Erin Patterson: Jury starts deliberations in mushroom murder trial

They will decide whether Erin Patterson murdered relatives with beef Wellingtons laced with toxic mushrooms.

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Erin Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to four charges - three of murder and one of attempted murder - over the beef Wellington lunch at her regional Victorian house in July 2023.

The prosecution have claimed Ms Patterson knowingly put toxic death cap mushrooms into the home-cooked meal, before lying to police and disposing of evidence.

But the defence argue Ms Patterson accidentally included the poisonous fungi in the dish and only lied because she panicked after hurting people she loved.

Ms Patterson's in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, along with Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all fell ill and died days after the lunch in Leongatha.