In the quiet Australian town of Leongatha, a family lunch turned into a shocking crime that has fascinated the world. And at the center of it all was a modified gourmet recipe: Beef Wellington made with one of the world’s most lethal fungi: the death cap mushroom.

Join us for Fatal Foraging. Today we are going to unravel the chilling case of Erin Patterson, a woman accused of orchestrating one of Australia’s most unusual and cruel murder plots. Over the next hour or so, we’ll dive into the evidence, the trial, and, best of all, the tangled web of family secrets and sentiments behind this case that has captivated us.

Sources

Australian mushroom poisoning: Texts detail Erin Patterson’s ‘horrible’ upbringing, details of past revealed, The New Zealand Herald. 11/24/2023. Retrieved 8/1/2025.

Death cap mushroom site found on Patterson’s computer, 1News, 5/21/2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.

Erin Patterson’s daughter says accused mushroom poisoner was ‘very good’ cook, murder trial hears, The Guardian. 5/12/2025. Retrieved 7/30/ 2025.

Forensic expert explains analysis of deadly mushroom lunch-as it happened. ABC News, Silva, Kristina; Callanan, Tim; Boaz, Judd; Brown, Melissa 5/16/2025. Retrieved 7/25/2025.

The Mushroom Murder Trial Podcast, https://www.mushroommurdertrial.com/, 4/27/2025-7/30/2025. 

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