Australian mushroom killer Erin Patterson will never be released from prison after a new court ruling. The 52-year-old was sentenced to life in jail last September after being found guilty of poisoning four of her estranged husband's relatives with death cap mushrooms mixed into a beef wellington she served at a lunch in July 2023.
Appeal Dismissed by Three Judges
Patterson appealed her conviction, and a ruling was given on Friday, October 30, by three judges of the Victoria state Court of Appeal. They ordered that Patterson would never be released from prison after agreeing with prosecutors that her 33-year-long non-parole period was inadequate.
It has been reported that Patterson is likely to die in prison after the judges' decision was passed down in a short hearing. The three judges also dismissed Patterson's challenge to her convictions that stemmed from a family meal she hosted at her rural home in Leongatha.
Prosecutors' Argument Upheld
Patterson had insisted she added death cap mushrooms to the meals accidentally. Prosecutors argued at an appeal hearing in August that she should never become eligible for parole.
She was sentenced last year to three life sentences for murder and 25 years for attempted murder. Patterson can still challenge the verdict in Australia's High Court, her final appeal option.
