Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #13 *Arrest*

[MsMarple]

I'm driving a car on a 3 hour round trip, in my nice cream pants, after having diarrhoea all night, and so I start drinking coffee on the way back, after previously having to stop and go poop by the side of the road.

I agree there’s poo in this story but it’s not by the side of the road…

 

[MsMarple]

If that was true (it wasn’t) it means she didn’t even wash her hands

She’d make a great nurse midwife…

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Erin 'anxious' and 'stressed' at hospital presentation​

Dr Rogers puts to Erin Patterson that she was "stressed" during that hospital visit because the doctors had suggested death cap mushroom poisoning had occurred.

"I suggest that you were shocked that the doctors were onto death cap ... so quickly," Dr Rogers says.

"I was anxious at the idea that we might have eaten those things," Erin says.

"And you were worried that you were going to get caught. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"Incorrect," Erin replies.

"... You weren't prepared to answer questions about why death cap mushrooms were in the meal. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"I'm not sure anyone asked me ... so I'm not sure what you're referring to," Erin replies.

The jury then breaks for lunch.

Even though Dr Webster previously told the court and others told Ms Patterson there was a concern about death cap mushroom poisoning, and he asked her where she got the mushrooms.!

She is Incredible, everyone is lying but her!! .

 

[MrJ]

Just wow. That's all I can really think at this stage.

 

[L_B]

Key Event
Just now
Erin 'anxious' and 'stressed' at hospital presentation

By Joseph Dunstan

Dr Rogers puts to Erin Patterson that she was "stressed" during that hospital visit because the doctors had suggested death cap mushroom poisoning had occurred.

"I suggest that you were shocked that the doctors were onto death cap ... so quickly," Dr Rogers says.

"I was anxious at the idea that we might have eaten those things," Erin says.

"And you were worried that you were going to get caught. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"Incorrect," Erin replies.

"... You weren't prepared to answer questions about why death cap mushrooms were in the meal. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"I'm not sure anyone asked me ... so I'm not sure what you're referring to," Erin replies.

The jury then breaks for lunch.

BBM. Who's 'we'? I know she means her guests. But c'monnnn, Erin, you weren't showing any symptoms of DC poisoning. Be for real!

"anxious we might have eaten those things" then why be so hesitant to bring your kids to the hospital...

"worried that you were going to get caught" isn't that why she ditched the the dehydrator...

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Just wow. That's all I can really think at this stage.

Imagine these professional people, basically being called liars..!

 

[katydid23]

Key Event
1m ago

Joseph Dunstan profile image
By Joseph Dunstan

Dr Rogers then walks through other aspects of nurse Kylie Ashton's evidence, including the conversation she had with Erin about being admitted.

The court hears Ms Patterson told her she wasn't prepared to be admitted to hospital and needed to go and look after her animals.

Dr Rogers puts to Ms Patterson that the nurse had told her about other unwell guests and warned her that her life was at risk.

"She did not say that," Ms Patterson says.

She says that there was "no conversation" about her children at this point, refuting another part of the nurse's evidence being relayed to her by Dr Rogers.

Ms Patterson agrees she signed a "discharge against medical advice" form and then left the hospital.

I don't believe EP when she claims that Nurse Ashton didn't have a conversation about her children.

The nurse knew how severely ill the 4 other lunch guests were---and they were told that Erin also ate the lunch and they'd be concerned that her children may have had some as well.

I don't believe for a minute that the nurse didn't ask about her children that morning. It would have been a priority, imo.

 

[L_B]

Is this all becoming a bit of a farce? Like a really bad episode of Judge Judy?

IMO, the only tactic I can think of here is 'flooding the zone' (which Trump is said to have very successfully employed). Yes, it's applies to politics but some of it is reminiscent here- 'it works not by creating a consensus around any particular narrative but by muddying the waters so that consensus isn’t achievable' It's aims are to overwhelm, disorient and manipulate. Maybe I'm reaching here....just a thought.

