# Australian "Mushroom Poisoner" has been charged with murder & attempted murder (Convicted July 6, 2025) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534 "2023-11-03T15:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/21 "2025-07-07T08:16:37Z")
@Cazzle Won’t you have to wait until after the sentencing for that to happen? ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/22 "2025-07-07T11:21:28Z")
Genuinely not sure, but I was under the impression that once the verdict was in, the restrictions were lifted. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/23 "2025-07-07T12:41:03Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > convicted There’s a special place in hell for people who use mushrooms for nefarious purposes. As someone who quite enjoys mushrooms, I can’t help but look at these poor victims and think _that could have been me!_ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/24 "2025-07-07T12:57:14Z")
I forage mushrooms a fair bit (I know how to avoid death caps) - I am always heistant to serve them to guests, not because I believe I am putting them at any risk (you wouldn’t believe how careful and risk-averse I am with my foraging identification), but because I feel it is unfair to expect them to understand and accept I have been fully diligent. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/25 "2025-07-07T13:05:28Z")
I’m pretty sure this came up in the BBQ Pit, too, but it wasn’t the Omnibus Evil thread. Not sure where it was. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/26 "2025-07-07T13:11:35Z")
One of the SDMB’s favorite YouTubers appears to have sat in on the trial and had posted a detailed overview of the evidence that was presented: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q_G6y3L0oQI/maxresdefault.jpg "The Deadly Lunch : How Science Uncovered a Murder") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_G6y3L0oQI) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/27 "2025-07-07T13:33:12Z")
Mr Tyco Bass would not approve. [MUSHROOMS ! LINK](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Flight_to_the_Mushroom_Planet) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/28 "2025-07-07T13:35:15Z")
Prosecutors argued that she served the fatal dish as individual pastries, so she could prepare a harmless one for herself. If you’re a guest at the home of an unfriendly in-law, always insist that Beef Wellington be [served family-style](https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beef_wellington/). Coincidentally, my new gardening Substack is about toxic plants. ☠ ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/29 "2025-07-07T14:02:53Z")
I’ve heard that, unlike many other poisonous things that usually have a bad or bitter taste, at least some varieties of deadly poisonous mushrooms taste very good, even delicious. So people have reported before dying, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/30 "2025-07-07T14:37:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Prosecutors argued that she served the fatal dish as individual pastries, so she could prepare a harmless one for herself. And her guests were all served with green plates, while her plate was orange. Easy to keep track of which serving went where. There’s a good BBC article: > **[Erin Patterson trial: Nine weeks of testimony that gripped a courtroom](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx554n1x0wo.amp)** > > Erin Patterson's conviction ends a monthslong trial full of dramatic allegations. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/31 "2025-07-07T14:45:14Z")
It’s true - deathcaps just taste like mushrooms (it’s possible to safely taste a small piece and spit it out without suffering any ill effects and this can be useful in some identification contexts, although it is a step not frequently recommended these days). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/32 "2025-07-07T14:47:02Z")
I was going to say earlier that I thought Erin Patterson is like the mirror-universe Ann Reardon. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/33 "2025-07-07T15:05:23Z")
The lack of discernable motive is the most puzzling part of it all. I suppose it’s not likely to ever be definitely answered. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/34 "2025-07-07T15:11:50Z")
One of my childhood heroes! [![](https://tercerafundacion.net/imagenes/portada/P-00019928.jpg) ](https://tercerafundacion.net/imagenes/portada/P-00019928.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/35 "2025-07-07T15:17:41Z")
Allegedly she had attempted to kill the estranged partner (the guy who was invited to the meal but didn’t turn up) several times previously. It seems like it could have been a continuation of that. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/36 "2025-07-07T15:23:55Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The lack of discernable motive is the most puzzling part of it all. I suppose it’s not likely to ever be definitely answered. If she was just trying to kill her ex-husband, one might reasonably question whether he’d done something horrible to her. But, not only was she prepared to take out several random folk, she followed through with doing so even after the prime target was a no-show. Between the straight-faced lies, the methodical process she followed to get rid of evidence, and that, I’d say that this lady is just a stone cold murderer that doesn’t need much reason. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/37 "2025-07-07T15:37:47Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > But, not only was she prepared to take out several random folk, she followed through with doing so even after the prime target was a no-show. Between the straight-faced lies, the methodical process she followed to get rid of evidence, and that, I’d say that this lady is just a stone cold murderer that doesn’t need much reason. Well, there was clearly no “reason” in the rational sense of the word since there’s nothing rational about any of this, but there’s always an “explanation”. The most likely explanation is that she had lost her mind due to some form of insanity or descent into extreme bitterness about her life, and this manifested as a desire for revenge against several people she didn’t like. Their spouses were just collateral damage. The search for motive when a crazy person does crazy things is usually futile because it usually just signals some form of psychosis, though not usually meeting the legal standard that absolves them of criminal responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/38 "2025-07-07T16:01:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m pretty sure this came up in the BBQ Pit, too, but it wasn’t the Omnibus Evil thread. Not sure where it was. I believe this is the cite you seek > [@Omnibus Stupid MFers in the news thread (Part 2)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/4748): > > Surely everyone here has made a minor cooking mistake using the wrong ingredients? Patterson said Wednesday she splurged on expensive ingredients and researched ideas to find “something special” to serve. She deviated from her chosen recipe to improve the “bland” flavor, she said. She believed she was adding dried fungi bought from an Asian supermarket from a container in her pantry, she told the court. There are additional comments off and on for about 20 more posts. Including a lengthy synopsis comment by you. I remembered it because I commented right below you on another subtopic that was weaving in and out amongst the mushroom one. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/39 "2025-07-08T21:12:12Z")
The ER doctor said he knew it was a deliberate poisoning as soon as she told him she got the mushrooms at the supermarket: [Doctor who treated Erin Patterson describes moment he came face-to-face with convicted murderer - ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-08/chris-webster-erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial/105508638?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web) The woman who wrote the cookbook used by the murderer has asked the media to leave her alone: [Redirect Notice](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/upsetting-nagi-maehashi-makes-statement-on-mushroom-murders/news-story/eb7516d9dda82ef478a8850781f423d5%3famp) The Daily Mail has published details about the four times her ex believes she poisoned him. The article is geoblocked in Australia so I can’t link to it. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534/40 "2025-07-08T21:27:58Z")
She visited the garbage dump 30 minutes after her guests left and disposed of a box, captured on CCTV. Not raised at trial because the box wasn’t recovered and its contents were unknown, but are suspected to be the plates they ate off: [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14870425/Erin-Patterson-cctv-plates-tip.html](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14870425/Erin-Patterson-cctv-plates-tip.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-mushroom-poisoner-has-been-charged-with-murder-attempted-murder-convicted-july-6-2025/992534.md?page=3)