Nature's silent assassin: The deadly mushroom at the heart of Australia's most shocking murder trial
It's a case that's got all of Australia and a fair bit of the world completely hooked. Erin Patterson, a woman from the quiet town of Leongatha in Victoria, is at the center of a chilling trial.
Why? She's accused of serving a homemade lunch that killed three of her relatives and nearly claimed a fourth.
Here's how it all went down.
In July 2023, Erin hosted a casual lunch at her place. The guests were her in-laws and her aunt and uncle. On the menu? A homemade beef Wellington, which Erin said was made using mushrooms she bought from an Asian grocery store. Sounds innocent enough, right?
But things took a dark turn.
The mushrooms in that dish weren't your typical supermarket variety. They turned out to be Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms—among the most poisonous fungi on Earth. Eating even a tiny amount can be fatal.
The day after the meal, all four guests started showing serious symptoms—nausea, vomiting, and severe stomach issues. Things quickly escalated. Within days, Don and Gail Patterson (both 70) and Heather Wilkinson (66) tragically died from liver and organ failure.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
40대 이상이고 PC가 있으세요? 그럼 이 게임을 정말 좋아하실 거예요!
Sea of Conquest
플레이하기
Undo
The fourth guest, Ian Wilkinson, who is Heather's husband and a 71-year-old pastor, just barely survived. He needed a liver transplant and spent over seven weeks in intensive care before finally being discharged in September 2023.
For those who don't know, death cap mushrooms contain a toxin called amatoxin. It's brutal, it attacks your liver and kidneys, and symptoms often don't show up until 6 to 12 hours later. By the time you realize what's happening, it can be too late.
It's a slow and vicious poison, and without quick medical help, the outlook is grim.
Unsurprisingly, this case has made headlines everywhere. The story has all the makings of a true-crime drama—deadly food, close family ties, a mysterious motive, and now, a courtroom showdown.
The charges
So, what exactly is Erin Patterson being accused of?
She's currently facing three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Prosecutors say this wasn't some freak accident—they believe Erin planned the whole thing. Here's what they're pointing to:
Fake cancer claim: Erin allegedly told her in-laws she had cancer, possibly to guilt them into coming over for lunch.
Selective eating: While everyone else ate the beef Wellington, Erin didn't. She also made sure her own kids weren't served any leftovers.
Suspicious cleanup: After the guests got sick, Erin reportedly got rid of a dehydrator that had remnants of the toxic mushrooms. Investigators say she also lied about where the mushrooms came from.
As of May 2025, Erin is on trial in the Victorian Supreme Court, and the case is still unfolding. There's a lot the public still doesn't know, but people are watching closely. The big question on everyone's mind is: was this just a tragic mistake… or something far more sinister?
Meet Amanita Phalloides: The death cap mushroom that's anything but edible
If you've ever thought mushrooms were just cute little toppings for pizza or a trendy meat substitute, here's their dark side: Amanita phalloides, better known as the death cap mushroom.
It sounds dramatic, and honestly, it should because this innocent-looking fungus has been responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Yes, really.
The death cap is basically nature's biggest prank. It looks harmless, kind of like a regular mushroom you'd toss into a stir-fry. It has a pale, yellow-greenish cap, white gills, and a thick white stem. You wouldn't blink twice if you saw it growing under an oak tree.
But this is no portobello. Just half a cap can kill an adult human. No joke.
This toxic mushroom is originally native to Europe, but it's now found in North America, Australia, and parts of Asia. It usually pops up in summer and early autumn, and it often grows near oak, chestnut, or pine trees. Basically, it's sneaky and widespread.
What makes Amanita phalloides so deadly? The short answer: a group of nasty toxins called amatoxins.
These little devils are tough, heat doesn't kill them, and neither does drying. So even if you sauté a death cap in butter, it'll still be lethal. Once ingested, amatoxins head straight for your liver and kidneys, shutting down essential cellular functions. The terrifying part? Symptoms don't show up right away. People who eat death caps often feel fine for the first 6 to 12 hours.