There are so many alleged inconsistencies in EP's evidence, how will the prosecution have time to debunk them all? And how will the jury process and disseminate all this information?

With her evidence all over the place, I'd have to agree this is the only plausible reason as to why it is as such.

 

[Brooklyn127]

How common is it, for a homeowner (not necessarily a short-term renter or student), to not have a set of matching dishes in Australia? (Seriously asking.)
In the U.S., I believe, we normally have at least six. Sometimes eight, ten, or even twelve. (Especially if recently married!)
Allowing for breakage, over time, of course.

 

[Cliff Hardy]

Just wow. That's all I can really think at this stage.

if there was a mercy rule in court cases, this one would have already been called to a halt.

 

[Aus94]

Erin 'anxious' and 'stressed' at hospital presentation​

Dr Rogers puts to Erin Patterson that she was "stressed" during that hospital visit because the doctors had suggested death cap mushroom poisoning had occurred.

"I suggest that you were shocked that the doctors were onto death cap ... so quickly," Dr Rogers says.

"I was anxious at the idea that we might have eaten those things," Erin says.

"And you were worried that you were going to get caught. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"Incorrect," Erin replies.

"... You weren't prepared to answer questions about why death cap mushrooms were in the meal. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

"I'm not sure anyone asked me ... so I'm not sure what you're referring to," Erin replies.

The jury then breaks for lunch.

Even though Dr Webster previously told the court and others told Ms Patterson there was a concern about death cap mushroom poisoning, and he asked her where she got the mushrooms.!

She is Incredible, everyone is lying but her!! .

So despite knowing that she had three critically unwell family members, had supposedly fed leftovers to her children and had also eaten the meal herself, she doesn't think to raise the flag that she has foraged before.

Fascinating

 

[Shortfusepsb]

"And you were worried that you were going to get caught. Correct or incorrect?" Dr Rogers asks.

Is this the segway into Dr Rogers retrieving the "panicked" evidence reference from day one of cross?

 

[katydid23]

Key Event
1m ago
Erin claims doctor didn't asked where she purchased mushrooms

By Joseph Dunstan

A little after 8am on the Monday, the court hears Erin Patterson arrived at Leongatha's urgent care centre and reported her gastro symptoms to the doctor.

The doctor, Chris Webster, has previously told the court when Ms Patterson told her his name, he brought her into the urgent care department.

"Did he indicate at that point whether or not he recognised you as being the chef of the lunch on the 29th?" Dr Rogers asks.

"Yeah, he did," Erin replies.

Dr Webster previously told the court that he told Ms Patterson there was a concern about death cap mushroom poisoning and he asked her where she got the mushrooms.

But Ms Patterson says she doesn't think he asked her where she got the mushrooms.

"That's not my memory, no," Erin says.

"So your evidence is that you did not reply 'Woolworths' to his question, 'Where did you get the mushrooms?'" Dr Rogers asks.

Erin says her memory is that that wasn't the question from Dr Webster.

bbm

Ok, this ^^^^ is just absolutely ridiculously insane.

The Doctor didn't ask her where the mushrooms came from? Is she serious right now?

Oh, but he did ask where 'the ingredients' came from. Oh come on....

 

[Aus94]

How common is it, for a homeowner (not necessarily a short-term renter or student), to not have a set of matching dishes in Australia? (Seriously asking.)
In the U.S., I believe, we normally have at least six. Sometimes eight, ten, or even twelve. (Especially if recently married!)
Allowing for breakage, over time, of course.

Most people I know have matching sets, including myself. Although can't say how common that is. My Grandma always had a mix match of everything - everyone would have a different glass/plate

I think what is more telling though, is the 'effort' Erin speaks about putting into the lunch and being self conscious of the pantry and wanting to present a certain image to the family with the perfect BWs. She was also financially stable. It strikes me as the kind of person that would want to demonstrate matching plates for a luncheon. MOO.

 

[MsMarple]

I don't believe EP when she claims that Nurse Ashton didn't have a conversation about her children.

