Good afternoon. A jury has found Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a deadly beef wellington lunch almost two years ago.
As the trial entered its 11th week, a Victorian supreme court jury convicted Patterson of murdering her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The 12-person jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital. No members of the Patterson or Wilkinson families were in court for the verdicts.
In a statement, Victoria police said: “Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them.”
As the verdicts were read out, Patterson looked ahead calmly and did not drop her gaze from the jury. A date for a sentencing hearing has yet to be set.
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