‘Mushroom murderer’ to appeal conviction in Australia

Erin Patterson, the woman accused of serving her ex-husband's family poisonous mushrooms, is photographed in Melbourne, Australia, on April 15, 2025. (James Ross/AAP Image via AP)

Australian convicted murderer Erin Patterson will appeal her guilty verdict for killing three people with toxic mushrooms, her lawyer told a court on Thursday, after a trial that sparked a global media frenzy.

Patterson, 51, was handed life in prison with parole last month for serving a sumptuous beef Wellington laced with poisonous fungi to her estranged husband’s parents, aunt and uncle during a lunch at her home in 2023.

Patterson’s lawyer Richard Edney told an administrative hearing at Victoria’s Supreme Court his client intended to “appeal against conviction”.

He did not outline the reasons for the appeal.

Patterson’s legal team will have 28 days to lodge the relevant documents before a court considers whether to approve the appeal, national broadcaster ABC said.

Last month, Patterson was sentenced to life in prison but a judge said she would be eligible for parole after 33 years.

Her legal team had argued she should be given the chance of release after 30 years because the notoriety of her case would have meant she would spend most of her prison sentence in isolation.

Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms -- the world’s most lethal fungus.

But a 12-person jury found Patterson guilty in July of murdering her husband Simon’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, as well as his aunt Heather Wilkinson, at her home in Leongatha, in the state of Victoria.

She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Ian, Heather’s husband.

Simon had also been invited to the fateful lunch, but pulled out on the eve of the meal, texting his estranged wife that he felt “uncomfortable” attending.

At the time, their relationship had turned sour.

The pair -- still legally married -- were fighting over Simon’s child support contributions.

Friends and family of the victims told a court in August of the devastating impact of the crime.

Survivor Ian Wilkinson said at the time that he felt only “half alive” without his wife.

“The silence in our home is a daily reminder,” he said.

“I continue to carry a heavy burden of grief over her untimely death.”

Death caps are easily mistaken for other edible varieties and reportedly possess a sweet taste that belies their potent toxicity.

By Laura Chung