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

Mother Mad About Dirty Diaper Gives Son Scalding Bath, Resulting in Tragic Death: Police Report

Left inset: Jatoria Cleamons (Hooks Police Department). Right inset: Courtlyn Cleamons (Bates…

Indiana Mother Sentenced Following Tragic Discovery of Oaklee Snow in Dresser

The sentencing in the death of 1-year-old Oaklee Snow has been handed…

State Senator’s Wife Heroically Protected Daughter by Acting as Human Shield

In the left inset: there is an image of Minnesota Senator John…

Man Charged with Mistreating Girlfriend’s Toddlers and Family Dog

Inset: Mason Williams. Background: High Ridge, Missouri, neighborhood where Williams allegedly abused…

Lawyer Admits Guilt in Case of Missing Jennifer Dulos

Inset: Jennifer Farber Dulos (New Canaan Police Department). Background: Kent Mawhinney, center,…

Gainesville Resident Accused of Improper Contact with Teen

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shawn Wesley Williams, aged 38, was taken…

Texas Man Accused of Slipping Abortion Pill into Pregnant Girlfriend’s Drink Faces Capital Murder Charge

A man from Texas is facing capital murder charges for allegedly giving…

Urgent search for suspects involved in shooting Australians in Bali

Police eager to catch the killers before they flee the country have…

Search Escalates for Vance Boelter, Suspected of Murdering Minnesota Legislators

Authorities are searching for a man suspected in the shootings of two…

Habitual Criminal Taken into Custody for Intensifying Stalking Behavior

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 45-year-old man named Joseph Taylor, Jr.…

Angry Mother Pursues Teasing Teens at Park in Her Truck

Inset: Brandie Gotch (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office). Screenshot: Tire tracks left in…

Pregnant Woman and Her Two Children Perish in Intentionally Set Fire

Insets: Ashley Thompson with her two children (GoFundMe). Background: Firefighters responding to…