Mushroom murder: Family of toxic lunch victims face killer in court

Simon Atkinson
Australia producer, BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Erin Trudi Patterson, who turned 50 while awaiting trial, has had a varied career, including working as an accountant, an air traffic controller and an animal welfare worker – where, in the early 2000s, she met Simon Patterson.

In court, Simon spoke of her as a “quite witty”, “funny” and “very intelligent” woman – and of a friendship that slowly turned romantic.

They married in 2007 and had their first of two children soon after. And though they separated in 2015, they remain married today – despite what was portrayed in court as an often fractious relationship.

Erin helped out at the church Simon attended, edited a local community newsletter and – as the trial heard – joined true crime Facebook groups.

Financially, Erin told the court she was very comfortable. The jury heard of large inheritances from her relatives and a portfolio of properties – including the Leongatha home where she served the fateful lunch.

Erin told the court that at the start of 2023, she had been accepted into a bachelor of nursing and midwifery course, which she’d chosen to defer for a year.

Life, however, has panned out very differently.