Crime House Daily – Night Watch

Episode: Erin Patterson’s Poison Mushroom Dinner

Host: Katie Ring
Date: November 5, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping Night Watch episode, host Katie Ring does a deep dive into one of Australia’s most shocking recent murder cases: Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of killing her former in-laws by serving them a homemade beef Wellington laced with deadly foraged mushrooms. The episode traces Erin’s troubled upbringing, tumultuous relationships, and suspicious history, as well as the events before, during, and after the infamous “deadly lunch” that left three dead, one critically ill, and an entire nation transfixed. Katie also reports on exclusive new details about dropped charges, evidence, trial drama, and ongoing questions about Erin’s motives.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Background on Erin Patterson

• Childhood and Personality:
  • Born 1974, Melbourne suburbs. Childhood marked by emotional and mental abuse from her mother, Heather.

    “Mothers are their daughter’s first bullies.” (Katie Ring, 03:20)

  • Suffered from severe body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
  • Praised for intelligence and risk management, but described as both “bright, kind and funny” and also “withdrawn, antisocial, and prone to angry outbursts.”
• Career and Early Adult Life:
  • Initially pursued science degree, later became an air traffic controller.
  • Chaotic working style: left work early, drank heavily, eventually fired for impersonation and tardiness.
• Relationship with Simon Patterson:
  • Met in Monash while working for city council. Simon was “an engineer, intelligent and kind.”
  • Married in 2007 after three years of dating, Simon’s family was close-knit and religious. Erin’s parents were estranged.

2. Marriage, Motherhood, and Marital Problems

• Marriage and Childbirth:
  • Erin suffered further body image issues after emergency C-section and difficult recovery post-childbirth.
  • Developed close bonds with Simon’s parents, Don and Gail.
• Relationship Breakdown:
  • Early separation in 2009. Reconciliation attempts failed, final split in 2015, though not officially divorced.
  • Maintained complex, seemingly amicable relationship; continued shared vacations and communication.

3. The Pattern of Suspicious Illness

• Simon’s Repeated Medical Crises:
  • Nov 2021: After eating Erin’s pasta, Simon suffered severe gastrointestinal illness, hospitalized overnight.
  • May 2022: After eating chicken curry from Erin, he fell into a coma; required bowel surgery. Doctors recommended family say their goodbyes—he miraculously survived.
  • Sept 2022: After eating a veggie wrap, Simon developed neurological symptoms—slurred speech, loss of motor control.
• Discovery of Pattern:
  • Family friend Dr. Ford suggested Simon keep a food journal; he realized every major illness followed eating Erin's cooking:

    “There is a common thread between all of his brushes with death, and it’s Erin.” (Katie Ring, 18:24)

4. Escalation and Family Suspicion

• Simon’s Growing Suspicion, Dropped Charges:
  • Early 2023: Simon refuses to eat cookies Erin delivers; removes her as medical power of attorney; informs his sister Anna.
  • Some family skeptical; Don maintains cordial relationship with Erin.
• The Fatal Lunch Invitation:
  • July 2023: Erin invites Don, Gail (Simon's parents), Heather Wilkinson (Gail’s sister), and Ian Wilkinson (Heather’s husband, church pastor) to lunch, claiming she wants to discuss her own health issues.
  • Simon refuses invite; Anna tries to dissuade parents from attending, but they go.

5. The Deadly Lunch: July 29, 2023

• Preparation and Execution:
  • Erin makes individual beef Wellingtons, each with homemade mushroom pâté.
  • All guests served on grey plates; Erin’s plate is orange. Simon’s excluded “in the fridge if he changed his mind.”

    “It seems oddly intentional, but no one really thinks twice.” (Katie Ring, 29:12)

• Aftermath of the Meal:
  • Erin claims to reveal she has cancer; family expresses support and sympathy.
  • That night, guests develop severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Dawn, Gail, Heather, and Ian all hospitalized.

6. Discovery and Medical Investigation

• Medical Response:
  • Dr. Chris Webster initially treats for standard food poisoning.
  • Other hospital detects that symptoms don’t fit meat poisoning—testing reveals presence of death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides).

