First images of lethal beef wellington meal cooked by Erin Patterson launched | EUROtoday

On Jul 8, 2025

Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.

The Supreme Court of Victoria launched photos of the meat wellington dish that Erin Patterson made with poisonous mushrooms to kill her estranged husband’s household following her conviction for triple homicide.

Images of the meal served at her house in Victoria have been amongst practically 100 reveals, together with CCTV footage, non-public message screenshots, medical paperwork and images, introduced throughout the nine-week trial that gripped Australia.

Patterson, 50, was discovered responsible on Monday of murdering her former husband’s mother and father Gail and Donald Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson and of trying to homicide Heather’s husband Ian.

Patterson had invited them for a meal at her house in Morwell, Victoria, on 29 July 2023 and served them beef wellington containing poisonous mushrooms. They fell sick shortly afterwards and died, besides Ian, who survived after a interval in hospital. She had additionally invited her estranged husband Simon Patterson to the lunch, however he cancelled the day earlier than as a result of he was feeling too “uncomfortable” resulting from rising tensions between them.

The photos, which had been proven to the jurors, confirmed stays of the meal recovered from Patterson’s dustbin in addition to samples despatched for examination.

Picture released by the Supreme Court of Victoria shows samples of a beef wellington meal laced with toxic mushrooms prepared by Erin Patterson during a toxicology analysis at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine — Picture launched by the Supreme Court of Victoria exhibits samples of a beef wellington meal laced with poisonous mushrooms ready by Erin Patterson throughout a toxicology evaluation on the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA/AFP)

Specimen carrier bags containing samples of a beef wellington meal laced with toxic mushrooms that was prepared by Australian home cook Erin Patterson — Specimen service baggage containing samples of a beef wellington meal laced with poisonous mushrooms that was ready by Australian house prepare dinner Erin Patterson (SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA/AFP)

The lunch leftovers had examined optimistic for demise cap mushroom traces, a discovery that fashioned the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case.

At the trial, Ian testified that Patterson had eaten from a in another way colored plate than her friends, a declare she rejected.

He additionally described the environment that day, noting Patterson’s unwillingness to just accept assist in the kitchen and her emotional disclosure about having most cancers, which was later revealed to be unfaithful.

An undated photo shows the dining table where guests gathered for the beef wellington lunch hosted by Erin Patterson on 29 July 2023 — An undated photograph exhibits the eating desk the place friends gathered for the meat wellington lunch hosted by Erin Patterson on 29 July 2023 (Supreme Court of Victoria)

Further photographs from Patterson’s cell phone confirmed yellow-coloured mushrooms, believed to be the demise caps, resting on a dehydrator mesh positioned on a kitchen scale. There have been some 14 items of mushrooms on the mesh.

Picture released by court shows mushrooms on a kitchen weighing scale — Picture launched by court docket exhibits mushrooms on a kitchen weighing scale (Supreme Court of Victoria)

The prosecution, led by Nanette Rogers, instructed the court docket Patterson had foraged for the demise caps, dried them and measured out a “fatal dose” earlier than including them to the meat wellingtons for her friends whereas guaranteeing her personal meals was untainted.

Scientist Tom May at the Royal Botanic Gardens inspects a death cap mushroom — Scientist Tom May on the Royal Botanic Gardens inspects a demise cap mushroom (AFP through Getty)

The demise cap is a big fungus as much as 15cm throughout and 15cm tall with a domed or white cap and an off-white stem. Found in colors starting from greenish yellow to brown, tan, or hardly ever white, these mushrooms could be situated in parks, gardens and nature strips, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria states on its web site.

Patterson’s search historical past on her telephone confirmed she appeared up the iNaturalist web site for areas of demise cap mushrooms round her city. Investigators discovered that the lethal mushrooms have been seen in two cities round her home throughout the identical interval.

Her telephone location information appeared to indicate she travelled to each areas and purchased a meals dehydrator on the best way again.

Police later discovered photographs of the dehydrator, which Patterson had discarded at an area tip on the day she was discharged from hospital.

The dehydrator used by Erin Patterson — The dehydrator utilized by Erin Patterson (Supreme Court of Victoria)

CCTV footage confirmed her dumping the equipment. Forensic testing discovered her fingerprints and traces of the mushrooms on the dehydrator.

Patterson claimed she had by no means owned a dehydrator regardless of an instruction handbook being present in her kitchen drawer and Facebook posts the place she mentioned utilizing one in a real crime group.

A CCTV frame grab shows Erin Patterson disposing of a food dehydrator used to prepare toxic mushrooms on 2 August 2023 — A CCTV body seize exhibits Erin Patterson disposing of a meals dehydrator used to arrange poisonous mushrooms on 2 August 2023 (SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA/AFP)

Patterson had pleaded not responsible to all expenses, claiming the deaths have been unintentional.

She can be sentenced at a later date and faces a most sentence of life in jail.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/erin-patterson-beef-wellington-death-cap-mushroom-pictures-b2784465.html