Australian woman ‘loved’ lunch guests she is accused of killing: court

AFP | Sydney

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An Australian woman told police she “loved” members of her husband’s family she was later accused of killing with poison mushrooms, a court heard yesterday.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering the parents and aunt of her estranged husband in 2023 by serving them a beef Wellington laced with lethal “death cap” mushrooms.

She is also accused of attempting to murder her husband’s uncle, who survived the meal after a long stay in hospital.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a trial that has captivated the country.

Jurors on Tuesday hear an interview police recorded with Patterson in the days following the lunch.

In the 21-minute video, a police officer asked Patterson to describe her relationship with the guests.

Patterson said she “loved” her parents-in-law.

“I’ve got no other family. They’ve always been good to me and I want to maintain those relationships,” she said.

“They are the only family I’ve got and they are the only grandparents that my children have and I want them to stay in my kids’ lives and that is really important to me.”

Patterson was estranged from her husband Simon, who turned down an invitation to the July 2023 lunch.

His parents, Don and Gail, died days after eating the beefand-pastry dish.

Simon’s aunt Heather Wilkinson also died, while her husband Ian fell seriously ill but later recovered.