INFAMOUS: The Mushroom Cap Murders
In 2023, 48-year-old Erin Patterson invited a group of her husband’s family members over, and things took a turn for the worst, and by the worst, we mean murder. Patterson has been convicted of murdering three people, and one attempted murder after poisoning them with mushrooms served over a nice dinner. But some questions still remain, how did she go from loving mother to mass murderer and WHY?
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Erin Patterson.
Credit: Fairfax Media / Contributor via Getty Images
The home of Erin Patterson.
Credit: William West / Contributor via Getty Images
Simon Patterson.
Credit: Martin Keep / Contributor via Getty Images
Korumburra Baptist Church.
Credit: Asanka Ratnayake / Stringer via Getty Images
Death Cap mushroom.
Credit: William West / Contributor via Getty Images
Timeline:
Erin invites her estranged husband Simon, Simon’s parents Gail and Don, and Simon’s aunt and uncle Heather and Ian, to lunch at Erin’s house in the following weeks.
Simon texts Erin saying that he will not be attending the lunch tomorrow.
Erin, Gail, Don, Heather and Ian attend the lunch.
Gail, Don, Heather and Ian are all admitted to the hospital at various points of the day with what they believe to be food poisoning.
From footage on a gas station CCTV, Erin is seen going into a bathroom for nine seconds and then leaving.
Erin goes to the hospital to get checked out and then discharges herself against medical advice.
Heather and Gail pass away from altered liver function and multiple organ failure.
Don passes away from altered liver function and multiple organ failure.
Ian is discharged from the hospital after spending weeks in the ICU.
Erin’s trial begins.
Erin is found guilty of three charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder.
Leongatha, AUS
Where Erin lived.
Korumburra, AUS
Where the in-laws lived.
Korumburra Baptist Church
The church that the families attended and where Ian served as pastor.
Leongatha Hospital
The hospital where Erin goes for a checkup.
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Episode Source Material
- Mushroom murders and cancer lie: Nine weeks of evidence that gripped a courtroom, By Tiffanie Turnbull. July 7, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx554n1x0wo
- Erin Patterson concocted cancer diagnosis to ensure children missed fatal mushroom lunch, murder trial hears, By Nino Bucci, April, 30, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/30/erin-patterson-mushroom-poisonings-murder-trial-ntwnfb
- “We were happy to be invited”, only survivor of toxic mushroom lunch tells court, By Simon Atkinson & Katy Watson, May 6, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77n2yykzrjo
- Mushroom Murder Trial: All The Evidence Against Erin Patterson Unpacked | Evidence Box | Daily Mail, July 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R7mfVKVD2M
- The Mushroom Murders: Inside the case and the interview with the killer | A Current Affair. July 16, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rupVSvykc34
- See the evidence used to convict Erin Patterson in the mushroom murder trial, By Joseph Dunstan, Madi Chwasta and Mikaela Ortolan, July 7, 2025.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-08/erin-patterson-murder-guilty-verdict-trial-evidence/105504308
- 4 takeaways from Erin Patterson’s testimony at her toxic mushroom triple murder trial, By Rachel Treisman, June 7, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/06/07/nx-s1-5425239/mushroom-murder-trial-erin-patterson
- Mushroom lunch’s sole surviving guest details deadly meal and its aftermath as trial of Erin Patterson continues, By Nino Bucci, May 6, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/06/erin-patterson-mushroom-trial-ian-wilkinson-sole-lunch-survivor-witness-evidence-ntwnfb
- The key people, timeline and evidence in Erin Patterson’s mushroom murder trial, By Judd Boaz, May 5, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-06/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-evidence-timeline/105245152
- Erin Patterson’s police interview after deadly mushroom lunch played to murder trial jury, By Joseph Dunstan, May 27, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-27/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-tuesday-may-27/105340480
- ‘The perfect dish for them’: Erin Patterson explains why she included dried mushrooms in fatal lunch, By Nino Bucci, June 11, 2025.https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/11/erin-patterson-murder-trial-death-cap-mushrooms-food-dehydrator-ntwnfb
- The evidence laid before the jury in Erin Patterson’s murder trial, By Joseph Dunstan, Madi Chwasta and Gabrielle Flood, June 30, 2025.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-evidence/105425902
- What police found on Erin Patterson’s computer and text messages with mother-in-law revealed, By Nino Bucci, May 28, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/28/erin-patterson-computer-text-messages-mushroom-lunch-trial-australia-ntwnfb
- Erin Patterson finishes giving evidence as mushroom murder trial enters final stages, By Joseph Dunstan and Judd Boaz. June 12, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-12/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-police-search/105407684
- Text messages in lead-up to deadly mushroom lunch revealed as Erin Patterson’s estranged husband testifies, By Nino Bucci, May 1, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/01/erin-patterson-husband-simon-mushroom-lunch-murder-trial-australia-ntwnfb
- Erin Patterson ‘seemed’ to love in-laws, estranged husband tells mushroom murder trial, By Kristian Silva and Tim Callanan, April 30, 2025.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-01/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-husband-jury/105237404
- Mom charged with killing 3 with poisonous mushroom meal bragged about lacing her kids’ brownies with fungi, By Ronny Reyes, May 5, 2025. https://nypost.com/2025/05/05/world-news/mushroom-killer-erin-patterson-bragged-about-lacing-kids-food-testimony/
- Erin Patterson’s responses to five prosecution accusations in mushroom murder trial, By Mikaela Ortolan and Joseph Dunstan, June 5, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-06/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-prosecution-questioning/105382302
- What Erin Patterson told mushroom murder trial jury during a week in the witness box, By Joseph Dunstan, June 12, 2025.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-13/erin-patterson-witness-mushroom-murder-trial-evidence/105411996
- Australian mushroom cook is convicted of triple murder after serving a fatal beef Wellington lunch, By Charlotte Graham-Mclay and Rod McGuirk, July 7, 2025.https://apnews.com/article/erin-patterson-australia-poisonous-mushrooms-trial-bb2454928db178f77a332f39cb7897ba
- Erin Patterson was found guilty of murder. What happens if there’s an appeal? By Mikaela Ortolan, July 7, 2025.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-07/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-guilty-verdict-appeal/105477378
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