The Case Of

The prosecution has put forward fresh evidence which challenges Erin Patterson's claims she sought assessment for gastric bypass at a Melbourne clinic, Enrich. Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell walk through the new evidence, as well as several other points in Dr Rogers' cross examination today, including Erin's Asian grocer claims and her alleged visits to Loch and Outtrim, where death cap mushr...

Cross examination continued for a third day today, with prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers interrogating Erin Patterson's claims about weight loss surgery and her body functions in the days after the lunch. Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell step through the day's evidence, which ended with a terse exchange between the accused and the prosecutor. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like R...

Erin Patterson has spent almost all week in the witness box, facing questions today about whether her relationship with the lunch guests was as positive as she claims. In this episode Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell take you through the day's evidence and recap the week of Erin Patterson's testimony. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Rachael and Stocky to answer in future...

Erin Patterson faced almost an entire day of cross examination from prosecutor Dr Nanette Rogers. In today's episode Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell talk through how the prosecution challenged Erin Patterson on her cancer claims, her lies about foraging and the meaning of the emojis she shared with her friends on Facebook. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Rachael and Stoc...

Erin Patterson explained why she cooked individual beef Wellington’s, lied about having cancer and dumped her dehydrator, as she was taken through the July 2023 lunch in detail today.   At the end of Erin’s third day in the witness box, investigative reporter Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell talk through what the accused triple murderer told the court.  If you’ve got questions about the case th...

Today, during her second day in the witness box, Erin Patterson accepted that the mushroom meal must have contained death caps. The accused triple murderer also told the jury she foraged for mushrooms for several years leading up to the lunch, spoke about how traumatic hospital experiences in the past had shaken her trust in the health system, and gave details about her financial situation. In tod...

Accused triple murderer, Erin Patterson, has given evidence for the first time in her own trial. In today's episode Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell take you through everything Erin told the jury, including a history of her relationship and marriage to Simon. Erin spoke about converting to Christianity, building her dream home, the traumatic birth of their first child and her relationship with...

As the fifth week of trial comes to a close, what is Erin Patterson's defence team most focused on challenging in the prosecution's case against her? Kristian Silva, Rachael Brown and Stephen Stockwell recap the key points of contention so far, and wrap up the week's most recent evidence. We also farewell Kristian as he steps away to become a dad, taking him through some of your baby name suggesti...

Defence Barrister Colin Mandy has suggested police failed to seize devices from Erin Patterson's home, during the search where she was left alone with one of her phones. In today's episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell break down the day's evidence, and reveal some exciting personal news. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Kristian and Stocky to answer in future episode...

The prosecution alleged today that Erin Patterson handed over a secondary phone when police searched her home after changing sim cards mid-search. The officer in charge of the investigation said they never found her primary phone, described as "Phone A". In today's episode Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell talk through the multiple phone and sim card swaps, Erin's shopping list prior to the lun...

Erin Patterson's police interview a week after the 2023 beef Wellington lunch was played to the jury today. Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell step through the key moments of the interview, as well as the events leading up to it that day, including a police search of Erin's home and what they found in the kitchen. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Kristian and Stocky to answ...

The health department official, whose job it is to respond to health risks, read the court her messages to Erin Patterson as she tried to trace the source of the mushrooms used in the deadly lunch. Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell also discuss the results of the lunch guests' autopsies and the defence's challenges to digital forensics officer, Shamen Fox Henry. If you've got questions about th...

As the fourth week of the trial comes to a close, we walk through all the key messages Erin sent to her Facebook friends, and how they fit into the timeline of events the prosecution has presented to the jury. Rachael Brown also joins Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell for our Friday Wrap, recapping the biggest moments of the week in court. Finally, we bring you a bonus length audience Q&A,...

Facebook messages Erin Patterson sent to friends reveal frustration and anger towards her estranged husband Simon, and two of her lunch guests, Don and Gail Patterson.   Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell break down more findings from digital forensics officer Shamen Fox Henry, as well as a council-led investigation into mushrooms sold at Asian grocers in south east Melbourne. If you've got ques...

Bing search results for the citizen science website iNaturalist were found on devices at the Patterson home, in evidence presented by the prosecution today. Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell recap the evidence from digital forensics officer, Dr Shamen Fox Henry, and answer more audience questions. If you've got questions about the case that you'd like Kristian and Stocky to answer in future epi...

Erin Patterson's defence team got to work today, casting doubt over evidence that places the accused near death cap mushroom sightings. In today's episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell talk through the defence’s strategy, explain some CCTV vision the jury was shown, and honour an uninvited visitor to the courtroom.  If you've got questions about the case that you’d like Kristian and Stocky...

Today was all about that base (station), as a mobile phone location data expert traced Erin Patterson's alleged movements in the months before the deadly beef Wellington lunch. The data showed Erin's phone connecting to base stations in Loch and Outtrim – locations where death cap mushrooms were said to be growing.  In this episode Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell explain the data analysis, in...

Three weeks into Erin Patterson's triple-murder trial, we review the key evidence the jury has heard, and the pressure they are under to absorb enormous volumes of expert evidence.  Investigative reporter Rachael Brown joins Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell for our weekly wrap, where she champions the trial’s “cool nerds” and explores what’s driving the growing public interest in the case.   I...

A juror has been dismissed, after reports he was discussing the trial with family and friends. As the day progressed, the remaining jurors heard evidence from a child protection worker who spoke with Erin about her estranged husband Simon, her parents in law, and why she chose to cook the beef Wellington recipe. In today's episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell also recap evidence from a to...

The jury for Erin Patterson's murder trial today saw CCTV footage of the moment she dumped her dehydrator, which the prosecution alleges she used to prepare death cap mushrooms. In this episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell also recap evidence about the wellington remains, and how the defence spent two hours interrogating a mushroom expert about the difficulty identifying death caps. If yo...

At the start of Erin Patterson's trial, the prosecution alleged she travelled to places death cap mushrooms had been spotted. Today, the man who posted some pictures of mushrooms in those areas online gave his evidence. Dr Tom May, a mushroom expert who uses the username "funkeytom" on the iNaturalist website, told the court how to identify death cap mushrooms. Doctors also gave evidence, explaini...

Erin Patterson’s trial has taken a break today, but the Mushroom Case Daily team hasn’t – we’ve prepared this special Q&A episode. Today, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell open up the Mushroom Case Daily mailbag and answer some of the hundreds of questions we’ve received, including the source of the mushrooms used in the lunch, the defence team’s strategy and whether Erin Patterson will tak...

The second week of Erin Patterson's murder trial has now finished. Friends, doctors and Erin's children have mapped the aftermath of the lunch. In this episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell discuss the Patterson children's evidence, wrap up the week's most memorable moments with investigative reporter Rachael Brown, and let some curious listeners in on a bit of podcast behind the scenes. I...

Today the jury heard evidence from Erin Patterson’s daughter, who was nine-years-old when she was interviewed by police.   In this episode Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell discuss what she said and how Erin reacted. They also break down what medical experts said about Erin’s condition in hospital, and the potential source of the deadly mushrooms.   If you’ve got questions about the case that y...

There were tears in the courtroom as children of the deceased lunch guests shared their stories. Plus, a Leongatha doctor described his attempts to convince Erin Patterson of the seriousness of her situation - and potentially her children’s conditions - after she presented to hospital complaining of diarrhoea.  In today’s episode, Kristian Silva and Stephen Stockwell also answer questions about th...