Court Releases Evidence in Erin Patterson Murder Trial

Photographs of the deadly beef Wellington and the dining table where Erin Patterson served the meal have been released by the Supreme Court of Victoria. These images were presented to the jury during Patterson's extensive 10-week trial, alongside a collection of video and photo exhibits.

Evidence included CCTV footage of Patterson leaving the hospital against medical advice. She had claimed to have also consumed the poisonous death cap mushrooms served to her lunch guests. The court also released photos of the dehydrator Patterson used to dry the deadly mushrooms before incorporating them into her recipe.

Patterson was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, her estranged husband's parents, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Pastor Ian Wilkinson, who survived the poisoning. The victims died after eating death cap mushrooms in beef Wellingtons at her home in Leongatha on July 29, 2023. The jury concluded she deliberately poisoned her guests.

One video shows Patterson entering a BP service station, where she was seen in the toilet for a brief period. She had driven her son to a flying lesson the day after the meal, stopping at the petrol station. Dressed in white pants, while claiming to be suffering from "explosive diarrhoea," she was seen buying snacks. Other footage showed Patterson leaving the Leongatha hospital on July 31, 2023, after complaining of nausea and diarrhea.

She discharged herself from the hospital against medical advice shortly after arriving. A doctor, concerned for her welfare, contacted the police to try and get her to return. Police arrived at her home after Patterson returned to the hospital. They were directed to the leftovers, which were taken back to the hospital for examination. The court also showed CCTV footage of Patterson at a tip, dumping a large black device into an e-waste bin. This device was later identified as the dehydrator. The jury was also shown images of sliced mushrooms on a metal tray from the dehydrator.

The images were taken by Patterson and extracted from her devices. A mycologist testified that he could not rule out the possibility that the mushrooms were death caps. On August 5, 2023, police searched Patterson's home, seizing electronic devices and photographing the scene. The defense suggested police had missed her phone during the search, but an image from her hospital visit showed she had a different phone case. The phone was never found. The jury was also shown the cookbook Patterson claimed to have used for her beef Wellington recipe, which she altered to carry out her plan.