Australian woman sentenced to life without parole for fatal mushroom poisoning

The Court of Appeal in Victoria, Australia, has sentenced Erin Patterson to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2023 poisoning deaths of three relatives. Patterson, 52, was convicted in 2025 of murdering her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, by serving them beef Wellington containing lethal death cap mushrooms. She was also convicted of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, a Baptist pastor who survived the meal.

While Patterson was initially sentenced to life with a minimum term of 33 years, the appellate judges increased the penalty to life without parole. The court described the crimes as "extraordinarily cold and calculated," ruling that the severity of the offenses made any prospect of release inappropriate. Despite the tragedy, Pastor Ian Wilkinson has publicly stated that he forgives Patterson for the incident that claimed his wife's life.