    “For centuries, death cap mushrooms have been recognized as a weapon… going as far back as ancient Greece.” (Katie Ring, 34:55)

• Erin’s Behavior:
  • Erin arrives at hospital with mild symptoms but checks out against medical advice.
  • She claims mushrooms bought at grocery store (unlikely), later says her children also ate leftovers but refuses to bring them in for testing until threatened by Dr. Webster:

    “Your kids can either be, quote, scared and alive, or they can be dead.” (Dr. Webster relayed by Katie, 40:33)

7. Deaths and Survival

• By end of the week, Don, Gail, and Heather die of organ failure; Ian survives, but only after liver transplant and a medically-induced coma.

8. Investigation and Evidence

• Police Action and Evidence Gathering:
  • Search Erin's home and phone: find mushroom dehydrator manual, but dehydrator missing.
  • Find photo of death caps being weighed on kitchen scale.
  • Social media posts about hiding powdered mushrooms in kids’ food.
  • Phone GPS places Erin in areas known for wild death caps.
  • CCTV at city dump: Erin disposing of dehydrator; police recover it and test positive for Amanita toxins.
• Lie About Motive:
  • Erin lied about having cancer to lure family. Medical records show no illness.
  • Erin claims illness at the lunch, says she “ate the whole cake after guests left,” but no evidence supports self-poisoning.

9. Trial and Sentencing

• Dropping of Some Charges:

  • Three attempted murder charges related to Simon were dropped prior to trial without explanation.

• Trial Proceedings:

  • Erin claims innocence, defense says lies stemmed from fear and “being in shock.”
  • Prosecution depicts her as a calculating killer who used “health scare” as pretext.

• Verdict and Sentencing:

  • Jury finds Erin guilty on all counts after a week’s deliberation.

  • Justice Christopher Beale calls Patterson’s acts “the worst of their kind.”

  • Sentence: Three life sentences, parole possible after 33 years; among the harshest for a woman in Australian legal history.

    “It’s one of the longest sentences ever handed down to a woman in Australia.” (Katie Ring, 53:10)

• Current Status:

  • Erin intends to appeal; legal strategy undisclosed.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Mothers are their daughter’s first bullies.”
  — Katie Ring, discussing Erin’s upbringing (03:20)

• “There is a common thread between all of his brushes with death, and it’s Erin.”
  — Katie Ring, on Simon’s food journal realization (18:24)

• “It seems oddly intentional, but no one really thinks twice.”
  — Katie Ring, on the color-coded plates at the deadly lunch (29:12)

• “For centuries, death cap mushrooms have been recognized as a weapon... going as far back as ancient Greece.”
  — Katie Ring (34:55)

• “Your kids can either be, quote, scared and alive, or they can be dead.”
  — Dr. Webster to Erin (relayed by Katie), pressing her to bring in children for toxin testing (40:33)

• “It’s one of the longest sentences ever handed down to a woman in Australia.”
  — Katie Ring (53:10)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 03:20 | Erin’s childhood, mother-daughter dynamics | | 08:15 | Erin’s career and social behavior | | 12:00 | Meeting and marrying Simon; family integration | | 15:30 | Body image, birth trauma, bonds with in-laws | | 17:35 | Marriage unraveling; custody situation | | 18:24 | Simon’s medical crises and pattern realization | | 22:30 | Simon’s suspicions deepen; removal of Erin as POA | | 27:00 | Lunch setup and family persuasion attempts | | 29:12 | The “deadly lunch”—beef Wellington served | | 31:40 | Erin claims cancer; family reactions | | 33:30 | First signs of poisoning; hospitalizations | | 34:55 | Death cap mushroom toxicity explained | | 40:33 | Dr. Webster’s “scared and alive or dead” quote | | 43:00 | Victims’ deaths and aftermath | | 45:00 | Police search and digital forensics | | 48:30 | Evidence of intent; the missing dehydrator | | 51:40 | Trial, arguments, and verdict | | 53:10 | Sentence announced | | 54:30 | Erin’s appeal plans and open motives |

Final Thoughts

Katie closes the episode recognizing lingering questions around Erin’s true motives and the chilling nature of calculated familial homicide entwined with everyday domesticity. The pacing, attention to personal dynamics, and detail around the investigation make this episode a potent example of true crime storytelling.

“Many are hoping to finally receive answers regarding Erin's motive. But since she's never owned up to the crimes and that doesn't seem likely, we'll be sure to bring you all of the major developments as they unfold.” (Katie Ring, 54:30)

For More

• Listen to other Crime House Daily cases for updates on the Patterson appeal and more true crime coverage.
• Engage in Katie’s call for community theories and questions in the comments.