Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #8 *Arrest*

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  • #761
I don’t see how this is relevant to the trial.
Erin is owed towards $1 million by Simon's sibblings. Money she lent them and in light of her and Simon splitting up and developments since, she may never have got that money back.

The death of their parents would see them inherit money that would make them instantly capable of paying the money in full that is owed to Erin.

There is potential motive in a $1 million windfall.
 
  • #762
I am thinking she either has death cap mushroom immunity (in which case they could trial test her for an antidote) or she is a murderer.
 
  • #763
I am thinking she either has death cap mushroom immunity (in which case they could trial test her for an antidote) or she is a murderer.
Why can't it be both?
 
  • #764
The death of their parents would see them inherit money that would make them instantly capable of paying the money in full that is owed to Erin.

Hypothetically. If the parents have that kind of money or death insurance to pass along. Which is something we haven't heard (yet).

The children didn't borrow the money from the parents in the first place. There might or might not be those kinds of funds available from them.

I'm just thinking of the years they spent in missionary work in Botswana and China. If they were even able to accumulate any kind of wealth in the years that they have been back in Australia (I think they have been back for 25 years, not sure about that, but that is what I think I read in an old link).

imo
 
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  • #765
Estate of Simon's Parents.
Erin is owed towards $1 million by Simon's sibblings. Money she lent them and in light of her and Simon splitting up and developments since, she may never have got that money back.

The death of their parents would see them inherit money that would make them instantly capable of paying the money in full that is owed to Erin.

There is potential motive in a $1 million windfall.
@Cliff Hardy Thanks for your post.

If AU$ amounts re their estate(s) have been discussed, I've missed it.
IDK about value of the estate, what the net distributions will be/have been.

+/ - $,$$$,$$$ ? Possible?
Just a rhetorical question.

ETA. "Windfall" ? Premature inheritance for Simon & siblings.
May be sufficient amt to repay loans.

I suppose from Erin's viewpoint, that $ is just debt(s) Simon's sibs owe her.

With some families, it's easy for participants to have waaay different understandings about such loan transactions.
 
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  • #766
This has totally nothing to do with the poisonings, but it indicates how fit Don used to be.

He climbed to the Mount Everest base camp - with more ease than others in their 20s. Which seems to indicate that Don was older than his 20s when he did that (the article doesn't say when he did it).

ETA: See my next post, Don was in his 60s when he did that.

‘They were very much a team’: Son reveals final moments of mushroom poisoning victims
 
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  • #767
I’ve joined just to discuss this case-it’s so fascinating.
I’m of the opinion that the beef wellingtons (or at least significant aspects of them) were already prepared before Simon cancelled. So it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision.
Really struggling with a motive. The closest we’ve come is the loans to his family members.
I’m amazed at how measured and almost polite they all seem about her.
From the get go, we were told there would not be mention of a motive. I guess a motive just makes sense of an alleged murder. Jurors have to look at the facts outlined my the judge at the beginning.
 
  • #768
I have found another article that says Don was in his 60s when he trekked to the Mount Everest base camp - with Simon.

This article also says that Don taught in Australia for 25 years - after the missionary work. That is where I remembered the previously stated 25 years from.



"Simon said he marvelled at his father’s health and fitness, demonstrated when he trekked with him to Everest basecamp in Don’s 60s.

“In fact, he was so fit at 70 that it allowed him to have an emergency liver transplant, although he ultimately died because of the damage already done to his body.”

He told mourners how Don initially gave up a science research and teaching career in Australia to carry out missionary and teaching work with Gail overseas, in Botswana and China, before ultimately moving to Korumburra where he taught at the secondary college for 25 years."

 
  • #769
I don't know Don and Gail's financial specifics and they aren't my business, but it is fair to assume that their sibblings would inherit a reasonable amount of money as a result of their deaths. At their ages it is likely they owned their own home, had superannuation, savings etc.

It isn't a leap to suggest Erin could benefit significantly from the deaths of Don and Gail.
 
  • #770
I have been wondering about the children's testimony. I know it is pre-recorded, but will they hear it in open court? Or will they close the court - so only the justice, jury, defence, prosecution, and accused can hear it - to further protect the children?
Usually children's evidence is played in a closed court.
 
  • #771
I've noticed a SMH article has been linked a few times for it's wording that no death cap mushrooms were detected in the binned leftovers. I wonder if this is miss reporting as both The ABC and The Age have reported that there were traces of death cap mushrooms in the leftovers.

1746659461812.webp


1746659326901.webp
 
  • #772
Estate of Simon's Parents.

