Mushroom cook ate lunch leftovers with kids: daughter
Share this @internewscast.com

A search of devices found at Erin Patterson’s home reveals a visit to a science website showing the location of death cap mushrooms about a year before serving up a poisoned beef Wellington, a jury has been told.

Patterson, 50, wore a black-and-white striped top and glasses today as she faced the fourth week of a triple murder trial in regional Victoria accused of deliberately poisoning her former in-laws.

She has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder over the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Heather Wilkinson, 66, and the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson who survived the July 2023 lunch.

A courtroom sketch of Erin Patterson.
A courtroom sketch of Erin Patterson. (Paul Tyquin)

Patterson claims she did not intentionally poison her lunch guests and it was a terrible accident.

Victoria Police digital forensics officer Shamen Fox-Henry gave evidence today about examinations he did of devices seized from Erin Patterson’s home by police on August 5, 2023.

He said he applied keyword searches to the seized devices for terms including “death cap, death cap mushrooms, mushrooms and poison”.

Analysis of a Cooler Master computer taken by police, which had three storage devices inside it, revealed that on May 28, 2022, the iNaturalist science website was searched for via web browser Bing, he said.

The iNaturalist website was also accessed, about 7.22pm, and “observations” were visited, the jury was told.

Then at 7.23pm “death cap from Melbourne VIC Australia on May 18 2022” on the iNaturalist website was visited on the device.

It further detailed it was at “Bricker Reserve, Moorabbin” and the post was by Ivan Margitta, with two visits to the web page.

“That URL was visited twice in that browser,” Fox-Henry told the jury, who were shown records of the website visits.

The device then used Google to search “Korumburra middle pub” at 7.23pm.

The trial before Justice Christopher Beale continues.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Tragic Incident: Man Allegedly Drives for Hours with Deceased Girlfriend’s Body, Police Report Reveals

Inset: Andres F. Calvachi-Paz (Essex County Prosecutor’s Office). Background: Authorities at the…

John Bolton’s Role Under Scrutiny Amid Ongoing Developments

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton leaves the stage after discussing the…

Father Sentenced in Shocking Case of Starved Girl with Sealed Mouth

Inset: Anthony Yonko (Oklahoma County Detention Center). Background: The apartment complex where…

Breaking: Father of Missing Child Discovered Deceased in Oregon River Faces Neglect Charges

An Oregon father faces a misdemeanor charge of neglect following the tragic…

Deputies Report Attempted Abduction of 5-Year-Old Boy from Grandmother’s SUV

Background: The Shell gas station located at 5 North Federal Highway in…

Florida Woman Attempts Abduction of 5-Year-Old from Grandmother’s SUV

A woman from Florida faces charges of false imprisonment and burglary after…

Tragic Incident: Teenager Loses Life in Walmart Parking Lot Stabbing

Share An 18-year-old’s life was tragically cut short following a violent encounter…

Shocking Incident: Man Allegedly Fires 20 Shots at Target, Leaving Woman Paralyzed

Inset: Shawn Walker (WBZ/YouTube). Background: Law enforcement officers respond to a shooting…

Snowtown Killer’s Parole Appeal to be Conducted Privately

A date has been established for a critical hearing concerning the potential…

Authorities Investigate After Melodee Buzzard’s Mother Removes Missing Posters; Home Searched for Further Evidence

On Thursday, the mother of missing California girl Melodee Buzzard was escorted…

Newberry Resident on Probation Faces New Charges for Intent to Distribute Drugs, Following Recent Possession Arrest

By Staff NEWBERRY, Fla. – A 23-year-old man, Darius Dwayne Stackhouse, Jr.,…

Tragic Consequences: Mother’s Anger at Partner Leads to Heartbreaking Infant Loss

Inset: Olivia Munoz (Mathis Police Department). Background: The 900 block of South…