The nurse knew how severely ill the 4 other lunch guests were---and they were told that Erin also ate the lunch and they'd be concerned that her children may have had some as well.

I don't believe for a minute that the nurse didn't ask about her children that morning. It would have been a priority, imo.

Yes! IMO anyone who has ever worked in a medical setting would absolutely be concerned for all the guests and the kids. Just because the accused was more concerned about the children’s after school activities and how they may be anxious over needing to be checked doesn’t mean the doctors and nurses would ignore their responsibilities.

Seriously, the accused’s entire narrative is nonsense.

 

[drsleuth]

Erin Patterson trial LIVE updates: Prosecutor suggests accused mushroom cook wanted to appear unwell after beef Wellington lunch

Accused killer Erin Patterson is in the witness box giving evidence in her triple murder trial. She has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder.

www.theage.com.au

10.41am

Erin Patterson denies lying in her evidence​

By​

Accused killer Erin Patterson, dressed in a paisley top and black pants, has returned to the Supreme Court witness box to continue her evidence.

Crown prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers, SC, has resumed her cross-examination by asking Patterson about evidence she gave on Friday about a pre-surgery appointment for a gastric bypass booked in for September 2023 at the Enrich Clinic in Melbourne.

Rogers has put to Patterson that the clinic she booked an appointment at does not offer bypass surgery.

“I don’t know, I am a bit puzzled,” Patterson replied.

“Well, that was ... I had an appointment with that and that’s what my memory was that the appointment was for.”

Patterson said the appointment was for weight-related reasons. She said she had also been looking at liposuction.

Asked by Rogers whether she had lied in her evidence on Friday, Patterson responded: “That was not a lie, that’s what my memory was.”

10.56am

Patterson says she can’t recall visiting website that logged death caps​

By​

Erin Patterson’s demeanour appears flat as she sits in the witness box at the start of week seven of her murder trial. She is wearing reading glasses as the prosecution shows her records from the iNaturalist website.

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, is asking Patterson about a series of searches of the iNaturalist website in May 2022 retrieved from a computer seized by police from her home in Leongatha in 2023.

Among those, the court has heard, was one for an observation of death cap mushrooms in a reserve in Moorabbin, posted by another user on May 18, 2022 and accessed on Patterson’s computer 10 days later, on May 28, 2022.

Asked by Rogers about her use and familiarity with the website, Patterson said she could not remember ever visiting the site.

Patterson said her interest in death cap mushrooms was about whether they “lived” in South Gippsland.

11.03am

Prosecutor asks accused about accessing website while in pub​

By​

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, is asking Erin Patterson whether she accessed the iNaturalist website while the accused was in a pub in Korumburra. Here is part of their exchange:

Rogers: On the same date that we’ve been talking about, you navigated to the web address to the Korumburra Middle Pub on May 28, 2022.

Patterson: It looks like somebody did, yes.

Rogers: Three minutes after you had access to the iNaturalist page at 7.20pm.

Patterson: Three minutes after somebody did.

Rogers: Are you suggesting it might have been [your son]?

Patterson: I am not suggesting anything.

Rogers: Are you suggesting it might have been [your daughter]?

Patterson: I am not suggesting anything.

Rogers: Who lived in your house [at the time]?

Patterson: Me and my two children.”

Rogers said there were receipts from the Korumburra Middle Pub for an order, and links to Patterson’s name and phone number.

Asked by Rogers whether she had purchased the order, Patterson said: “The food was paid for.”

“I don’t remember if it was me,” Patterson added.

11.11am

How Patterson says she served the beef Wellington to her lunch guests​

By​

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, is asking accused killer Erin Patterson about the fatal lunch on July 29, 2023, and the allocation of meals at the time.

Patterson’s evidence is that she plated the individual beef Wellingtons on the island bench on five separate plates, while two of her guests, Don Patterson and Ian Wilkinson, were at the side of the table near a bookshelf.

From left: Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died after ingesting poisonous mushrooms. Ian Wilkinson (right) survived after spending months in hospital.

