Erin Patterson in the days following the deadly lunch

Erin Patterson told friends she was ‘hiding mushrooms in everything’ after buying a dehydrator in the lead-up to hosting her deadly lunch. 

On Monday, three of Patterson’s Facebook chums appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria via video link where they gave evidence against the alleged killer. 

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to murdering her estranged husband Simon Patterson’s parents Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.

They died after consuming death cap mushrooms served in a beef Wellington during lunch at her Leongatha home in the state’s east. 

Stay-at-home mum Daniela Barkley told the court Patterson was ‘excited’ about buying the dehydrator in the weeks before the fateful lunch. 

She had met Patterson over their interest in true crime, particularly killer Keli Lane who was convicted of the 1996 murder of her newborn baby.

In one exchange shown to the jury, Patterson revealed she had been hiding mushrooms in the kids’ food. 

‘I’ve been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything,’ she wrote.

‘Mixed it into chocolate brownies yesterday. The kids had no idea.’

Erin Patterson in the days following the deadly lunch

Erin Patterson in the days following the deadly lunch

Patterson later joked that she wanted to take the dehydrator to the local supermarket to reduce the weight of vegetables before buying them. 

The jury saw photos of the dehydrator, and mushrooms dehydrated in it, which were sent by Patterson to the group.  

About two weeks before the lunch, Ms Barkley claimed Patterson asked the chat group for tips on how to make a beef Wellington. 

Ms Barkley – a vegetarian – suggested she bake a ‘tofu Wellington’. 

The court heard each member of the five-person chat group provided Patterson with advice on how to make the pastry dish. 

Days later Patterson complained to the group about the cost of beef fillet and asked about alternatives. 

The court heard Patterson would also complain about her husband to her online mates – none of whom ever met her in person. 

Ms Barkley said Patterson described Simon as being ‘unclean’ and expressed concern about her children staying at his filthy home. 

Simon Patterson makes his way into court in Morwell on Monday

Simon Patterson makes his way into court in Morwell on Monday 

‘She wasn’t happy. She didn’t want the kids to stay overnight because she wasn’t happy with how he lived,’ she said. 

The court heard she later cleaned Mr Patterson’s home herself. 

Ms Barkley said Patterson had expressed other problems with her estranged husband. 

‘Just that he wasn’t a very nice person,’ she told the court. 

The jury heard Patterson told the group she was an atheist just weeks before the lunch and that she was annoyed at how religious Mr Patterson was. 

‘He put the church before her and his family,’ she said. 

The court heard Patterson recounted a story about her husband refusing to allow his children to open the fridge when the power went out. 

‘Then he went to church,’ Mr Barkley said. 

Erin Patterson's legal team enter the Latrobe Valley law courts on Monday

Erin Patterson’s legal team enter the Latrobe Valley law courts on Monday 

Another chat group member, Christine Hunt, told the court Patterson accused her husband of being ‘controlling’. 

‘He was very controlling. She used the word coercive at times,’ she said. 

‘Coercive control was the sense we were given.’

Mr Patterson, who finished giving his evidence on Monday, sat at the front of the court as the evidence was given. 

Ms Hunt told the court she too was told by Patterson that she was an atheist despite attending church. 

When challenged about that assertion by Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy, SC, Ms Hunt maintained her evidence was true. 

‘She was two-sided on that. She went to church because of the family situation … she described herself as an atheist,’ she said. 

‘Did she express frustration over her husband’s religious beliefs?’ Mr Mandy asked. 

WErin Patterson as she appeared on day one of the trial

WErin Patterson as she appeared on day one of the trial 

‘Yes she did,’ Ms Hunt responded. 

Earlier, Mr Patterson denied accusing Erin of poisoning his parents in the days after the deadly lunch. 

Mr Patterson was asked about a conversation he had with her at Monash Medical Centre after the deadly lunch on July 29, 2023, in which they discussed the dehydrator. 

‘Is that what you used to poison them?’ Erin Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC claimed Mr Patterson remarked. 

‘I did not say that to Erin,’ Mr Patterson responded. 

Search for The Trial of Erin Patterson where you get your podcasts now. To listen ad-free, plus get access to other fascinating true crime series, subscribe to The Crime Desk, the home of arresting podcasts

Search for The Trial of Erin Patterson where you get your podcasts now. To listen ad-free, plus get access to other fascinating true crime series, subscribe to The Crime Desk, the home of arresting podcasts

The jury has previously heard Patterson panicked after she discovered that the food she prepared had resulted in her guests becoming sick.

She later lied to police in saying she did not own a food dehydrator.

CCTV footage showed her dumping the dehydrator at the local tip and a forensic analysis showed it had traces of death cap mushrooms, and her fingerprints.

The trial continues.  

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