May 13, 2025
Fungi and Fatalities: Erin Patterson showed no clinical signs of mushroom poisoning
The player is loading ...
Court testimony reveals Erin Patterson showed no clinical signs of mushroom poisoning despite claiming to have eaten the same meal that killed three family members. Expert mycologist Dr Tom May provides detailed evidence about death cap mushrooms, their appearance, and recent sightings near the crime scene location.
• Monash Health doctors testify that Erin Patterson had no evidence of mushroom poisoning when examined after the fatal lunch
• Patterson faces three murder charges and one attempted murder charge, pleading not guilty to all
• Don Patterson (70), Gail Patterson (70), and Heather Wilkinson (66) died after the lunch, while Ian Wilkinson survived
• Death cap mushrooms are non-native to Australia, first appearing in Canberra in the 1960s
• Dr May identified death cap mushrooms in the East Gippsland region just months before the fatal lunch
• The deadly fungi typically grow near oak, beech, and chestnut trees
• Photos examined by Dr May were deemed "consistent with Amanita phalloides" (death caps)
Visit
mushroommurdertrialcom
for updates and information about the trial. Follow the podcast on Instagram,
YouTube
,
Facebook
, Blue Sky, and Twitter. Support the production through
Buy Me A Coffee
membership for exclusive content – just $5 helps cover editing, studio hire, liability insurance, equipment, and production costs for The Mushroom Murder Trial Podcast.
Instagram @Erin_Podcast
Twitter @lisapodcasts
Mushroom Murder Trial
Website
.
Erin Patterson Mushrooms
Here it is in summary.
WEBVTT
00:00:01.602 --> 00:00:08.705
Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast, your go-to source for updates on this gripping legal case.
00:00:08.705 --> 00:00:16.349
I'm Lisa, your host and podcaster, and I've been following this case closely since 2023.
00:00:16.349 --> 00:00:25.632
Before we get into today's update, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and sign up for our newsletter, please at mushroommurdertrialcom.
00:00:25.632 --> 00:00:27.021
And.
00:00:27.021 --> 00:00:30.690
Edition number three was sent out at the beginning of the week.
00:00:30.690 --> 00:00:45.594
Now today is mostly about mushrooms, or as it's called in science, mycology, the scientific study of fungi and Erin Patterson's presentation at Monash Medical Centre after the lunch.
00:00:45.594 --> 00:00:52.533
But let's cover a few formalities before diving into what happened in court yesterday.
00:00:52.533 --> 00:01:03.673
Erin Trudy Patterson, a 50-year-old teaching student from Landgather, is currently facing, but denies, three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
00:01:03.673 --> 00:01:20.801
She is accused of deliberately serving a dish containing death cap mushrooms to her former in-laws and extended family during the lunch at her home on July 29, 2023, allegations she is pleading not guilty to.
00:01:20.801 --> 00:01:23.103
She is pleading not guilty to.
00:01:23.103 --> 00:01:33.733
Following the lunch, don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, died, as well as Gail's sister, 66-year-old Heather Wilkinson.
00:01:33.733 --> 00:01:47.269
Heather's husband, ian Wilkinson, was critically ill in hospital but survived.
00:01:47.269 --> 00:01:48.396
Now, firstly to Erin's health.
00:01:48.415 --> 00:01:54.323
In the aftermath of the lunch, monash Health Emergency Registrar, dr Laura Muldoon gave evidence in court.
00:01:54.323 --> 00:01:59.834
She told the jury there was quote no clinical evidence on July 1 that Ms Patterson had mushroom poisoning.
00:01:59.834 --> 00:02:09.675
According to Dr Muldoon, ms Patterson had dry lips but otherwise appeared well and was discharged from hospital that same evening.
00:02:09.675 --> 00:02:26.141
The patient had been transferred to Monash Health's emergency department after presenting on July 31 at Leongatha Urgent Care complaining of diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
00:02:26.141 --> 00:02:38.371
When asked by prosecutor Sarah Lenthal whether there was any clinical evidence of death cap mushroom poisoning with Erin or any other toxin, dr Muldoon answered no.
00:02:38.371 --> 00:02:54.062
Another Monash health doctor, dr Varuna Raghu, referenced Dr Muldoon's notes stating quote she wrote in her notes there were no concerns about that kind of poisoning because liver tests were all in the normal limits.
