Erin Patterson, convicted of triple murder over a deadly mushroom lunch, has been prevented from selling her home in Leongatha, Victoria, under a court-issued restraining order. The Victorian Supreme Court granted the order under the Confiscation Act on 23 July, following a closed hearing before Justice Michelle Quigley. A suppression order on the ruling was lifted on Wednesday evening.
Patterson, 50, was found guilty on 7 July of murdering her parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. She was also convicted of the attempted murder of Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson. The jury determined she served beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms at her home on 29 July 2023.
Despite pleading not guilty and claiming during her 11-week trial in Morwell that she did not intentionally poison her guests, the jury returned guilty verdicts after seven days of deliberations. The Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) confirmed the confiscation application aims to prevent the property from being sold or otherwise dealt with, ensuring it remains available for potential compensation or restitution claims by victims' family members.
Patterson, who faces a possible life sentence, is scheduled to return to court for a pre-sentence hearing later in 2025. Following sentencing, she will have 28 days to file an appeal. Her lawyers have been approached for comment, while her ex-husband, Simon, declined to comment.
