While locals in Victoria are bundling up against the winter cold, a very different kind of chill is hanging over the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court.
All eyes are on Erin Patterson, the woman at the centre of one of Australia’s most shocking murder trials in years.
Patterson is accused of cooking a fatal lunch laced with death cap mushrooms that allegedly led to the deaths of her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.
The only survivor of that fateful lunch in Leongatha? Pastor Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, who barely made it through after weeks in intensive care.
Facebook Posts Come Back to Haunt Patterson
In court, Patterson faced intense questioning about a series of text messages and Facebook posts from late 2022.
One message stood out — in it, she said if her estranged husband Simon wanted to walk away from his responsibilities, “it’s a blessing in disguise.”
Another angry message read, “this family I swear to f***ing God.” When asked if that revealed her true feelings, Patterson denied it, saying she was simply venting in frustration.
She also admitted regretting writing “f*** them” in reference to Don and Gail, but denied feeling angry at them. Instead, she said she was hurt and frustrated at the time.
Did She Change Schools Without Telling Simon?
The court also heard claims that Patterson moved her children to a new school without telling Simon.
Patterson insisted she had told him — in person — during a visit in March 2023. According to her, Simon responded with a simple, “OK.”
But prosecutors pushed back, citing Simon’s claim that there was “no serious conversation” about the move.
When it came to disputes over school fees and child support, Patterson said the tension hadn’t completely disappeared at the time, but things improved a few weeks later.
Money, Mediation, and Mixed Messages
Another round of questioning dug into messages exchanged between Patterson, Simon, and his parents Don and Gail — particularly around school fees.
Patterson said she wanted them to help facilitate better communication between her and Simon.
While she acknowledged that fees were a big topic, she denied ever asking Don and Gail to pressure Simon into paying.
Dr Rogers, the lead Crown prosecutor, suggested Don refused to get involved — something Patterson agreed with. Still, she denied being angry about it.
The Mushrooms at the Heart of It All
Things took a darker turn when prosecutors questioned Patterson about the mushrooms themselves.
A photo shown in court reportedly showed what experts believe were death caps. Patterson denied they were.
She was also asked about an online mushroom ID post from a woman in Loch — the same area she was alleged to have visited just days later.
Patterson said she didn’t know whether she was in Loch on that particular day.
Dr Rogers went further, accusing Patterson of weighing the mushrooms to calculate how much would be needed to kill one — or even five — people. Patterson firmly denied this.
A Web of Lies or Desperate Misunderstandings?
In one of the more heated exchanges, Patterson was confronted with accusations that she lied about having cancer to manipulate people into attending the deadly lunch. Patterson denied that too.
“You never thought you’d have to account for this lie because you assumed your guests would die?” asked Dr Rogers.
“That’s not true,” Patterson replied repeatedly.
The Survivor’s Testimony Sparks More Doubts
Pastor Ian Wilkinson, the lone survivor, testified earlier in the trial that Patterson told the lunch guests she’d been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Patterson told the court she didn’t remember saying that, though she acknowledged he recalled it.
She was also questioned about a statement Don reportedly made to his son Simon during his hospital stay: “Mum doesn’t want me to tell you this.
It’s about what Erin talked to us about at the lunch.”
Again, Patterson denied mentioning any such diagnosis at the lunch.
Crowds Brave the Cold to Watch It All Unfold
The public fascination with the trial has not let up. Every morning, crowds gather outside the courthouse, queuing in the cold just to get a seat inside.
Patterson’s case has gripped the nation — and she’s now spent five days straight in the witness box under relentless cross-examination.
The 50-year-old is accused of three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Prosecutors allege she cooked the beef Wellington with deadly mushrooms and served it to her in-laws — while eating a smaller portion from a differently colored plate herself.
Where the Mushrooms Really Came From
Patterson has claimed the mushrooms used in the dish were dried and purchased from an unnamed Asian grocery store in Melbourne’s Monash area.
But when health inspectors investigated, they found no trace of such a store selling that type of mushroom.
The jury was told by Justice Christopher Beale that the trial could continue for a couple more weeks.
With Patterson likely to remain in the witness box for the rest of this week — and possibly into next — there’s still a long road ahead before closing arguments begin.