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.
Welcome
As you say, it’s fascinating; also confusing, so sad, and quite horrific.
My tendency is to see people as ‘ good / genuine ‘ whilst allowing for all our individual human quirks ( and in no way am I gullible or a push-over
)
However from early on I was troubled by the attitude of EP, and that’s continued on.
Currently there would need to be a huge change in presented evidence for me to absolve her of Murdering these people.
Interestingly, everyone seems to be speaking so well of her - nice person, caring mother, generous, witty, clever, capable, supportive of community, good cook, ….
So far, we’ve heard evidence as to her:
Interest in Mushrooms
Her experience as a mushroom forager
Her purchase of a food dehydrator
Her move to ‘powdering’ mushrooms and to hide it in food
Her dislike of hospitals
Her battle with postnatal depression after birth of first child
Her leaving the marriage /her husband SP, and then reuniting (a few times)
Her inference to online friends that her husband was coercive & controlling
Her feelings of resentment toward her husband (now separated since 2015) for not helping with household chores
Her reluctance toward the children staying at their Dad’s place
Her significant inheritances, and her generosity to a brother-in-law & a sister-in-law
Her frustration with SP over certain matters that appeared ‘financial’ V her continuing to keep property in his name
Her comments as to the ‘interference & controlling’ she sensed from her in-laws - despite her maintaining a relationship with them
Her propensity to message & involve her in-laws in her relationship / disagreements with her estranged husband.
Her non-christianity V the strong Christian faith & beliefs of the family she married into
Her unkind & imo judgemental descriptions of local people
Her tendency to not socialise / host people at home
IMO - EP made 2 shots at murdering Gail, Don, Heather & Ian, as per:
1st attempt was the lunch on 29th July 2023
On this occasion the intent was to get rid of estranged husband EP also, but he foiled that plan by withdrawing his acceptance the afternoon prior.
However EP went ahead with her planned ‘last lunch’ of Beef Wellington for his Parents, Aunt & Uncle.
I think EP possibly regretted her marriage from the very early stages - maybe SP wasn’t the pushover she hoped for; maybe he wasn’t feisty enough for her, instead being gentle & laid back, or maybe he was Controlling & coercive - who knows what caused the break downs. Motive is not required by the Court, just my curiosity
It’s possible that after 8 years of separation, she was over them all !
She just wanted to be free to live her life & to raise her children the way it suited her.
Divorce would have been frowned on by his Parents, also by Aunt & Uncle, him being the Pastor. All were well known & respect members of the community.
SP was hanging around as if he was still her ‘legitimate’ husband, and was keen to step back into the role at the nod of her head.
In such a situation, the thought of the fallout from serving him with Divorce Papers may have filled her with terror re the decline in her standing in the community and the impact on her children.
So on that basis I think EP decided the best option was to get rid of them all.
IMO she took some time to plan it all quite carefully, and to equip herself with everything required.
When she was ready, she issued the invitations with 2 compelling reason for them to attend. In the case of Gail & Don, not only was there a concern for the health of their DIL, but also concern for the welfare of their grandchildren.
And it all went well - everyone attested to having had a delicious lunch.
2nd attempt
That was needed, because her lunch guests didn’t die overnight !! They all ended up in hospital at various times the next day. Gail & Don being first as they called the ambulance, and rang SP to check on Heather & Ian, who he then drove to hospital.
I can’t recall but I’m guessing SP rang to enquire of / tell EP. I’m also guessing that news led to EP swallowing a double dose of laxatives & thereafter being able to honestly report as feeling a bit crap.
The horror for me is that I’ve not heard from anyone of her being concerned for the welfare of her lunch guests, who were actually her Family Members.
The other horror, and what I judge as her 2nd attempt to see them dead, is the fact that EP continued to LIE about where she got the mushrooms, sticking to her story of Woolworths & and Asian Grocer.
While her Family lay dying in hospital & while multiple levels of medical staff questioned her at different times, and for differing times,
she refused to provide the answer that could have given those people a chance at living.
IMO
, that is absolutely appalling, and in itself should constitute a murder charge.
As per my earlier remark that everyone speaks so well of her, where is / was she hiding this side of her personality. . she sounds like a psychopath who no one would be safe to be around, yet there doesn’t seem to have been any evidence of that previously, and there’s been no plea on mental health grounds.
Fascinating for sure… shame it’s true eh ..
) wondering if any or all of them survived.
