Erin Patterson: The Cook at Mushroom Lunch Enters a not guilty Plea to Murder

A woman from Australia has entered a not guilty plea to charges of murder after it was claimed that she poisoned three individuals with a mushroom meal.

Erin Patterson, 49, is accused with three murders and two counts of attempted murder in connection with the July of last year’s tragic beef Wellington dinner.

She allegedly attempted to kill her divorced husband three more times, according to the police.

Ms. Patterson has consistently insisted on her innocence.

She was asked to formally enter a plea to the allegations against her on Tuesday in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court, despite her repeated statements that she did not purposefully poison her guests.

She said, “Not guilty, your honour,” as she appeared on a video link.

The strange story has taken the world by storm and left a close-knit rural Victorian community in shock.

On July 29, Ms. Patterson threw a lunch at her house in Leongatha, which is two hours’ drive southeast of Melbourne. Her previous in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, as well as Heather Wilkinson and her husband Ian, were present. According to the police, Simon Patterson, Ms. Patterson’s estranged husband, was also invited but was unable to attend at the last minute.

All four of the visitors were unwell with what they initially believed to be serious food poisoning hours after the lunch. Ms. Wilkinson, aged 66, and the couple, aged 70, passed away in a matter of days. The 68-year-old Mr. Wilkinson made it through nearly three months in the hospital.

According to police, they think the four consumed death cap mushrooms, which are extremely deadly if consumed.

After the meal, Ms. Patterson seemed OK, therefore the police labelled her as a suspect.

Following several months of inquiry, investigators purportedly discovered three more attempted murders of Ms. Patterson by her estranged husband in 2021 and 2022. In November, she was taken into custody and officially accused of eight charges.

Her first hearing is set on May 23. Her case will now be expedited to the Supreme Court of Victoria in Melbourne for trial.