Australia’s ‘Mushroom Killer’ Also Tried to Poison Husband With Chicken Korma, Police Allege

Erin Patterson, convicted of killing three in Australia’s “mushroom murder” case, is now accused of earlier trying to poison her husband with pasta, chicken korma, and a vegetable wrap between 2021 and 2022. The claims emerged after court suppression orders were lifted ahead of her sentencing on August 25.

Fresh allegations have emerged in Australia’s notorious “mushroom murder” case, with police claiming Erin Patterson also tried to poison her husband years before she killed three of his relatives with a toxic lunch.

Patterson, who was found guilty last month of murdering her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson in 2023, allegedly made three prior attempts on her husband’s life between 2021 and 2022. Authorities say she served him poisoned pasta bolognese, chicken korma curry, and a vegetable wrap.

The revelations came after the Supreme Court lifted suppression orders that had kept the allegations hidden during her trial to ensure fairness. These earlier poisoning charges had been dropped before proceedings began, preventing the jury from hearing them.

The triple murders occurred in July 2023 when Patterson invited her husband’s family to her home in Leongatha, southeast of Melbourne, and served beef Wellington with mashed potatoes and green beans laced with death cap mushrooms — one of the world’s most lethal fungi. The victims fell ill shortly afterward; only Heather’s husband, pastor Ian Wilkinson, survived, though Patterson was also convicted of attempting to murder him.

Patterson has maintained that the mushrooms were unintentionally included in the meal, claiming they may have been mistaken for an edible variety. However, prosecutors argued the poisoning was deliberate. Death cap mushrooms have a mild taste but are highly toxic and can cause organ failure even in small amounts.

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Patterson’s sentencing is scheduled for August 25, after which she will have 28 days to appeal her conviction and sentence. The new allegations, while not part of the current charges, add a chilling dimension to a case that has already gripped Australia and drawn global attention.