson Sentenced to Life for Infamous Mushroom Murders in Australia

Mon Sep 15 2025 16:41:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Erin Patterson has received a life sentence without parole for at least 33 years after feeding toxic mushrooms to her relatives, resulting in three deaths and one near-fatality.

In a chilling case that captured national attention, Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of three family members with a toxic mushroom meal. The court highlighted the severity of her crimes and the lack of remorse exhibited by Patterson, who maintains her innocence. Patterson will face 33 years in prison before she is eligible for parole, underscoring the gravity of the offenses committed.

An Australian woman has been jailed for life, with no chance of release for at least 33 years, for murdering three relatives and trying to kill another with a toxic mushroom meal.

The jail term, one of the longest ever handed to a female offender in Australia, means Erin Patterson, 50, will be in her 80s before she can apply for parole.

A Supreme Court judge said Patterson's crimes were the worst category for offending and involved an elaborate cover-up.

Patterson killed her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, after serving them a toxic beef Wellington at her home in Victoria in 2023.

Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, survived the lunch after recovering from a coma and has ongoing health issues related to the poisoning.

Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson was meant to attend the lunch too but cancelled at the last minute, in part due to his belief that his wife had been trying to poison him for years.

Patterson has long maintained her innocence, claiming the toxic death cap mushrooms in the dish she prepared were accidentally added and that she never intended to harm her relatives.

During his sentencing remarks, Justice Christopher Beale stated that Patterson's crimes warranted the maximum penalty. She will serve three consecutive life sentences for the three murders and 25 years for the attempted murder of Mr. Wilkinson.

The judge pointed out Patterson's lack of remorse for her victims, saying this added to the pain felt by the families involved. Patterson's case has drawn significant media interest, leading to a live broadcast of the sentencing, a first in Australian legal history.

Outside the court, the only survivor, Ian Wilkinson, expressed gratitude to the police and medical teams who assisted after the incident, while highlighting the overwhelming impact of the tragedy on his life and family.

With 28 days to appeal her sentence and guilty verdicts, Patterson's case continues to be a topic of public fascination and worry over domestic safety.