Rogers has reminded Patterson of evidence given earlier by the trial by Wilkinson, when he described Patterson serving the food to her four guests on four large grey dinner plates. Wilkinson told the court Patterson ate from a smaller orange-tan plate.

The prosecutor has today suggested to Patterson that she lied during her evidence about her dinner plates, which she said comprised two white plates, two black plates, a red and black plate, and a plate with kindergarten drawings.

Rogers: I suggest there were four large dinner plates, and they were for the four guests.

Patterson: Incorrect.

Rogers: The smaller orange tan plate was for yourself.

Patterson: Incorrect.

Rogers: Do you say that Ian Wilkinson has given incorrect evidence around the issue with the plates?

Patterson: Yes I do.”

11.18am

Patterson challenged on dinner plates​

By​

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, has suggested to Erin Patterson that she served herself a beef Wellington that did not contain death cap mushrooms. Here is their exchange:

Rogers: You served yourself a beef Wellington which did not have death cap mushrooms in it.

Patterson: Disagree.

Rogers: You knew it did not contain death cap mushrooms.

Patterson: Disagree.

Rogers: I suggest to avoid any error [accidentally consuming a beef Wellington with death cap mushrooms], you took the extra precaution of using a smaller and different plate to plate your non-poisonous serve.

Patterson: Disagree.

Rogers: That’s why you never suffered [the same illness as the other guests].

Patterson: Incorrect.

Rogers: That’s why you didn’t have Amanita phalloides poisoning.”

Patterson said she did not have a matching set of plates, so it was possible her plate was different to the ones used by the other guests, as she did not have four plates that were the same.

Rogers reminded Patterson about evidence given by her son earlier in the trial, in which he said he helped clean up some white plates from the kitchen after the lunch.

Asked by Rogers whether she had used white plates to serve dessert, Patterson replied: “I don’t think I have white dessert plates. I think they are black.”

11.27am

Patterson denies she ate all her beef Wellington portion​

By​

Erin Patterson agreed in questioning that there was a bit of banter at the table during the July 29, 2023 lunch about what some of the guests ate, mainly from her father-in-law Don Patterson.

Professor Rhonda Stuart outside court on May 13.Credit: Joe Armao

But she said she could not remember anyone remarking how little she had eaten. Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, has put to Patterson that it was because she ate her whole portion of beef Wellington.

“Incorrect,” Patterson replied.

Rogers has reminded Patterson of evidence given by Professor Rhonda Stuart, a Department of Health official, earlier in the trial, when Stuart said in court that Patterson had told her two days after the lunch that she had eaten half her meal.

Rogers: I suggest that you had in fact eaten a whole portion of your serve at the lunch.

Patterson: Disagree.

Rogers: You told Professor Stuart half in an effort to explain to medical authorities why your symptoms were not as serious as the symptoms for the other four lunch guests.

Patterson: Incorrect.”

11.47am

Questions turn to a sickly subject​

By​

The leftovers of the lunch recovered by police from a bin at Erin Patterson’s Leongatha home are now the focus of prosecutor Nanette Rogers’ cross-examination.

Rogers suggests to Patterson that there were no leftovers from her serving and she ate her whole portion.

Rogers: You never mentioned, I suggest, that you only ate half to medical staff at Leongatha Urgent Care Centre.

Patterson: I have no idea.

Rogers: In your evidence-in-chief you told the jury that you only ate “a quarter, a third, somewhere around there” of your beef Wellington. Do you remember saying that to Mr [defence barrister Colin] Mandy?

Patterson: I do.

Rogers: Not only that but that you vomited it up some time later.

Patterson: I said that I did vomit later. But I don’t think I said I’d vomited it up. But I could be wrong.

Rogers: Your evidence was that you ate “a quarter, a third, somewhere around there” .. and that sometime that afternoon on July 29, 2023, that you caused yourself to vomit.

Patterson: Correct.

Rogers: Is it your evidence that that vomit was partly constituted by the beef Wellington? Correct?