00:02:55.405 --> 00:03:09.329
Next up was Dr Tom May, a former principal research scientist at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, who gave evidence by partly narrating the jury through a slideshow about death cap mushrooms.
00:03:09.329 --> 00:03:15.044
He explained that these fungi are non-native and were first reported in Canberra.
00:03:15.044 --> 00:03:19.612
Oh, so we can blame Canberra In the 1960s.
00:03:19.612 --> 00:03:25.271
Since then they've been found in New South Wales, victoria, south Australia and Tasmania.
00:03:25.271 --> 00:03:38.219
The expert told the court the fungi forms an obligate relationship with certain trees, typically oak, beech and chestnut, and they only grow nearby.
00:03:38.219 --> 00:03:50.508
Now some of this evidence is scientific but I can't describe it or define everything because on Australian law I can only report what the jury hears, so apologies.
00:03:51.270 --> 00:04:00.933
The court heard the fruiting body of the mushroom is most common in April and May, though it can also appear in summer or winter after significant rainfall.
00:04:00.933 --> 00:04:16.634
Once sprouted the mushroom's fruiting body that's interesting the top bit can last for several weeks, while the underground mycelium may survive for decades or even centuries.
00:04:16.634 --> 00:04:25.468
Describing their appearance, dr May said the mushroom cap is usually quote greenish or yellowish, but may be whitish or brownish.
00:04:25.468 --> 00:04:34.612
Next jurors were shown three photos of mushrooms provided to Dr May by a Victorian police detective.
00:04:34.612 --> 00:04:40.357
The first image showed about a dozen mushroom caps spread out on a tray.
00:04:40.357 --> 00:04:47.033
Prosecutor Nanette Rogers asked Dr May whether they were consistent with death cap mushrooms.
00:04:47.033 --> 00:04:54.040
Dr May responded these photos are consistent with Amanita phylades.
00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:59.807
I have a high confidence it's consistent with that, other words, death caps.
00:04:59.807 --> 00:05:04.242
However, he added that other mushrooms could appear similar.
00:05:04.242 --> 00:05:05.524
However, he added that other mushrooms could appear similar.
00:05:05.524 --> 00:05:11.329
Another image shown to the court to the jury depicted five mushrooms on a scale.
00:05:11.329 --> 00:05:18.697
Dr May said these were consistent with field mushrooms and button mushrooms, the kind that you find in supermarkets or greengrocers.
00:05:18.697 --> 00:05:26.089
He acknowledged it was possible they had been foraged in the wild In Victoria.
00:05:26.089 --> 00:05:34.009
Dr May said sightings of death caps occur mostly in metropolitan Melbourne, particularly in the eastern suburbs.
00:05:34.009 --> 00:05:52.608
However, he noted there have been three sightings in the East Gippsland region One historical wreck world at Morwell, which is where the actual court hearings are taking place, and two recent ones at Otram and Locke in April and May 2023.
00:05:52.608 --> 00:05:55.935
These were posted on the citizen science website.
00:05:55.935 --> 00:06:09.663
Inaturalist Questions then focused on a post Dr May made on the side where he identified death cat mushrooms in Otram on the afternoon of May 21, 2023.
00:06:10.125 --> 00:06:18.425
He explained that he had been in the area to give a presentation to a local group about fungi when he came across the mushrooms during a walk.
00:06:18.425 --> 00:06:26.891
Posting under the name of Fungi Tom, dr May geolocated the sighting to within 20 metres.
00:06:26.891 --> 00:06:33.071
It was in Otram and I believe it would have been Nielsen Street, otram.
00:06:33.071 --> 00:06:36.348
He said Jurors were shown a screenshot of the post.
00:06:36.348 --> 00:06:51.762
Dr May said the location was quite fairly accurate and that he had dropped a pin to indicate where he spotted the mushrooms a pin to indicate where he spotted the mushrooms.
00:06:51.781 --> 00:06:59.406
In cross-examination of Dr May by Erin Patterson's lawyer, sophie Statterford, she walked Dr May through 10 images of the mushrooms asking him to identify, which were consistent with death caps.
00:06:59.406 --> 00:07:12.569
He acknowledged that image quality made identification difficult and said some images do not reflect the actual colour of the mushrooms, which can make it difficult to determine the species.
