Mushroom trial: Erin Patterson found guilty

Erin Patterson was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth by poisoning them with death cap mushrooms hidden in beef wellingtons in 2023. The trial spanned over 11 weeks and was described as unprecedented and intensely scrutinized.

Key evidence involved phone and tower data placing her near locations with death cap mushrooms, deviations from the recipe, and her post-conduct actions like disposing of the dehydrator used for drying the mushrooms. Despite her defense claiming it was a tragic accident and her testimony about panic and fear of losing her children, the jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict.

The verdict marks a tragic closure for the families involved and leads to a future sentencing hearing, with Patterson currently held in custody awaiting this next step.

• The jury relied on a circumstantial case considering multiple pieces of evidence together rather than any single key fact.
• Evidence like phone location, recipe changes, and post-conduct behavior influenced their verdict.

• Erin Patterson's testimony gave context to suspicious behaviors like lying about foraging and destroying dehydrator equipment.
• Her explanations partly framed these actions as panic-driven, affecting jury perception.