Then, crippling stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration hit like a truck.
By then, the liver is often beyond saving.
Without early treatment death caps can be fatal within days. And even with treatment, recovery isn't guaranteed.
One of the most chilling things about the death cap is how easily it can be mistaken for edible mushrooms. People out foraging in the wild often confuse it with puffballs or Asian straw mushrooms. It doesn't help that it has no tell-tale toxic smell or color—it's just... mushroomy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Watch: Mahmoud Khalil reunites with family after 104 days in detention; vows to speak up for Palestine even if threatened with death
Mahmoud Khalil reunited with family (Photo: AP) Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian rights advocate and Columbia University graduate, was released after spending over three months in US immigration detention, reuniting with his wife and infant son. The 30-year-old legal US resident walked free from a Louisiana facility on Friday evening after a federal judge ruled his detention unconstitutional. Khalil landed at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Saturday. He was met by cheering supporters and walked out with his wife, Noor Abdalla, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Khalil was seen pushing his baby son, Deen, in a stroller, raising his fist with a Palestinian keffiyeh over his shoulders. — MeghnadBose93 (@MeghnadBose93) Khalil, who faced no criminal charges, was among the most well-known pro-Palestinian students targeted by the Trump administration during campus protests against Israel's war on Gaza. ICE agents in plain clothes arrested him in March in front of his pregnant wife. 'If they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine,' Khalil said during a press conference at the airport. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트, 지금 시작하세요 [자세히 보기] 임플란트 더 알아보기 Undo 'I just want to go back and continue the work I was already doing, advocating for Palestinian rights, a speech that should actually be celebrated rather than punished.' His release followed a ruling from federal judge Michael Farbiarz in Newark, who said the government had failed to prove Khalil posed a flight risk or a danger. '[He] is not a danger to the community,' Farbiarz had said. 'Period, full stop.' The judge further concluded that detaining someone over a civil immigration matter amounted to unconstitutional punishment. The Trump administration has filed a notice of appeal, according to NBC. Khalil's release came after mounting public pressure and legal efforts, with support from multiple Jewish students and faculty at Columbia University. Khalil was previously seen as a bridge-builder, acting as a lead negotiator in 2024 between Jewish and pro-Palestinian student groups during the campus protests. During a past CNN appearance, he said: 'The liberation of the Palestinian people and the Jewish people are intertwined and go hand-by-hand, and you cannot achieve one without the other.' Khalil had missed the birth of his son, his graduation, and both Mother's Day and Father's Day while in custody. He had only briefly been allowed to see his newborn once earlier in June. 'This is not over, and we will have to continue to support this case,' said Ocasio-Cortez. 'The persecution based on political speech is wrong, and it is a violation of all of our First Amendment rights, not just Mahmoud's.' Upon his release, Khalil said outside the Jena facility, 'Trump and his administration, they chose the wrong person for this. That doesn't mean there is a right person for this. There is no right person who should be detained for actually protesting a genocide.' 'No one is illegal – no human is illegal,' he added. 'Justice will prevail no matter what this administration may try.' As part of the release conditions, Khalil had to surrender his passport and green card and must stay within specific states including New York, Michigan, and Louisiana, notifying authorities of his address within 48 hours, reports the Independent. On Sunday evening, a rally celebrating his release and demanding freedom for other detained immigrants and Palestinians will be held at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in Manhattan.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Man attacked and robbed after road rage in E Delhi