00:07:12.569 --> 00:07:21.440
He added for all of these images there might be a possibility, it could be something else, and that's what I have for you today.
00:07:21.440 --> 00:07:22.562
Until next time.
00:07:22.562 --> 00:07:23.244
I'm Lisa.
00:07:23.805 --> 00:07:26.891
This is the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast.
00:07:26.891 --> 00:07:28.201
Thanks for listening.
00:07:28.201 --> 00:07:32.750
For more information, go to the website mushroommurdertrialcom.
00:07:32.750 --> 00:07:35.624
Make sure you sign up for my newsletter.
00:07:35.624 --> 00:07:39.600
Plus, I'm on all the socials, so they're in my link in the show notes.
00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:50.588
And if you feel like rewarding me for the thousands of hours I've spent on this work, I have a Buy Me A Coffee membership which allows you to pay $5 to say thanks and I get a coffee.
00:07:50.588 --> 00:07:55.987
This goes towards editing, studio hire, liability insurance, equipment, etc.
00:07:55.987 --> 00:07:56.490
Etc.
00:07:56.490 --> 00:08:02.341
Plus, I just put up some exclusive membership material yesterday on the site, just for you.
00:08:02.341 --> 00:08:05.925
So have a fabulous day and I'll talk to you soon.
00:08:05.925 --> 00:08:07.266
Thanks, bye.
00:00:01.602 --> 00:00:08.705
00:00:08.705 --> 00:00:16.349
00:00:16.349 --> 00:00:25.632
00:00:25.632 --> 00:00:27.021
00:00:27.021 --> 00:00:30.690
00:00:30.690 --> 00:00:45.594
00:00:45.594 --> 00:00:52.533
00:00:52.533 --> 00:01:03.673
00:01:03.673 --> 00:01:20.801
00:01:20.801 --> 00:01:23.103
00:01:23.103 --> 00:01:33.733
00:01:33.733 --> 00:01:47.269
00:01:47.269 --> 00:01:48.396
00:01:48.415 --> 00:01:54.323
00:01:54.323 --> 00:01:59.834
00:01:59.834 --> 00:02:09.675
00:02:09.675 --> 00:02:26.141
00:02:26.141 --> 00:02:38.371
00:02:38.371 --> 00:02:54.062
00:02:55.405 --> 00:03:09.329
00:03:09.329 --> 00:03:15.044
00:03:15.044 --> 00:03:19.612
00:03:19.612 --> 00:03:25.271
00:03:25.271 --> 00:03:38.219
00:03:38.219 --> 00:03:50.508
00:03:51.270 --> 00:04:00.933
00:04:00.933 --> 00:04:16.634
00:04:16.634 --> 00:04:25.468
00:04:25.468 --> 00:04:34.612
00:04:34.612 --> 00:04:40.357
00:04:40.357 --> 00:04:47.033
00:04:47.033 --> 00:04:54.040
00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:59.807
00:04:59.807 --> 00:05:04.242
00:05:04.242 --> 00:05:05.524
00:05:05.524 --> 00:05:11.329
00:05:11.329 --> 00:05:18.697
00:05:18.697 --> 00:05:26.089
00:05:26.089 --> 00:05:34.009
00:05:34.009 --> 00:05:52.608
00:05:52.608 --> 00:05:55.935
00:05:55.935 --> 00:06:09.663
00:06:10.125 --> 00:06:18.425
00:06:18.425 --> 00:06:26.891
00:06:26.891 --> 00:06:33.071
00:06:33.071 --> 00:06:36.348
00:06:36.348 --> 00:06:51.762
00:06:51.781 --> 00:06:59.406
00:06:59.406 --> 00:07:12.569
00:07:12.569 --> 00:07:21.440
00:07:21.440 --> 00:07:22.562
00:07:22.562 --> 00:07:23.244
00:07:23.805 --> 00:07:26.891
00:07:26.891 --> 00:07:28.201
00:07:28.201 --> 00:07:32.750
00:07:32.750 --> 00:07:35.624
00:07:35.624 --> 00:07:39.600
00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:50.588
00:07:50.588 --> 00:07:55.987
00:07:55.987 --> 00:07:56.490
00:07:56.490 --> 00:08:02.341
00:08:02.341 --> 00:08:05.925
00:08:05.925 --> 00:08:07.266