Patterson: I have no idea what was in the vomit.

Roger: At all?

Patterson: Well ... how could I? It’s vomit. Unless you can see a bean or a piece of corn.

Rogers: You didn’t have corn at the lunch.

Patterson: That was an example.

Rogers: I suggest you did not tell a single medical person that you had vomited up after the lunch on the afternoon of July 29, 2023.

Patterson: That is true, I did not do that.

Rogers: I suggest that’s something you would have told them if it were true.

Patterson: Incorrect.

Rogers: Do you say it’s incorrect because of your embarrassment?

Patterson: I say it’s incorrect because that’s what happened.”

Patterson said she could not recall the time she vomited on July 29, 2023, but said that it was in the afternoon, some time before dinner.

“It was closer to [2.45pm] than dinner time, but I can’t tell you what time,” Patterson said.

Patterson said she recalled telling some medical staff that she had not eaten her whole meal and that she might have eaten about half. She added: “I didn’t have a tape measure.”

Rogers suggested to Patterson she had lied about vomiting.

“I wish that was true, but it’s not,” Patterson said.

12.06pm

A focus on when the accused reported feeling unwell​

By​

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, has turned to Erin Patterson’s reported sickness after the July 29, 2023 lunch, and the pre-recorded evidence her children gave about when their mother began experiencing symptoms.

In his pre-recorded interview with police that was played to the jury earlier in the trial, Patterson’s son said his mother had not mentioned she was feeling sick on the afternoon and the evening after the lunch.



Patterson’s daughter told police she thought her mother began feeling sick the day after the lunch.

In her evidence today, Patterson said she did not know whether she had told her son she was feeling unwell later that day, in the hours after the lunch.

Rogers also asked Patterson about her son’s recollection of July 30, 2023 – the day after the lunch.

Patterson said her memory of that morning was different to the version of events described by the teenager, and that it was he who had suggested not going to church that morning.

The accused woman said that she got up that morning and went to check her son’s bedroom next door. After realising he was not in the room, she walked downstairs and found her son sitting in the TV room.

“The first thing he said to me was, ‘I’ve got a sore tummy ... can we not go to church today?’” Patterson told the court.

12.29pm

The bathroom visits and how much information the accused shared with estranged husband​

By​

Following a brief mid-morning break, prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers, SC, has resumed her cross-examination of Erin Patterson by asking the accused about her son’s evidence earlier in the trial.

In his evidence, the boy said that about 11am or 11.30am on July 30, 2023 – the day after the fatal lunch – he stopped playing computer games and told Patterson they did not have to go to his flying lesson, but Patterson insisted they go.

“I was pretty keen to take him, yeah,” Patterson told the court.

“There was no usual time of the lesson, but we would usually leave 90 minutes before the lesson.”

Patterson said it would usually take about 70 minutes to get to the location of the flying lessons, but the children would usually ask to stop along the way for food so she allowed 90 minutes to drive there.

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, on Tuesday.Credit: Jason South

Rogers has taken Patterson to evidence by her estranged husband Simon Patterson, that the accused reported experiencing diarrhoea symptoms on the Saturday evening in the hours after the lunch, which made it difficult to drive her son’s friend back to his home.

Patterson said that at that point she had experienced some “loose bowel movements”.

She said she could not remember telling Simon that she was worried about getting out of the car when she drove her son’s friend home, and took her son to a Subway store that night in case she had an accident.

Asked by Rogers whether she had told Simon she needed to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes or so, Patterson said she could not remember specifically sharing that information, but she might have.

“I might have said that was happening at its worst. But I can’t remember specifically,” Patterson told the jury.

Patterson said she couldn’t remember telling Simon her diarrhoea began in the afternoon after the lunch.

“I would have said that the diarrhoea continued through the night,” Patterson said.

“I did not tell him I was afraid I’d poo my pants.”