New Delhi: In an apparent case of road rage, a businessman was attacked with a sharp object and beaten after his vehicle came into contact with a bike in east Delhi's Pandav Nagar. The three assailants also fled with his SUV following the assault. A suspect has been apprehended. The victim was identified as Vinod Sharma. Police said the incident took place around 9:30 pm on Friday. "He was on his way to his shop when his SUV and a bike came into contact, leading to a confrontation," police said. An alleged CCTV footage of the incident reveals that it occurred on a busy stretch of road with several vehicles passing by. The footage shows an SUV and a bike coming close to each other, resulting in a minor collision. The driver of the SUV stopped the vehicle and got out to assess the situation. A person wearing a cap, who was riding the bike, approached the SUV driver, and the two began to argue. Suddenly, another youth came running towards them and struck the SUV driver without warning. Moments later, the first individual pulled out a knife-like object, which he concealed, and joined in the assault. Soon after, a third accomplice arrived on the scene, and all three men began beating the SUV driver. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like מתערבת בהכל - על מערכת החיסון ומחלות אוטואימוניות web2info Undo Amid the chaos, the man wearing the cap, who was involved in the initial altercation, got into the SUV and drove away. Despite the presence of several bystanders and passing vehicles, no one intervened to help the victim. A senior police officer said the victim sustained injuries, suspected to be caused by a sharp object used by the attackers during the scuffle. Police confirmed they identified the three individuals involved in the incident and that efforts are underway to apprehend them. "We formed multiple teams to catch the culprits. We are also scanning CCTV footage to trace the routes taken by the attackers as they fled the scene," a senior officer said. The cops registered a case under relevant sections of BNS, including robbery and assault.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Flyer misses plane, sprints on runway to board it
Mumbai: Could this be the typical Mumbaikar instinct to rush to catch a just-missed local train? A 25-year-old man from Kalamboli who darted across the city airport after missing his flight was arrested on Thursday for entering the apron — the area where planes are parked, hoping to board the flight he had just missed. Security officials spotted the man, Piyush Soni, running towards the parking area where an Air India flight from Gujarat had landed. The man had arrived at the airport a little after 9.50 am — the deadline for boarding had crossed, said officials of Sahar police station. Soni was unaware that his Air India flight for Patna had already taken off. The aircraft that he was running towards was one that arrived from Bhuj. Soni initially claimed that the driver of a coach, that drops flyers near the aircraft, had "by mistake dropped him close to the runway". However, security officials later said it was a lie, the police said. In a complaint, an Air India staffer has stated that they noticed a man running towards a plane, risking flight movement and potentially causing a fatal incident had some aircraft been taking off. Soni was handed over to airport security (CISF) officials. "During inquiry, Soni revealed that he arrived at the airport late and the gate had closed. He entered the runway by opening the emergency access between gate 42 and gate 43 from inside and ran towards the plane to board it without knowing which one was scheduled to depart," the police said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like (1) Your Antivirus May Require Activation Click Here Undo Soni has been booked for endangering lives and offences under the Aircraft Act. Mumbai: Could this be the typical Mumbaikar instinct to rush to catch a just-missed local train? A 25-year-old man from Kalamboli who darted across the city airport after missing his flight was arrested on Thursday for entering the apron — the area where planes are parked, hoping to board the flight he had just missed. Security officials spotted the man, Piyush Soni, running towards the parking area where an Air India flight from Gujarat had landed. The man had arrived at the airport a little after 9.50 am — the deadline for boarding had crossed, said officials of Sahar police station. Soni was unaware that his Air India flight for Patna had already taken off. The aircraft that he was running towards was one that arrived from Bhuj. Soni initially claimed that the driver of a coach, that drops flyers near the aircraft, had "by mistake dropped him close to the runway". However, security officials later said it was a lie, the police said. In a complaint, an Air India staffer has stated that they noticed a man running towards a plane, risking flight movement and potentially causing a fatal incident had some aircraft been taking off. Soni was handed over to airport security (CISF) officials. "During inquiry, Soni revealed that he arrived at the airport late and the gate had closed. He entered the runway by opening the emergency access between gate 42 and gate 43 from inside and ran towards the plane to board it without knowing which one was scheduled to depart," the police said. Soni has been booked for endangering lives and offences under the Aircraft Act.
