Huge breakthrough in Victoria mushroom deaths as investigators reach major findings into deadly lunch that left three dead
Detailed forensic analysis has determined that the three people who tragically died after eating a Beef Wellington meal were indeed victims of mushroom poisoning.
Pastor Ian Wilkinson was the only person to survive the poisoned meal prepared on July 29 by housewife Erin Patterson in eastern Victoria.
His wife Heather, 66, along with her sister Gail and her husband Don Patterson were invited to lunch as part of a “mediation” meeting to discuss Ms Patterson’s relationship with her ex-husband Simon.
Simon Patterson had also been invited to the lunch but withdrew at the last minute.
Erin Patterson earlier told police the mushrooms used in the lunch were a mixture of button mushrooms purchased from a supermarket and dried mushrooms she had purchased from an Asian supermarket in Melbourne months earlier.
In her statement, leaked to the media by an unknown source, Ms Patterson said she divided the meal onto plates, let her guests choose theirs and ate part of the last plate herself.
Erin Patterson is pictured outside her home days after serving the mushroom meal
Ms. Patterson also said she gave the remains to hospital toxicologists for examination and testing after her guests became ill.
A dehydrator she owned was later abandoned at the local dump, fearing that her ex-husband would blame her for the deaths of his parents and gain custody of their two children, she said.
Erin has denied any wrongdoing and Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting she intentionally poisoned her four loved ones.
More soon.
