Mushroom murder-accused cook Erin Patterson is accused of making four attempts on her ex-husband’s life, court documents reveal.
Erin Patterson, 49, made a brief appearance in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning after a police raid at her home on Thursday led to charges in an alleged poisoning case.
She has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Charge sheets released to the media by Magistrate Tim Walsh indicate police allege Ms Patterson attempted to kill her ex-husband Simon Patterson, 48, four times between 2021 and this year.
Three alleged attempts occurred between November 16 and 17, 2021, May 25 and 27, 2022, and September 9 last year.
The fourth alleged attempt is said to have occurred on July 29, when his parents, aunt and her husband fell ill after eating a meal at her Leongatha home.
Simon Patterson was expected to attend the lunch, hosted as part of a church mediation process for their relationship, but pulled out last minute.
His parents, Gail and Don Patterson, both 70, and aunt, Heather Wilkinson, 66, died in hospital days after the alleged poisoning.
Mrs Wilkinson’s husband, Ian, a 69-year-old Korumburra pastor spent seven weeks in hospital following the lunch in a critical condition — With Ms Patterson accused of his attempted murder.
Ms Patterson has repeatedly denied responsibility for the deaths.
At a memorial service for his parents on August 31, Simon Patterson described his parents as “very much a team, working at life together”.
“The fact they died on consecutive days is fitting in some ways as it reflects the togetherness as a couple that they always worked so hard to grow,” he said.
“Mum’s final message in our group chat, as she lay in Dandenong hospital, was ‘lots of love to you all’”.
In August, Ms Patterson claimed to reporters she was also admitted to hospital after the lunch with bad stomach pains.
In a statement to police she wrote: “I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones”.
“I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved.”
Ms Patterson has steadfastly denied responsibility for the deaths.
“I lost my parents-in-law, my children lost their grandparents,’’ she told The Australian on August 16.
“And I’ve been painted as an evil witch. And the media is making it impossible for me to live in this town. I can’t have friends over.”
She was remanded into custody on Friday and will return to court in May next year.