An Australian court found Erin Patterson guilty on Monday of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, after a 10-week trial that captivated Australia and much of the world.
Patterson, 50, was charged with murdering three relatives of her estranged husband by serving a beef Wellington laced with toxic death cap mushrooms over lunch in 2023, and attempting to murder a fourth.
This undated handout photo from the Supreme Court of Victoria released on July 7, 2025, shows an annotated photo of plates containing samples of a beef Wellington meal laced with toxic mushrooms that was prepared by Australian home cook Erin Patterson, during a toxicology analysis at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Supreme Court of Victoria via AFP via Getty Images
Patterson had pleaded not guilty to all charges, with her lawyers arguing the dish served was a "terrible accident."
On Monday, the jury of 12 found Patterson guilty of all four charges after a week of deliberation.
The mother of two is now facing life in prison. Her sentencing will come at a later date, which hasn't been set yet. She'll be remanded until then, and she can still appeal the guilty verdict.
This picture taken on May 12, 2025 shows Erin Patterson arriving in the back of a prison transport vehicle at Latrobe Valley Magistrate's Court in Morwell, Australia. Martin Keep/AFP via Getty Images
All four of her guests at a July 2023 lunch were hospitalized with severe stomach issues after they'd eaten, prosecutors said.
Patterson's in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, died along with Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, was the sole survivor after spending weeks in hospital. He eventually testified.
Patterson's husband turned down the lunch invitation, he said during his court testimony.
'It is what it is'
Patterson's legal team left the court on Monday without commenting on the verdict. Victoria police said the Patterson and Wilkinson families have asked for privacy, and would not be supplying a statement at this time.
A woman who local media identified as one of Patterson's friends was visibly upset as she exited the court, saying she was saddened about the verdict "but it is what it," according to Australian broadcaster ABC.
Members of the media talk to a friend of Erin Patterson as she leaves the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court in Morwell, where Patterson was found by a jury on July 7, 2025, to have murdered her husband's parents and aunt by lacing their beef Wellington lunch with toxic mushrooms at the climax of a trial watched around the world. William West/AFP via Getty Images
Local and international media swarmed the entrance to the court on Monday, a testament to the global pull of the case. A daily podcast on the trial has gained a massive following in Australia, while several documentaries on the case are already in production.
Web of lies, prosecution says
There've been plenty of twists and turns during the trial, keeping public interest running high, with the prosecution telling the court that Patterson had employed major deceptions in order to murder her guests, including fabricating a cancer diagnosis to lure them to the lunch.
She was alleged to have poisoned the meals of her guests while serving herself an untainted portion.
This photo taken in Leongatha on May 28, 2025, shows a general view of the home of Erin Patterson, an Australian woman who was on trial after being accused of murdering three members of her husband's family with a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington lunch. William West/AFP via Getty Images
Patterson then lied that she was also sick from the food to avoid suspicion, the prosecution said, adding that she later attempted to destroy evidence and lied to police.
Patterson was the only witness in her defence, spending eight days on the stand, with cross-examination taking up most of that time.
She often became emotional as she spoke about her struggles in life and the impact of the deadly lunch on her family and two children.
