Murder, Mystery & Makeup

Episode: Murder By Mushrooms?? Or A Big Mistake? The Twisted Case of Erin Patterson

Host: Bailey Sarian
Date: December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, Bailey Sarian dives deep into the shocking true-crime case of Erin Patterson, a quiet Australian woman whose infamous homemade beef Wellington lunch led to the mysterious deaths of three relatives. At the heart of the case are questions of intent, motive, and chilling details about mushroom poisoning, with Bailey blending her trademark storytelling wit, skepticism, and dark humor. The episode meticulously examines Erin's background, the family dynamics, the events before and after the lunch, the sprawling investigation, and the high-profile trial that gripped Australia and true crime fans worldwide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Erin Patterson’s Background & Family History

[03:30 - 07:40]

• Born Erin Scudder in Victoria, Australia, 1974, into an "overachieving, academic" family
• Mother: Heather Scudder, renowned children’s literature expert; described as opinionated, overbearing
• Father: Business professional; sister became a scientist
• Erin struggled with self-esteem due to her mother’s “weekly weigh-ins” and foray into eating disorders
• Switched university majors (science to accounting), then pivoted to air traffic control
• Work colleagues described her as "odd, abrasive, sometimes hostile" (Bailey paraphrased testimony: “She was quite aggressive in the way she spoke to people… you tended to be wary she could snap or say something unpleasant at the drop of a hat.” – [06:37])

2. Erin’s Marriage and Family Dynamics

[07:41 - 14:18]

• Met Simon Patterson (engineer), married in 2007; “wedding was a bit odd”—Erin lied to her family about getting married due to possible religious/atheist division
• Inherited money from grandmother, funded travel and real estate investment
• Had two children; moved near Simon’s parents, Don and Gail, for family support
• After their son was born, the marriage soured: separations, finalized split in 2015, but not a formal divorce. Tried to co-parent and “keep things friendly.”

3. Mounting Tensions & Foreshadowing

[15:00 - 20:00]

• Disputes over taxes and child support in 2022; Simon’s “accidental” tax filing as single caused loss of Erin's benefits, escalating conflict
• Erin vented online (“This family, I swear to effing God, I’m sick of this shit. I want nothing to do with them.”; “His mom was horrified I had claimed child support. Why isn’t she horrified her son is such a deadbeat that I had no choice but to claim...” – [17:58])
• Police interview with their son described Simon “doing petty things to hurt mom”; overall, both parents portrayed as antagonistic
• Notably, Erin was an avid follower of true crime, often active in local case discussions online—a detail Bailey finds both “relatable and ominous.”

4. The Deadly Lunch – Events Leading Up

[21:00 - 28:30]

• Erin invited Simon, his parents (Don & Gail), and his aunt & uncle (Heather & Ian) over for a special lunch to discuss “bad health news” (ovarian cancer, later exposed as a fabrication)
• Simon texted last minute to cancel due to discomfort (“Sorry, I feel too uncomfortable about coming to the lunch…” – [22:50]); Erin pleaded, emphasizing her effort and “might not be able to host again.”
• Erin’s children were sent out to a movie for the afternoon.

5. The Beef Wellington & Immediate Aftermath

[29:00 - 33:00]

• Erin served individual beef Wellingtons, each on gray plates—hers on an “orangey-tan” plate, a subtle but crucial detail
• She delivered the fabricated news about ovarian cancer, eliciting family sympathy; guests prayed for her
• Hours after the meal, Don, Gail, Heather, and Ian fell violently ill with textbook symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning
• Tragically, Heather, Gail, and Don died within a week; only Ian survived after a long hospitalization

Bailey on Death Cap Poisoning:
“The toxin, called amatoxin, is now silently destroying the liver and kidneys… within 48-72 hours, the second wave hits. Jaundice, confusion, internal bleeding… death usually follows just from total organ failure.”
— [31:15]

6. Suspicion & the Investigation

[33:01 - 42:00]

• Erin also reported feeling ill, went to the hospital, but left against medical advice despite being warned about the seriousness (“her being so kind of like, whatever about it was just bizarre” – [34:10])
• Dr. Chris Webster, treating physician:

  “She just got up and left?... I had a brief chat to her... after that, while I was attending the other patients, the nurse informed me that she had discharged herself against medical advice.” — [33:40]

• Police obtained leftover Wellington from Erin’s trash for lab testing; also started surveillance and financial record checks. Erin’s explanations for the source of the mushrooms (“Asian grocery, in April, can’t recall brand, paid cash”) were inconsistent and unverifiable

7. Mounting Evidence Against Erin

[42:01 - 52:30]

• CCTV caught Erin dumping a food dehydrator at the local “tip” (dump) just days after the lunch; she denied owning or using one, despite a matching manual being found at her home
• Investigation could not substantiate her claims about contaminated store mushrooms
• In a pivotal moment, digital forensics found Erin’s search history and GPS data placed her at death cap mushroom sites; she had used apps like iNaturalist to identify death caps and had photographed weighed/dehydrated mushrooms, likely for dosing

