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

[Memento Mori]

Do you think they'll give her cafeteria or laundry duties in prison?


MOO IMOO

 

[clearskies1]

Police statement today about arrest.

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[discostu]

Like MrJ I've also been wondering why they wouldn't just bring her in for formal questioning without arresting her, so assume they have pieced a lot of it together by now..

I'm wondering if the doggos were looking for a burner phone that she could have used to do some online research, maybe they could see an unaccounted for device that had been connected to her wifi or through her ISP..?

moo obviously..

Here is a pic I found of the AFP puppies in training

 

[discostu]

That was my understanding too but I could not find a link to it.

I think this is the original article about it: Woman who cooked suspected poisoned meal details where she bought mushrooms

ETA from the linked article: "I now very much regret not answering some questions following this advice given the nightmare that this process has become," she said."

 

[Amalgam]

Like MrJ I've also been wondering why they wouldn't just bring her in for formal questioning without arresting her, so assume they have pieced a lot of it together by now..

I'm wondering if the doggos were looking for a burner phone that she could have used to do some online research, maybe they could see an unaccounted for device that had been connected to her wifi or through her ISP..?

moo obviously..

Here is a pic I found of the AFP puppies in training


View attachment 457575

Absolutely. Moving to the arrest phase in a case like this usually means that they’ve gathered enough evidence to place a strong brief before the court and have got all their ducks in a row.

I would be quite surprised if they don’t file charges against Erin in very short order.

Once they arrest, charge and remand a suspect in custody the gathering of evidence is over. No more wiretaps, no more surveillance. They won’t do this if they still hope to gather more evidence.

 

[LadyL]

Is it not a bit late to be searching her home? It’s been months since the poisoning so I wonder what they think they will find.

I know like could they not do it before?

ETA: never mind, just read that they did do it before

 

[Amalgam]

I know like could they not do it before?

They did search her home and collected evidence and potential exhibits not long after this case began. This is just icing on the cake and gathering any evidence they may not have known to look for or may not have existed during the earlier search.

 

[discostu]

I know like could they not do it before?

ETA: never mind, just read that they did do it before

I think they're just looking for something very specific, and likely very small, at this point.. and it sounds like they want to have it before they formally interview her if possible.

 

[LadyL]

I'm always interested in hearing about Erin's possible motivation for this crime (if she is found guilty).

IMO it could have been about child custody and the four guests had dirt on Erin that they were going to reveal in court.

Also I have often wondered whether Erin is mentally ill.

or personality disorder? is that considered mental illness?

 

[LadyL]

According to the Daily Mail, they brought in special tech detector dogs. I wonder what they are searching for.

Erin Patterson arrested over fatal mushroom lunch that killed three

Police have arrested Erin Patterson, the woman who was being investigated in connection with the poisonous mushroom meal that led to the deaths of three people in Gippsland, eastern Victoria

www.dailymail.co.uk

Detectives have also brought in specially-trained 'technology detector dogs' - that can sniff out USB memory keys and sim cards - to help scour the property.

The technology detection dogs have been supplied by Australian Federal Police who say they can find memory storage devices such as USBs, hard drives, mobile phones, storage device cards and SIM cards.

The dogs are considered to be the most elite of all sniffer dogs and capable of sensing the microns-thin coating that protects computer circuit boards.

that's amazing but knowing this, wouldn't a suspect just dispose of them somewhere else?
she's not a stupid person and has a history of following true crime so she might know this

 

[Amalgam]

or personality disorder? is that considered mental illness?

Various personality disorders are certainly considered mental illnesses according to the DSM. They have recently been renamed to avoid what were considered stigmatizing or derogatory terms. For example Borderline Personality Disorder is now called complex PTSD.

 

[LadyL]

My guess is that Ian Wilkinson has now been fully interviewed by police.

I hope he's doing ok. I hope he is able to start healing from this nightmare.

 

[minusfour]

Here we are, finally.

 

[mangoes999]

questions: please refresh my memory- Her being the only cook at the deadly lunch and the major POI, didn't vicpol obtain a warrant to do a by-the-book forensic-level search of her house in the first week or 2?........
edit: thkyou folks i found answers in the thread.

 

[Karin1974]

I'm confused, wasn't she questioned a few months ago, then the press release that her lawyers screened beforehand? What is the difference between formal questioning and being questioned after you've been arrested?

IMO - The difference is she has now been arrested & I personally don’t believe she will be going home after this interview. MOO

 

[mangoes999]

Absolutely. Moving to the arrest phase in a case like this usually means that they’ve gathered enough evidence to place a strong brief before the court and have got all their ducks in a row.

I would be quite surprised if they don’t file charges against Erin in very short order.

Once they arrest, charge and remand a suspect in custody the gathering of evidence is over. No more wiretaps, no more surveillance. They won’t do this if they still hope to gather more evidence.

thankyou for the knowledge

 

[LadyL]

Summary of press conference:
- EP's property is still in the process of being searched, including with the assistance of technology sniffing dogs from the AFP (Australian Federal Police).
- Once that has been completed, EP will be interviewed from detectives from the Homicide Squad.
- No charges yet.
- Notes that the investigation has had significant media interest.
- Police will give updates when possible.
- Police are calling for people to refrain from speculation regarding this case so as not to adversely impact the investigation.
- Remember that at the heart of the investigation are three deaths, and that such a tragedy will be deeply felt in close-knit, small communities.

I think that's about it, happy to be corrected on other points.

edited post to include quotes from Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Guardian live blog:
View attachment 457555

thank you!

 

[Amalgam]

IMO - The difference is she has now been arrested & I personally don’t believe she will be going home after this interview. MOO

Indeed. Today’s questioning will give the Police a chance to confront Erin with the case they have built against her, give her an opportunity to respond if she chooses to and then formally charge her with whatever offense the evidence justifies.

They know she has legal representation from a lawyer well versed with murder trials, they will expect her no make another no comment record of interview. To arrest under those circumstances suggests they have a strong case.

 

[discostu]

Various personality disorders are certainly considered mental illnesses according to the DSM. They have recently been renamed to avoid what were considered stigmatizing or derogatory terms. For example Borderline Personality Disorder is now called complex PTSD.

I haven't heard this before and keen to know more if you happen to have a link/reference as that's not my understanding of C-PTSD

 

[mangoes999]

vinteresting re what the dogs are prob. trained to sniff for.
{ A SIM card is basically an electronic chip that is made of silicon in addition to some other metals including phosphorus and gold. If you notice SIM cards you will see an outer layer of gold, which comes into contact with your device.}
source: google search- awaRefiners.co.uk (old sims are sold in bulk for their scrap gold.)