Major update on mushroom poisoning murder trial as accused killer chef Erin Patterson faces court

The murder trial for alleged mushroom killer Erin Patterson will start on April 28, 2025, in country Victoria near where the alleged deadly lunch took place. 

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Victoria heard the first of a series of preliminary hearings to pave the way for her eventual jury trial next year. 

The 49-year old faces three counts of murder over the deaths of her father-in-law Don Patterson, mother-in-law Gail Patterson and extended relative Heather Wilkinson, after inviting the trio to a lunch at her home in July last year. 

She is accused of the attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon Patterson - who was invited to the lunch but did not attend - and two other alleged attempts on his life in 2022, and another in 2021.

Patterson is also accused of the attempted murder of pastor Ian Wilkinson, who was at the lunch but survived after a long fight for life in hospital.

The court ruled the trial could be held at the Latrobe Valley Supreme Court in Morwell, population 14,000, 152km east of Melbourne. 

The court had previously heard Patterson was keen to have the trial held near her hometown of Leongatha, which is about 60km southwest of Morwell. 

Erin Patterson is accused of murdering her in-laws at a deadly lunch in July 2023

The first of Patterson's pre-trial hearings is expected to wind-up next week, with further hearings planned for October.

But evidence from the hearings will be kept secret from the public to ensure potential jury members do not hear information that is not disclosed at the trial. 

The case garnered worldwide attention when news of it broke at the end of July last year, attracting journalists from across the globe.

When the actual trial gets underway next year, the world's press will be granted full access to proceedings, with US-based documentary crews among the many expected to be in the media pack. 

Patterson has always denied any wrongdoing and broke down in tears when she broke her silence prior to her arrest last year.

'The loss to the community and to the families and my own children who have lost their grandmother… I just can't fathom what has happened,' she said at the time.

'I’m so sorry that they have lost their lives. I just can't believe it.'

The once prestigious home of Erin Patterson in Leongatha now appears to be overgrown

A legal notice remains cable-tied to Erin Patterson's front gate 

Patterson's alleged victims are buried in unmarked graves at the Korumburra Cemetery 

On Monday, neither Mr Patterson nor Mr Wilkinson would discuss their scheduled appearances at the pre-trial hearings. 

Warning signs posted at the gates of their respective homes in Korumburra, 120km south-east of Melbourne, threaten media representatives with prosecution for trespassing if they attempted to approach the properties.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and appeared in court on Wednesday via videolink. 

The mum-of-two had lived at a property situated among bush and lush green fields in Leongatha - a short drive from Korumburra - at the time of the alleged murders.  

On Monday, a warning sign on her gate remained stuck to the electronic gate of her home. 

While Patterson is understood to still own the property, she no longer lives there and it appears to be unoccupied, abandoned and overgrown, with long grass surrounding the property. 

It was the same home where police have accused Patterson of murdering her alleged victims with a Beef Wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms.

Don and Gail Patterson were both allegedly murdered by Erin Patterson

Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Mr Wilkinson survived the deadly lunch that claimed the life of his wife 

The graves of Patterson's alleged victims remain unmarked more than a year after their deaths