“She was doing that but with the mushrooms. Why?... The prosecutor argued that Erin weighed the dehydrated mushrooms to make sure she was using a lethal amount.” — [55:20]

• Erin factory-reset her devices and changed SIM cards even after police seized them, which she admitted was intended to “see if police were silly enough to leave them online” — a move that seriously undermined her credibility

8. Trial Highlights

[52:31 - 59:00]

• Trial began April 29, 2025, in Morwell; cameras barred from court, intense media attention
• Prosecutors painted Erin as vengeful, cold, manipulative; defense countered it was a “tragic accident”
• About 50 witnesses testified, including Simon and survivor Ian
• Simon: Provided history of marital conflict and money troubles; noted Erin’s plate color difference, lack of empathy after the deaths, and no funeral attendance
• Ian: Erin “seemed normal”; noted she insisted on plating food, barred others from kitchen
• At trial, Erin admitted she lied about foraging mushrooms, owning a dehydrator, the cancer story (actual reason: planned gastric bypass surgery—also a lie), and claimed her lighter symptoms were because she purged (ate all the cake, induced vomiting—a story undermined by brief bathroom visit on CCTV)
• Erin’s history of lying on the stand became a major theme in the prosecution’s closing
• Motive remained murky: resentment after the ugly split, desperation over financial stress, and possible prior attempts to poison Simon suggested, but not definitively proved

“She just lies about everything. So I don’t know. I don’t know. She’s just a liar.” — [58:15]

9. Verdict & Sentencing

[59:01 - 63:15]

• Jury reviewed an 86-page fact summary, and after a week, found Erin guilty of all charges on July 7, 2025
• Notable: Former online true crime fan now dissected by the same communities (“kind of ironic” – [61:10])
• Sentencing update (fresh off the press): Life with possibility of parole after 33 years (eligible at 82 years old, in 2056)
• Judge: “Even though he doesn’t know the motive and won't speculate, he does believe this was premeditated.” — [62:30]
• Erin’s team has option to appeal, deadline October 6

10. Aftermath and Reflections

[63:16 - End]

• Simon and his children are avoiding the public eye, trying to recover
• Ian has resumed preaching, celebrated his 70th birthday; remains a community pillar
• The case made international headlines and inspired a miniseries.
• Bailey’s closing opinion:

“At the end of it, I think she did it. She’s guilty. But… what’s missing in my mind is a clear motive… Even if it was a horrible accident, girl, you still killed three innocent people. You don’t just get a couple years in prison… you killed three people and you need to be put away.” — [63:25 – 64:00]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Erin’s Online Persona: “I hate to say it, but she’s one of us, damn it. No girl.” — [15:08]
• On the Dehydrator Evidence: “What was she doing at the tip? ... police were able to get CCTV footage, and guess what they see? Erin was dumping a Sunbeam dehydrator.” — [39:12]
• On the Prosecution’s Focus: “Their closing argument centered on one simple thing. The lies. Oh yeah, all the lies. The prosecutor laid them all out. The lies Erin told police, the lies she told witnesses, the lies she told to the jury.” — [61:30]
• Ian’s Testimony: “Aaron seemed normal to me, there was nothing off… but there were little things… like Aaron not allowing Heather or Gail to help in the kitchen, and her weird orange tan plate.” — [57:18]
• Bailey’s Final Word: “If you think she’s innocent, get out of here. There is the door. Get out of here.” — [64:20]

Important Timestamps

• 01:05 – 03:30: Bailey introduces the case and Erin Patterson
• 06:37: Testimony about Erin’s temperament at work
• 17:58: Erin’s angry Facebook and message group quotes
• 21:00: Erin invites family to lunch, reveals “health scare” pretext
• 29:00: Description of the fatal beef Wellington meal
• 31:15: Detailed explanation of death cap mushroom poisoning symptoms
• 33:05: Dr. Chris Webster describes Erin leaving hospital against advice
• 39:12: Police catch Erin dumping food dehydrator
• 55:20: Mushroom photo/weigh-in evidence and prosecutions’ theory
• 61:30: Closing arguments—focus on Erin’s pattern of lies
• 63:25 – 64:00: Bailey’s closing reflection and personal opinion on verdict

Tone & Language

Bailey’s familiar, conversational, and humorous style frames the tragic story with darkly comic asides. She’s skeptical, at times exasperated by the case’s bizarre twists and Erin’s duplicity, but always empathetic toward the victims. The episode strikes a balance between informative detail, genuine outrage, and relatable “true crime fan” commentary.

Summary for Listeners

This episode unpacks the bizarre and chilling mushroom murder case of Erin Patterson, exploring not only the facts but the psychological and interpersonal complexities that made this tragedy uniquely gripping and deeply unsettling. Bailey Sarian’s blend of detail-driven narrative, critical analysis, and dry humor makes the tangled details of Australian justice accessible—digging into not just how, but why a seemingly ordinary beef Wellington lunch tore an entire family apart. Whether guilty of cold-blooded murder or not, Erin Patterson’s lies, digital footprints, and suspicious behavior painted a damning portrait, leaving a community (and Bailey) haunted by unanswered questions about motive in a crime that feels both archaic and distinctly modern.