Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #5 *Arrest*

[Karin1974]

I could be wrong, but Forest mushroom mix I don’t think is literally from the forest, I think it’s just a mix of polytunnel raised mushrooms for variety. Like that jam or frozen berries “fruits of the forest” where literally none of the ingredients come from a forest.
Tho this chat puts me off mushrooms completely!

IMO - I believe you are correct - I am saddened that the mushroom industry has taken such an unnecessary hit because of the media surrounding this whole case - I love mushrooms, I’m still buying a big punnet each week & will continue to do so - Store bought mushrooms do not kill people!!!!!!!

 

[Karin1974]

It's not always a duck though.

Forensic tests confirm mushrooms behind trio’s poisoning deaths

Leongatha lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson’s recollections will be vital for detectives, as they continue the long-haul investigation after tests confirm the mushrooms did it.

www.brisbanetimes.com.au

IMO - Exactly, & if you don’t mind me quoting myself, my actual words were - If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck & quacks like a duck - it’s usually a duck!

 

[LordCyrus]

we would be at Fawkner about now

If this remark is accurate, then the investigation will continue for over a year. Sounds to me like the police are stumped in terms of eliminating reasonable doubt due to other possible food tampering scenarios. They may use surveillance and listening devices to gather more evidence. Erin is known to be a criminology enthusiast, so as a person of interest, she will be wary of such techniques and will act accordingly.

 

[SouthAussie]

If this remark is accurate, then the investigation will continue for over a year. Sounds to me like the police are stumped in terms of eliminating reasonable doubt due to other possible food tampering scenarios. They may use surveillance and listening devices to gather more evidence. Erin is known to be a criminology enthusiast, so as a person of interest, she will be wary of such techniques and will act accordingly.

The article in The Age didn't suggest that the police are stumped. Just that they have a lot of work to do.

Eg: (from The Age)

Ian Wilkinson's recollections about ....

• anyone bringing a dish to the lunch, if so did the dish include mushrooms, was there more than one beef wellington, was there a sauce or anything else that could contain mushrooms
• did the lunch guests forage for mushrooms themselves
• was the lunch a regular event, what was its purpose, were the children there, what did the children eat, was the children's future discussed

SP's recollection of any discussion with EP about the cause of the poisoning
What were EP's internet search history, her reading habits, her TV habits
What do EP's friends and family say
An examination of SP's hospitalisation 14 months prior
Check all Mount Waverley Asian grocers and check their wholesalers who supply dehydrated mushrooms

Forensic tests confirm mushrooms behind trio’s poisoning deaths

Leongatha lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson’s recollections will be vital for detectives, as they continue the long-haul investigation after tests confirm the mushrooms did it.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

IMO - I do not believe her version of this at all, talk about trying to distance herself & basically blame the victims for ‘choosing’ the poisoned portions - I think EP is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I do wonder if she played a game whereby she put something poisoned on the table and if they served themselves to it, then they were the chooser of their own destiny and it's in god's hands type thing - maybe it was a gravy sauce, maybe it was a pitcher of iced drink, maybe it was a jug of coffee, maybe it was desserts that had the poison in.

The sort of situation where it wouldn't look at all unusual if she didn't have any.

 

[Salah11]

I have to say it was so conscientious of EP to save a slice of her Beef Wellington.

If I was a betting woman I would say that pie came from the same one she Ate from that lunchtime IMO

 

[Ellery84]

I have to say it was so conscientious of EP to save a slice of her Beef Wellington.

If I was a betting woman I would say that pie came from the same one she Ate from that lunchtime IMO

Very handy, indeed.

It’s actually a potentially foolish move if the left-overs were created as some sort of artifice, because having a second “safe” meal on hand may give more weight to a theory of pre-meditated murder….

IMO

She might be innocent.

 

[Karin1974]

I have to say it was so conscientious of EP to save a slice of her Beef Wellington.

If I was a betting woman I would say that pie came from the same one she Ate from that lunchtime IMO

IMO - I fully agree. If this was a true accidental poisoning, EP would have fallen deathly ill, just like the others who ate it. This might all hinge on the dumped food dehydrater. MOO

 

[Neet_Mc]

The article in The Age didn't suggest that the police are stumped. Just that they have a lot of work to do.

