How Erin Patterson went from living a life of privilege after she inherited ... trends now
Wealthy mother-of-two Erin Patterson once led a life of privilege before her marriage collapsed and she allegedly served a fatal mushroom lunch.
The 49-year-old heiress, who owns a multimillion dollar property portfolio, was arrested at her rural property on Gibson Street in Leongatha, in Victoria's Gippsland region, 140km southeast of Melbourne, on Thursday morning.
Hours after the arrest she was still at the the smart two-storey home where she hosted an allegedly fatal lunch of Beef Wellington pie on July 29, while police with technology detection dogs examined her car and garage.
The trained accountant owns the house she built outright after an inheritance of cash and a stunning oceanfront property when her mother died four years ago.
Police and sniffer dogs swarmed over Erin Patterson's Leongatha home (above) on Thursday
Wealthy heiress and mother-of-two Erin Patterson was arrested three months after she cooked a Beef Wellington pie lunch which allegedly caused the deaths of three relatives
Ms Patterson's lunch allegedly contained one of the world's most toxic plants, Amanita phalloides.
The meal of the day, a fillet of beef, was allegedly covered in a paste of Death Cap mushrooms, rolled in flaky pastry and was served - according to Ms Patterson's own statement released in August - to guests 'allowed to choose their own plates'.
Six days later, Erin's ex-husband Simon's father Don Patterson, 70, died, and the following day Simon's mother Gail Patterson, 70, died, along with his aunt Heather Wilkinson, 66.
His uncle, Pastor Ian Wilkinson, who survived but may have undergone a liver transplant, was released from hospital on September 22.
Victoria Police have since stated the three deaths as confirmed poison mushroom fatalities, but have not revealed how the alleged victims consumed the toxins.
Erin Patterson's once calm life became chaotic as she was under siege by the media in the wake of three lunch guests' deaths at her Leongatha house
Died, survived, died, died: Erin Patterson's four lunch guests were her husband's aunt Heather Wilkinson (left), Pastor Ian Wilkinson, and her parents-in-law Don Patterson and Gail Patterson
In the months since all four fell ill, Erin Patterson - who says she took 'the last plate and ate a serve', but escaped any severe symptoms - has seen her previously orderly and comfortable life torn apart.
The former respected country newspaper editor and beneficiary of a reportedly sizeable fortune could no longer go out in public without being followed by media cameras, and complained she had been branded 'an evil witch'.
Erin Patterson grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley with her sister Ceinwen, and parents Heather and Eitan.
Her father was a government worker and her mother Dr Heather Scutter became a Monash University lecturer in 19th century adult literature and a renowned children's book critic and author of articles and reviews on children's literature.
Erin married Gippsland engineer and basketball coach Simon Patterson, and the couple had two children.
The Pattersons moved to Western Australia for a time and ran a book shop in a southwestern town before returning to country Victoria.
Erin married Simon Patterson (above) and they had two children together but their marriage fell apart, with heiress Erin an atheist and Simon reportedly 'deeply religious'
Erin Patterson inherited the stunning oceanfront property at Eden her parents had bought after leaving Victoria, her mother dying in 2019 and leaving the home to her two daughters
Erin took over the
