An Australian woman at the center of a high-profile murder trial has told a court she became interested in wild mushrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing them as more flavorful than store-bought varieties. Erin Patterson, 49, is accused of serving a deadly lunch laced with toxic death cap mushrooms, leading to the deaths of three relatives and the hospitalization of a fourth.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, maintaining that the tragedy was a “terrible accident.”

A Forager’s Fascination Turns Fatal

During her second day on the witness stand, Patterson detailed her growing interest in wild mushroom foraging, saying it became a hobby during the pandemic lockdowns. “I’ve always loved mushrooms,” she told the Victorian Supreme Court. “The wild ones just have more flavour.” She added that she often went foraging with her two children, gathering mushrooms from locations including a local rail trail, botanic gardens, and her own property.

She described her cautious first encounters with wild fungi, stating she would cut off a small portion, cook it in butter, and taste it carefully. But prosecutors argue that this supposed enthusiasm for wild mushrooms is part of a sinister cover-up — that Patterson deliberately served poisonous mushrooms to family members with fatal intent.

The Deadly Lunch

The fatal meal occurred in July 2023, when Patterson invited her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, for lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria. Gail’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, also attended. The main course was beef Wellington — which prosecutors say contained chopped death cap mushrooms, one of the world’s most lethal fungi.

Within days, three of the guests had died from suspected mushroom poisoning. Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of intensive hospital treatment, including a liver transplant. All victims suffered symptoms consistent with ingestion of amatoxins, the toxic compounds found in death caps.

Accusations and Defense

The prosecution alleges that Patterson either knowingly served the mushrooms or failed to take reasonable steps to ensure they were safe. Her defense maintains the incident was a tragic mistake — the consequence of misidentifying a mushroom she believed to be safe.

On the stand, Patterson admitted that she had come to accept that death cap mushrooms were in the dish she served but insisted she never intended to harm anyone. “I never would have served something dangerous on purpose,” she told the court.

Questions have also arisen over Patterson’s behavior after the incident. According to earlier reports, she did not immediately become ill, prompting suspicions. Patterson said she had eaten a different portion of the beef Wellington and later discarded a food dehydrator that was initially linked to the cooking process — a move she said was driven by panic and stress.

Trial Grips the Nation

The case has drawn significant attention across Australia and beyond, tapping into broader fears about the risks of foraging, the blurred lines between accident and intent, and the complexities of family dynamics in the context of a serious criminal charge.

Experts in toxicology and mycology (the study of fungi) are expected to give further evidence in the trial, which continues this week. Meanwhile, Patterson remains on bail, her every word on the stand closely watched as the court tries to determine whether this was a terrible foraging error — or an intentional act of murder disguised as a home-cooked meal.