Eg: (from The Age)

Ian Wilkinson's recollections about ....

• anyone bringing a dish to the lunch, if so did the dish include mushrooms, was there more than one beef wellington, was there a sauce or anything else that could contain mushrooms
• did the lunch guests forage for mushrooms themselves
• was the lunch a regular event, what was its purpose, were the children there, what did the children eat, was the children's future discussed

SP's recollection of any discussion with EP about the cause of the poisoning
What were EP's internet search history, her reading habits, her TV habits
What do EP's friends and family say
An examination of SP's hospitalisation 14 months prior
Check all Mount Waverley Asian grocers and check their wholesalers who supply dehydrated mushrooms

Forensic tests confirm mushrooms behind trio’s poisoning deaths

Leongatha lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson’s recollections will be vital for detectives, as they continue the long-haul investigation after tests confirm the mushrooms did it.

www.theage.com.au

Given its been confirmed DC mushrooms as the cause of the poisoning, i think it’s pretty safe to expect that EP would have been the first to front media about guests having supplied the mushrooms - either raw or contained within a dish that they may have brought to the lunch had that actually been the case. Given EP hasn’t done that, then can only be deduced that the source of the poisonous mushrooms must be those mushrooms prepared by EP - which she has said were in the BW, but as we have established could have been within any other item served at the lunch (eg gravy).
I actually think the timing of the release of this information about the cause of the poisoning is quite pertinent. It is after IW was released from hospital ie a witness who can corroborate (or not!) any fabrications about the mushrooms that EP may have come up with to explain the evidence.

 

[VerityGumshoe]

‘Vulnerable and inviting position’ My imagination is starting to boggle! I’m presuming your Who-dun-it would be R rated!

 

[katydid23]

I have to say it was so conscientious of EP to save a slice of her Beef Wellington.

If I was a betting woman I would say that pie came from the same one she Ate from that lunchtime IMO

And if she didn't give the investigators any of the tainted mushrooms, but only the non poisonous Wellington, then what?

How can LE prove that she was the source of the toxic 'shrooms? I bet she cleaned the dehydrator before she chucked it out. JMO

 

[Kemug]

Tweet57, shame on you! You wash your mouth out!

 

[Baby baby Jane]

The article in The Age didn't suggest that the police are stumped. Just that they have a lot of work to do.

Eg: (from The Age)

Ian Wilkinson's recollections about ....

• anyone bringing a dish to the lunch, if so did the dish include mushrooms, was there more than one beef wellington, was there a sauce or anything else that could contain mushrooms
• did the lunch guests forage for mushrooms themselves
• was the lunch a regular event, what was its purpose, were the children there, what did the children eat, was the children's future discussed

SP's recollection of any discussion with EP about the cause of the poisoning
What were EP's internet search history, her reading habits, her TV habits
What do EP's friends and family say
An examination of SP's hospitalisation 14 months prior
Check all Mount Waverley Asian grocers and check their wholesalers who supply dehydrated mushrooms

Forensic tests confirm mushrooms behind trio’s poisoning deaths

Leongatha lunch survivor Ian Wilkinson’s recollections will be vital for detectives, as they continue the long-haul investigation after tests confirm the mushrooms did it.

www.theage.com.au

Curious to learn, if there is any actual fungi material for forensics to examine, and if they can determine from DNA, whether that material came from DC mushrooms found in the area, or those found from other parts of Oz, or indeed from the “Asia”. If this is a potential area of research I’m sure it would take time and many experts. If the Asia market did sell dried DC as possibly suggested, they probably were not from Leongatha or close surrounding area. More likely gathered somewhere else … in Oz or Not. If they are genetically similar to those around Leongatha, the probably foraged there.

 

[SouthAussie]

RSBM

I actually think the timing of the release of this information about the cause of the poisoning is quite pertinent. It is after IW was released from hospital ie a witness who can corroborate (or not!) any fabrications about the mushrooms that EP may have come up with to explain the evidence.

It's interesting that John Silvester does not quote a source for the info that mushroom poisoning is confirmed as the cause of the deaths. John is a veteran crime writer.

Not an "official" police statement, I would say. Likely slipped into the public domain due to Ian's release, as you say.

