Nearly two years on from the infamous beef Wellington meal that rocked Australia, Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murder.
Patterson stood accused of three counts of murder over the deaths of her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, who attended the lunch at her home in regional Victoria on July 29, 2023.
Patterson, 50, was also accused of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian, 68, who survived the meal. She pled not guilty to all charges.
On Monday afternoon (July 7), one week after they began deliberating, a group of 12 jurors returned to the Latrobe Valley courthouse in Victoria’s southeast to declare the verdict.
Here are 10 key details that you may have missed from, as one expert called it, “the trial of the century”.
Colleagues speak out
Former colleagues of Patterson, who worked with her as air traffic controllers in the early 2000s, have given a disturbing account of their time working with the now convicted killer.
They said she left her job at Airservices Australia in November 2002 after concerns about her workplace behaviour.
Last week, The Australian reported that at one stage, a colleague had allegedly discovered her food had been tampered with, finding a blade from a pencil sharpener lodged in their banana.
“No-one could prove that, but she had a way about her that was off-putting,” another colleague told the publication.
Husband’s media moves
It seems Patterson’s estranged husband, Simon, has been inundated with lucrative media offers following the conclusion of the trial last week.
His friend and media adviser, Jess O’Donnell, has reportedly been fielding dozens of interview inquiries, with one purported offer of up to $500,000 by a UK media outlet.
However, as reported by The Australian, Simon is considering starting his own podcast business or writing a book, to tell his story in his own words.
Erin takes the stand
It was an emotional and eventful eight days on the stand for Patterson.
During her testimony, she admitted to lying to detectives, detailed her “never-ending battle with low self-esteem” and struggles with an eating disorder.
She also conceded she’d never been diagnosed with ovarian cancer despite telling her lunch guests she may need treatment for it.
Survivor’s message
Ian Wilkinson, who was left in the intensive care unit after consuming the deadly meal, broke his silence a day after the verdict was heard.
On the noticeboard of Korumburra Baptist Church, where Ian serves as a pastor, the church thanked the community for their support over the “long journey”.
“We greatly miss Heather, Don and Gail, whether we were friends for a short time or over 20 years,” it read.
“They were very special people who loved God and loved to bless others … As our Pastor Ian has said ‘Life can be hard, but God is faithful, and He is always with us.’”
Game of phones
Court exhibits revealed CCTV images of Patterson in possession of a pink Samsung phone while she briefly attended the hospital after the lunch. However, police say they’ve never been able to recover the device.
Instead, Patterson handed over a different phone to police, one they claimed she had factory reset several times before and after they searched her home.
Recipe revealed
The origins of the beef Wellington meal were revealed to be from one of popular food author Nagi Maehashi’s RecipeTin Eats cookbooks.
Nagi shared a statement after the verdict: “It is upsetting to learn that one of my recipes – possibly the one I’ve spent more hours perfecting than any other – something I created to bring joy and happiness is entangled in a tragic situation.”
Doctor’s shock call
Dr Chris Webster, who first alerted police to the events of the fatal meal, slammed Patterson as a “disturbed sociopathic nut bag” in a shocking interview.
Dr Webster said he was immediately suspicious when Patterson presented to the hospital and told him that the mushrooms were bought from Woolworths.
“If she said she picked them, it would have been a very different mindset for me because there would have been an instant assumption it was all a tragic accident,” he told the Herald Sun.
“But once she said that answer, my thoughts were, ‘Holy f–king s–t, you f–king did it, you crazy b—h, you poisoned them all.’ The turning point for me was that moment.”
Ready for freedom
So confident that she’d be acquitted of the murders, Patterson had planned to cover her Leongatha home in black plastic tarps for privacy for once she’d walked free.
However, the tarps – which were installed just one week before the verdict was delivered – were unnecessary after she was returned to jail where she awaits sentencing.
Mystery friend
As D-day beckoned for Patterson, one of her closest friends, Alison Rose Prior, was spotted attending the trial each day, reportedly bringing along fresh clothes for her to change into.
While it’s not known how their relationship started, Alison was in tears after she learnt of the verdict.
She told the media: “I’m saddened, and it is what it is … I didn’t have expectations, it’s the justice system.”
Alison also confirmed she’ll be visiting Patterson behind bars: “I’m her friend and I’ll see her.”
Plate mystery
The court heard from survivor Ian that guests ate individual portions of the beef Wellington from four large grey dinner plates, while Patterson ate hers from a smaller, tan-coloured plate.
However, Patterson denied she owned any grey or tan coloured plates. Those plates have never been found.
