Erin Patterson has been handed three life imprisonment sentences for each murder, with a non-parole period of 33 years.
An Australian judge has sentenced convicted killer Erin Patterson to life in prison with parole after 33 years for killing three people with toxic mushrooms, capping a trial that sparked a global media frenzy.
Patterson, 50, was convicted in July of triple murder for serving a poisonous meal to herestranged husband’s parents, aunt and uncle during a sumptuous beef Wellington lunch at her home in 2023.
Her trial drew podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to a courthouse in the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in Victoria better known for its prize-winning roses.
Audiences from New York to New Delhi followed every twist of what many now simply call the “mushroom murders”.
Her legal team now has 28 days to appeal her convictions and her sentence.
They had argued she should be given the chance of release after 30 years because the notoriety of her case will mean she will spend most of her prison sentence in isolation.
She arrived at the Melbourne court just after 9am local time, an AFP journalist said.
The deadliest fungus
In July, a 12-person jury found Patterson guilty 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 Heather’s husband Ian.
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.
A man walks past a mural by street artist Jarrod Grech of Erin Patterson. Photo / AFP
At the time, Patterson’s relationship with Simon had turned sour.
The pair - long estranged but still legally married - were fighting over Simon’s child support contributions.
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.
Death cap mushrooms are easily mistaken for other edible varieties, and reportedly possess a sweet taste that belies their potent toxicity.
Friends and family of the victims last month told a court of the devastating impact of the crime.
Ian Wilkinson, the only guest to survive a toxic mushroom lunch with Australian murderer Erin Patterson. Photo / AFP
Sole lunch survivor Pastor Ian Wilkinson said he feels “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.”
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