 

[Salah11]

And if she didn't give the investigators any of the tainted mushrooms, but only the non poisonous Wellington, then what?

How can LE prove that she was the source of the toxic 'shrooms? I bet she cleaned the dehydrator before she chucked it out. JMO

I hope Ian can remember what went down that lunch time.


My pet theory is she had two pies and there was disagreement over the kids that lunchtime. Which then lead her to serving the mushroom death dish.

That’s why she is claiming the kids were not home but we know LE have said they believe the kids were at home.

So I think this all boils down to the children and a massive disagreement over their welfare.


MOO IMO all that jazz!!

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

If EP has done this and she did poison the guests with dried out and powdered DC mushrooms that were inserted into some of the food or drink served at her meal... then she's played a confusing and contradictory game because the 'cover up story' doesn't work.

IMO it would seem she had hoped to blame the mushrooms purchased at 'an asian store'. That's the story she's proposed. OK so were that to be the case, then all of the beef wellington would have been contaminated with poison. She would have needed to prove that there's traces of DC mushroom in the leftovers. She would need to prove that she herself either didn't eat any on the day or was also unwell but recovered well.

Also, she could have covered up the intention by saying she used foraged mushrooms from her own land. Ditto above the same proof would be needed.

Maybe she used the dried out DC mushrooms for a sauce / gravy and it so happens by total coincidence she didn't serve herself any of that, that would be a cover story it's hard to disprove. Except she took the dehydrator to the dump when wouldn't you be taking it to the police. Also who makes a sauce and doesn't taste it?

If she did this (she could be innocent), I think she's boxed herself into a corner by failing to have the correct evidence in place to prove that this could have been an accident.

 

[SouthAussie]

If EP has done this and she did poison the guests with dried out and powdered DC mushrooms that were inserted into some of the food or drink served at her meal... then she's played a confusing and contradictory game because the 'cover up story' doesn't work.

IMO it would seem she had hoped to blame the mushrooms purchased at 'an asian store'. That's the story she's proposed. OK so were that to be the case, then all of the beef wellington would have been contaminated with poison. She would have needed to prove that there's traces of DC mushroom in the leftovers. She would need to prove that she herself either didn't eat any on the day or was also unwell but recovered well.

Also, she could have covered up the intention by saying she used foraged mushrooms from her own land. Ditto above the same proof would be needed.

Maybe she used the dried out DC mushrooms for a sauce / gravy and it so happens by total coincidence she didn't serve herself any of that, that would be a cover story it's hard to disprove. Except she took the dehydrator to the dump when wouldn't you be taking it to the police. Also who makes a sauce and doesn't taste it?

If she did this (she could be innocent), I think she's boxed herself into a corner by failing to have the correct evidence in place to prove that this could have been an accident.

Very good points.

There would, of course, be toxin in the saved piece. I wonder if there was or there wasn't.

I was wondering today how a person arrives at what they think is a good story to cover up a nefarious deed. It is not as if they can bounce their ideas off somebody else, to see if there is anything they are overlooking, if there are any/many suspicious gaps.

 

[Baby baby Jane]

Very good points.

There would, of course, be toxin in the saved piece. I wonder if there was or there wasn't.

I was wondering today how a person arrives at what they think is a good story to cover up a nefarious deed. It is not as if they can bounce their ideas off somebody else, to see if there is anything they are overlooking, if there are any/many suspicious gaps.

IMO it was added to self-serve gravy. Easy to dispose of extra, easy to not put on own plate, easy to let others choose their fate. Evidence goes down drain (I’m guessing toilet) & jug, dehydrator to the dump. Good point - how is it that she never tasted the gravy? Unlikely. And she didn’t add any gravy to her own serving of no doubt very dry Beef Wellington?

 

[Ellery84]

How can LE prove that she was the source of the toxic 'shrooms? I bet she cleaned the dehydrator before she chucked it out. JMO

Maybe the writing’s on the wall?

(Sorry, I couldn’t help it..)

 

[ACriticalThinker]

I don't understand why they haven't checked the mushroom farms. Have we forgotten the sewing needles in strawberries? So much information missing on this case that nobody can really tell with the scarcity of facts.