The prosecution has launched a blistering cross-examination of Erin Patterson, accusing her of knowingly preparing deadly death cap mushrooms for a lunch that left three people dead and a fourth critically ill.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one attempted murder charge over a poisonous beef Wellington lunch she made for her former husband's family in July 2023.
The 50-year-old has spent days giving evidence in her own defence. But, on Thursday, the tone in the courtroom shifted dramatically as prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC began questioning Patterson over what she knew, what she did, and what she lied about.
'You were keen to get rid of the evidence, correct?'
Patterson admitted earlier in the week that she threw out her food dehydrator days after the fatal lunch and factory reset her phone to delete photos of mushrooms and the machine itself.
“I panicked and didn’t want [the detectives] to see them,” she told the court.
“It was a stupid kneejerk reaction… I was just scared. But I shouldn’t have done it.”
But the prosecution argued that her actions were not about fear — they were about concealment.
“You knew that they were death cap mushrooms that you’d been dehydrating, correct?” Rogers asked.
“No, I didn’t know that,” Patterson replied.
“You were very keen to dispose of any evidence that might connect you with the possession of death cap mushrooms?”
“No, I didn’t,” she said again.
Photos, scales, and a possible 'fatal dose'
The court was then shown photos found on Patterson’s phone — images of mushrooms sitting on a dehydrator tray, balanced on kitchen scales.
Rogers said expert evidence from mycologist Dr Thomas May suggested the mushrooms were consistent with Amanita phalloides — the toxic species commonly known as death caps.
“I suggest you were weighing these mushrooms so you could calculate the weight required for... a fatal dose,” Rogers said.
“I disagree,” Patterson replied.
She also rejected the claim that she had foraged those mushrooms after seeing a post online showing where they were growing, saying simply: “That’s not correct.”
Cancer lie under new scrutiny
The prosecution also turned its focus to Patterson’s admitted lie about having cancer — a claim she made during the lunch to explain an upcoming medical procedure.
Earlier this week, Patterson said the lie was a cover for planned gastric bypass surgery and that she had felt ashamed.
Now, the court has been shown images and internet searches related to ovarian and brain cancer, allegedly accessed in May 2023.
"I suggest this information from the internet would allow you to tell a more convincing lie," Rogers said.
"That’s theoretically true, but it’s not what I did," Patterson replied.
She said she had previously feared she might have cancer in late 2021 or early 2022, but not in 2023.
Religious tension, emojis and messages
Patterson was also questioned over Facebook messages that the prosecution claimed mocked her in-laws'religious advice, particularly her use of emojis such as 🙄 and 😐 when referring to prayer.
Patterson denied mocking Don and Gail Patterson, saying she was "frustrated" and didn’t even know how to describe the emoji she used.
"All I can say is it’s a face with a straight line for a mouth."
Rogers suggested the tone of her messages combined with her claim she was an atheist in a religious household reflected deeper resentment. Patterson denied making those posts publicly.
Trial timeline extended
Justice Christopher Beale told jurors on Thursday the trial was now likely to stretch into late June. Erin Patterson was expected to remain on the stand into next week, with court sitting Tuesday to Friday due to the King’s Birthday public holiday in Australia.
Once her testimony concluded, legal discussions would take place behind closed doors before closing arguments and final jury directions began.
"Take all the time you need," Justice Beale told the jury.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges and continued to maintain her innocence.
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