A jury in December convicted Patterson of the murders of her mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, father-in-law Don Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson after inviting them to dine on Beef Wellington contaminated with fatal death cap mushrooms at her Leongatha home in Victoria.
Ian Wilkinson (left) survived the 2023 lunch but was hospitalized in critical condition, Heather's husband.
Three other men are serving life sentences for murdering Mr Groome, and Patterson, 50, was also found guilty of trying to kill Ian Wilkinson.
She was originally charged with a further five counts of attempted murder relating to her ex-husband, Simon PattersonFrameworkBundle. Those charges were dropped before trial, so the jury never heard of their earlier attempts.
Phwah n Notes: Poisoned Pasta, Curry n a Sandwich Wrap
A judge had previously suppressed the search of Burney's house and other evidence because it was obtained secretly.
Simon Patterson believed Erin was responsible for some of his mysterious illnesses as early as 2021 and 2022, the court heard. He later spoke in court about how he had become unwell "on many occasions" and became concerned by "gurgling sounds" he heard after eating meals she cooked for him, such as penne bolognese, chicken curry, and a wrap.
By then, Simon was logging his symptoms on an intricate spreadsheet -- the same ones that at times left him temporarily paralyzed and eventually required a portion of his bowel to be removed.
Hyperthermia, which is when the body overheats to a dangerous degree, is suspected in all three cases – during two camping trips and a solo walk – but has never been definitively diagnosed.
He shared those suspicions with his physician and also with his father, Don Patterson, who would pass away at the 2023 lunch. After eating the meal, Don arrived at the hospital carrying a bucket of bile; he thought someone had poisoned him.
Suppression Order Lifted, Plea Hearing Scheduled For August 25
In the course of their investigation, police uncovered evidence on Erin Patterson's computer that included Internet searches for various poisons - but this information did not factor into the original trial.
Justice Christopher Beale had previously kept the details secret to avoid prejudicing Patterson's appeal rights, but on Friday he removed that order — saying "open justice is a fundamental feature of our criminal justice jurisdiction."
Patterson has not said yet if she will appeal the ruling, but she has 28 days from her sentencing to do that. Justice Beale said an appeal is not likely, but it cannot be ruled out completely.
Patterson continued to insist she was innocent and the deaths were a "dreadful accident" during her trial. She has denied a charge of attempted murder over the incident, which her husband survived.
The matter will reappear in court on August 25 for a two-day plea, where victim impact statements will be read.