12.46pm

‘I definitely was grumpy’: Patterson’s frustration with flying instructor on day after lunch​

By​

Erin Patterson is being asked by prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, about evidence her son gave earlier in the trial, in which he said that his mother didn’t need to stop to use the toilet during their drive to the boy’s flying lesson on the day after the fatal lunch.

Rogers is asking Patterson about a phone conversation on July 30, 2023 that the accused had with her son’s flying instructor as the mother and son drove to his flying lesson. The instructor rang to say the lesson would be cancelled due to bad weather, the trial heard.

“I definitely was grumpy,” Patterson told the jury.

She said she had experienced similar issues over the preceding months, where she would get a phone call from the instructor cancelling a lesson about five or 10 minutes before it was scheduled, when she and her son were already an hour into the drive to Tyabb.

“They had been doing that for a while,” Patterson said.

A court sketch of Erin Patterson last week.Credit: Anita Lester

Patterson said that she told the instructor in an earlier phone call that Sunday – the day after the lunch – to please call the lesson off as early as possible.

“I got a call 10 minutes before the lesson, so I was a bit frustrated,” Patterson said.

She said she probably shared that frustration with the flying instructor.

Asked about evidence from her son that they stopped at a doughnut van for a coffee during the return trip to Leongatha, Patterson said she stayed in the car while both her children got out.

Patterson told the jury she thought she had “a little bit” of the coffee and likely threw the rest out when she arrived home.

12.58pm

‘Were you the chef?’ Seeing the doctor in the days after the lunch​

By​

Erin Patterson attended Leongatha Hospital on a Monday morning on July 31, 2023 – two days after the lunch – and prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, is now asking the accused woman about that visit.

Patterson agreed she presented to the urgent care centre shortly after 8am and Dr Chris Webster came to the door.

She told the jury she did not remember ringing the doorbell before being led inside and “squatting against the wall”.

Dr Chris Webster outside court on May 7.Credit: Jason South

Patterson agreed with Webster’s evidence from earlier in the trial that he apologised for keeping her waiting and asked for her name. But she said she couldn’t remember the doctor asking where she had purchased the mushrooms from.

Patterson: He did not ask me where I got the mushrooms.

Rogers: At all?

Patterson: No.”

Patterson said her recollection was that when she told Webster her name, he “immediately communicated that it meant something” to him.

“He recognised who Erin Patterson is and brought me through the doors. I remember him saying to me something like, ‘Were you the chef? Were you the host?’ And he either asked me what I’d made or asked me ... I remember him saying to me, ‘Did you make the beef Wellingtons or buy them pre-made?’” Patterson said.

“And that stuck in my memory because I didn’t know you could buy them pre-made, and I said I’d made them. My memory is he asked, ‘Where did you get the ingredients from for the beef Wellington?’ And my answer was Woolworths.”

Rogers asked the accused about evidence Webster gave that Patterson did not ask any questions after he communicated he was concerned the lunch attendees had ingested death cap mushrooms. Patterson told the jury she had asked a couple of questions, but the doctor hadn’t answered them.

“I asked him a question or two and he was very busy, and he walked off to do other things, left me with the nurse. I remember saying to him at the very least, ‘Why do you think we’ve eaten death cap mushrooms?’” she said.

Patterson said that after she discharged herself from the hospital, she tried to return three phone calls from Webster at least twice but could not get through to the hospital.

“I tried to respond twice. Sometime after his last phone call to me and before I went back to the hospital,” she said.


1.11pm

An eye roll and a shrug when questions turn to nurse’s evidence​

By​

Erin Patterson rolled her eyes while seated in the witness box when prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, said she would read to the court evidence from Leongatha Hospital nurse Kylie Ashton.

Patterson then closed her eyes and huffed when pressed if she said she told Ashton she wasn’t prepared to be admitted to hospital soon after she arrived.

Moments later, Patterson shrugged when asked if Ashton told her she wanted the mother of two to stay in hospital for her own health and safety.



“I don’t remember her using those words,” Patterson told the jury.