@Cliff Hardy Thanks for your post.

If AU$ amounts re their estate(s) have been discussed, I've missed it.
IDK about value of the estate, what the net distributions will be/have been.

+/ - $,$$$,$$$ ? Possible?
Just a rhetorical question.

ETA. "Windfall" ? Premature inheritance for Simon & siblings
Maybe from standpoint of Simon's siblings, it's a windfall.
May be sufficient amt to repay loans.
From Simon's viewpoint? Likely he has received/will receive $ from estate(s).
I suppose from Erin's viewpoint, that $ is simply a debt owed to her.

With some families, it's easy for participants to have different understandings about such transactions.
The average value of a house in Korumburra, where Don and Gail lived, is about $600,000. Add to that some superannuation and savings and...
 
  • #773
I don't know Don and Gail's financial specifics and they aren't my business, but it is fair to assume that their sibblings would inherit a reasonable amount of money as a result of their deaths. At their ages it is likely they owned their own home, had superannuation, savings etc.

It isn't a leap to suggest Erin could benefit significantly from the deaths of Don and Gail.
However if they were missionaries, they would not have made money out of that. MOO
 
  • #774
I don't know Don and Gail's financial specifics and they aren't my business, but it is fair to assume that their sibblings would inherit a reasonable amount of money as a result of their deaths. At their ages it is likely they owned their own home, had superannuation, savings etc.

It isn't a leap to suggest Erin could benefit significantly from the deaths of Don and Gail.

No, it is no leap. But it is interesting that the defence is the one who is bringing up the loans.
That is why I question that as a motive. I think it is more likely trying to make Erin look good, generous, would never hurt her in-laws intentionally, she actually helped them.

I guess that I am not seeing why the defence would help provide a motive.


Eg:
Erin Patterson's defence team is now questioning Matthew Patterson.
There is discussion of a loan of around $400,000 made by Erin Patterson to Matthew Patterson and details of loan repayments.


 
  • #775
No, it is no leap. But it is interesting that the defence is the one who is bringing up the loans.
That is why I question that as a motive. I think it is more likely trying to make Erin look good, generous, would never hurt her in-laws intentionally, she actually helped them.


Eg:
Erin Patterson's defence team is now questioning Matthew Patterson.
There is discussion of a loan of around $400,000 made by Erin Patterson to Matthew Patterson and details of loan repayments.


It makes sense the defence is playng that card but could it leave them vulnerable to being trumped?

That Erin stood to at least potentially profit from Don and Gail's deaths cannot go without mention from the prosecution, surely?
 
  • #776
She knew there was ZERO chance of her or the children being poisoned. But she failed to play the part of any mother who would be terrified, even of the least possibility of poisoning.

Is there any evidence the children actually had BW, regardless of scraped mushrooms? Surely she'd hate for one of them to speak that truth at an inopportune time, if they were never served any.

Perhaps she made BW twice, served theirs from the oven and hers from the pantry.

JMO
 
  • #777
Simon's
This has totally nothing to do with the poisonings, but it indicates how fit Don used to be.

He climbed to the Mount Everest base camp - with more ease than others in their 20s. Which seems to indicate that Don was older than his 20s when he did that (the article doesn't say when he did it).

ETA: See my next post, Don was in his 60s when he did that.

‘They were very much a team’: Son reveals final moments of mushroom poisoning victims
@SouthAussie Thanks for linking that article.

At the memorial service for his parents, Simon said,
"They lived by the motto “Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary.”

"Use words if necessary." <--- That says A LOT about Simon's parents.

Glad to read that & about the climb to Mt. Everest base camp. @SouthAussie, as I don't recall seeing it before.
 
  • #778
  • #779
I've noticed a SMH article has been linked a few times for it's wording that no death cap mushrooms were detected in the binned leftovers. I wonder if this is miss reporting as both The ABC and The Age have reported that there were traces of death cap mushrooms in the leftovers.

View attachment 584370


View attachment 584368

We will know for sure when they put the witness from the Botanic Gardens on the stand. I think that is the person who has been quoted elsewhere as finding no traces of Death Cap mushrooms in the leftovers.


This is also from the SMH ...

The leftovers collected from Erin Patterson’s bin and transported to Monash Medical Centre and the Royal Botanic Gardens were tested and did not show any sign of death cap mushrooms, the jury heard.

 
  • #780
Why did Erin invite Ian and Heather to lunch?

According to Ian’s testimony: He and his wife had never been to her house for a meal before.

We know she’s on trial for murder of Heather and attempted murder of Ian: What would be her motive for killing them?

 

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