Erin Patterson Appeals Mushroom Murder Convictions
Convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson has lodged an official appeal with the Victorian Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn her convictions over the notorious mushroom lunch killings that shocked Australia.
Patterson, 50, was found guilty in July 2025 of murdering her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, as well as attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson.
The killings took place in July 2023, when Patterson served the group beef Wellingtons laced with deadly death cap mushrooms at her home in Leongatha, South Gippsland.
Only Ian Wilkinson survived the meal, spending weeks in hospital with severe liver damage.
Formal Appeal Lodged
Patterson’s legal team had previously signalled their intent to challenge the verdict and have now confirmed that the appeal documents have been filed.
They have not yet disclosed the grounds of appeal, though such challenges often focus on potential procedural errors, misdirection of the jury, or questions over evidence admissibility.
Patterson is currently serving a minimum 33-year prison term and will be eligible for parole in 2056, when she will be 82 years old.
Prosecutors Also Set to Appeal Sentence
In a dramatic twist, Victoria’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has also announced it will appeal the sentence, claiming it was “manifestly inadequate” given the severity of the crimes.
If successful, prosecutors could push for a longer non-parole period or even a life sentence without parole, though such outcomes are rare in Victorian criminal law.
A Case That Gripped the Nation
The “mushroom lunch murders” captivated the public for months, as investigators pieced together how the world’s deadliest mushrooms — Amanita phalloides — ended up in the meal.
Patterson initially told police she had bought the mushrooms from an Asian grocery store and denied any intent to harm her guests. Prosecutors argued she had premeditated the poisonings, driven by long-standing personal and family tensions.
The case has since been described as one of the most chilling examples of domestic homicide in modern Australian history.