Patterson told the court she remembered feeling “a little bit anxious” because medical staff were communicating to her that they couldn’t tell her what was going on with the other people who had been at the lunch.

Rogers: Did you tell nurse Ashton that you’d been advised to attend [the hospital] as a fifth member of the lunch?

Patterson: No.

Rogers: So that’s incorrect?

Patterson: Yeah.”

Patterson said no one had advised her to attend the hospital. She agreed she had told Ashton she didn’t want to go into a bay because she had not come prepared to stay overnight.

The accused said she was told that medical staff wanted to transfer her to Monash Medical Centre. But she said she didn’t know whether it was Ashton or Dr Chris Webster who told her.

Patterson told the jury she couldn’t remember having a conversation with Ashton about her children.

She agreed she had told the nurse that she would return to the hospital, but said she did not give Ashton a specific time as to when she would return.

 

[LinasK]

With her on individual beef wellingtons, I find it hard to believe she couldn't find a full eye fillet.

And then only to make packet gravy and packet mash?

( She wasn't interested in making a beautiful, delicious meal; it was done to be made quickly, so the Death cap mushrooms would do their job, as they were the star of this meal..!)


Most people in their household know what plates they have available in their cupboards.

I think the plates were bought especially for this meal and disposed of after, which is why the police did not recover the gray plates in question.

We know she went to the tip for the dehydrator. Would not be surprised if she got rid of the plates there for the same reason, too.

Ian Wilkinson, a pastor, would not take an oath and then decide to lie in the witness box


However, interesting that Erin, who claimed she is a Christian now, did not take an oath but an affirmation

“I was trying to convert Simon into being an atheist. But things happened in reverse; I became a Christian.
She said her conversation occurred while attending her first-ever church service: a service at Korumburra Baptist church, of which Ian Wilkinson was and remains the pastor.

If you are a Christian, you swear on the Bible. And you take that very seriously. She says she is a Christian now, but she did not swear on the Bible.

As for the lunch, Simon messaged the night before to say he wasn't coming to the lunch.

Erin was desperate for him to attend. He would have been another victim.


But why go through with the lunch when he pulls out?

She could have rescheduled for when they're all there, so you leave no witnesses?

Or was she pretty confident he would make an appearance? So she made another "Erin Special" extra beef wellington there, ready for Simon?

And when he didn't turn up, that was thrown out in the bin, and was part of the collection analysis by the police also contained death cap toxins

She tried to heavily guilt-trip him into coming. If that didn't work, oh well in her mind, she still gets revenge on him by wiping out his family IMO.

 

[L_B]

How common is it, for a homeowner (not necessarily a short-term renter or student), to not have a set of matching dishes in Australia? (Seriously asking.)
In the U.S., I believe, we normally have at least six. Sometimes eight, ten, or even twelve. (Especially if recently married!)
Allowing for breakage, over time, of course.

Our "everyday" plates/bowls are a mishmash from various ones bought over the years from places like Ikea, Kmart, etc (ie cheap quality ones) as things break over time like you said, when you have kids you don't want to use good quality items daily (unless you are rich but I am not haha). However I also do have 2 sets of "white" nice Maxwell & Williams (a slightly more $ brand) ones that I use for special occasions like Christmas.

 

[drsleuth]

Does Erin seriously think that the Jury is going to believe her & that all these professions are liars??

She's delusional IMO

 

[LinasK]

Had it been placed into muffins or something like that, it might have actually looked more suspicious. The meal, including mushrooms from who knows where, at least allowed for some plausible deniability.

I just don't buy this idea that anybody would think that 4 or 5 closely linked people would suddenly die of a mystery illness and it wouldn't be investigated, regardless of age etc. Even if deathcaps had not been detected, it wouldn't have taken long to realise they were all at the same meal a couple of days prior.

We're essentially left with the possibilities that Erin was incredibly naive, didn't care, or it was more extreme than planned.

I'm going with the latter two options. She got what she wanted. Many murderers are so focused on committing their crimes that they don't plan well for the aftermath, or that they haven't fooled police.