The key question mushroom investigators now ask after police ‘reach major conclusion over deadly lunch that left three dead’
Detectives investigating the deaths of three people who fell ill after eating a Beef Wellington meal in rural Victoria will focus on one major question, according to a leading expert.
Pastor Ian Wilkinson was the only person to survive the poisoned meal prepared on July 29 by Erin Patterson, 48, at her home in Leongatha, while his wife Heather, sister Gail Patterson and husband Don Patterson died.
World-renowned forensic anthropologist Dr.
“That’s probably the crux of this whole thing. Erin Patterson said she threw that dehydrator in the landfill shortly after the meal,” Dr. Mallet told Sunrise on Thursday.
“The question is: are there spores in the dehydrator? This is extremely important information that could confirm or deny whether or not deathcap mushrooms are present in this dehydrator.
Erin Patterson is pictured outside her home days after serving the mushroom meal
World-renowned forensic anthropologist Dr Xanthe Mallett (pictured) said detectives would focus on one question.
Police found the food dehydrator at a local dump, which Ms. Patterson claimed she threw away, fearing her ex-husband would connect it to the meal and blame her for her parents’ deaths and thus gain custody of both of them. children.
Erin Patterson has denied any wrongdoing and Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting she intentionally poisoned her four loved ones.
On Wednesday, veteran The Age journalist John Silvester wrote in a newspaper report that forensic tests confirmed the lunch guests had eaten poisonous mushrooms.
“The good news is that detailed forensic tests came back and confirmed that the cause of all three deaths was indeed mushroom poisoning,” said the well-connected writer, author and podcaster.
“The bad news is that how the mushrooms ended up on the lunch table remains a matter of conjecture.”
Victoria Police declined to comment – or confirm – Mr Silvester’s claims to Daily Mail Australia. “The case is still ongoing.”
Don and Gail Patterson also sadly passed away after attending the lunch (pictured together)
Ian Wilkinson (pictured right with his wife Heather Wilkinson) has been released from hospital after spending weeks recovering from a poisonous mushroom lunch that claimed the lives of three others, including his wife.
Dr Mallet said the confirmation of the toxin was an important development.
“It’s certainly an important step forward.”
“Deathcap mushrooms contain three different types of toxins, so they should make sure they can test the remains and any other samples they have to determine specifically what the type of toxin was.”
“Because at some point charges may be brought against someone, and the test will have to stand up to forensic scrutiny in court at that point.”
“The police will follow every line of inquiry, they need to be confident in their conclusions, and then we have two paths forward.”
“Either this will be the subject of a colonial investigation or charges will be brought against someone for supplying and supplying the mushrooms that went into this meal – and we don’t know how that happened.”
