Mushroom Murderer Previously Poisoned Ex-Husband with Pasta

Australian Erin Patterson, convicted of murder using poisonous mushrooms, previously attempted to kill her ex-husband through contaminated pasta and curry meals. Court documents reveal a pattern of poisoning attempts before the fatal 2023 lunch that killed three relatives. Patterson is appealing her conviction.
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Revealed: Pattern of Poisoning Attempts

Court documents reveal that Erin Patterson, recently convicted in Australia's notorious mushroom murder case, had previously attempted to poison her ex-husband through contaminated meals including pasta and curry. Simon Patterson survived multiple poisoning incidents before the fatal lunch that claimed three lives.

Timeline of Poisoning Events

In 2021, Simon became seriously ill after consuming pasta Bolognese prepared by his then-wife. Hospitalized overnight with severe stomach pain and diarrhea, he initially believed it was food poisoning. The pattern continued in May 2022 during a camping trip when Erin served him chicken korma curry. This incident resulted in a coma and surgical removal of part of his intestine.

"While Erin prepared the food, I tended the campfire so I couldn't observe her cooking process," Simon testified in court documents. In September 2022, he suffered another poisoning after eating a vegetable wrap, experiencing muscle failure during transport to the hospital.

Investigation and Fatal Lunch

A family friend who's a physician advised Simon to maintain a food diary to identify contamination sources. By February 2023, he explicitly accused his ex-wife. The case gained international attention when Erin hosted a July 2023 lunch serving Beef Wellington containing deadly death cap mushrooms.

The meal killed her former in-laws Gail and Don Patterson, and Don's sister Heather Wilkinson. Heather's husband Ian survived after a liver transplant. Simon avoided the gathering, later stating he feared being poisoned again.

Legal Proceedings and Appeal

Erin Patterson received a triple murder conviction last month for the mushroom poisonings plus attempted murder charges related to Simon and Ian Wilkinson. She maintains her innocence, claiming accidental contamination. The recent court document release coincides with her preparation for an appeal against the verdict.

Lucas Martin
Lucas Martin

Lucas Martin is an award-winning technology correspondent for a major French daily newspaper, renowned for making complex tech topics accessible to mainstream audiences.

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