Family Tensions Revealed: Digital Evidence in the Erin Patterson Case

Digital evidence presented in court reveals alleged triple murderer Erin Patterson's frustrations with her in-laws months before the deadly mushroom meal. Facebook messages, photos of mushrooms on drying racks, and searches about terminal cancer paint a complex picture in this closely watched murder trial.

• Erin Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder
• Facebook messages show Ms Patterson expressing frustration about her in-laws and estranged husband Simon Patterson
• Ms Patterson allegedly wrote she was "sick of this shit" and wanted "nothing to do" with Simon's parents
• Messages detail disputes over child support and perceived favouritism towards Simon
• Digital forensic analyst testified about photos of mushrooms on drying racks and scales found on Ms Patterson's tablet
• Evidence extracted from a phone allegedly included internet searches about stage four cancer and brain lymphoma
• Defence maintains the poisonings were a terrible accident with no intention to harm

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Chapters

• 0:00 Podcast Introduction and Background
• 1:07 Facebook Messages Reveal Family Tensions
• 3:17 Patterson's Responses to In-Laws
• 6:20 Mushroom Photos and Cancer Searches
• 10:28 Closing and Support Options

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast. I'm Lisa and I've been tracking this case since 2023. Most weekdays we deliver detailed coverage of one of Australia's most closely watched legal dramas Erin Patterson's murder trial. Just a quick reminder now I just put out another edition of the newsletter and the people that got the newsletter got this story before the podcast people. It's just the way it works. So if you want to know what's happening right away, go to my mushroommurdertrialcom website and you can subscribe to the newsletter. Simple as that. And also make sure you subscribe to this podcast. That would be fantastic, thank you.

Speaker 1: 0:48

Now the case background just quickly. The defendant is Erin Trudy Patterson, age 50, of Leangatha in Victoria. Her charges are three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder and the plea is not guilty. So in court they heard Ms Patterson expressed her frustration about her in-laws in a group chat on Facebook. According to messages presented during the trial. In the correspondence Ms Patterson allegedly wrote quote this family, I swear to effing god. And stated she wanted quote, quote nothing to do close quote with her parents-in-law. The Supreme Court in Morwell heard the Facebook account under the name of Erin Erin Erin, one of three alleged aliases Miss Patterson reportedly used contained messages where she described being quote sick of this shit, and she used the phrase effem in relation to Simon's parents and, as we know, simon Patterson is her estranged husband. Now it's important to state here Miss Patterson's defence says the poisonings were a terrible accident and she had no intention of harming anyone.

Speaker 1: 2:08

So on Thursday we heard testimony from Sharman Fox Henry, a senior digital forensic analyst with Victoria Police. He told the court he had extracted data from a Samsung mobile phone seized from Ms Patterson's home on August 5, 2023. Amongst the recovered data were Facebook messages sent on the 6th of December 2022, again by Erin Erin Erin to a group that included at least four other participants Erin Erin to a group that included at least four other participants. The court heard their names were Danny Barkley, bronwyn Rupp and Joy Cause. Now I want you all to put a pin in that for now. Okay, moving right along In the messages Miss Patterson allegedly wrote on December 6, simon's dad contacted me this morning to say he and Gail had tried to talk to Simon about the matters I raised and to try to get quote.

Speaker 1: 3:11

He sighed, but he refused to talk about it other than to signal he disagreed with what I said. Beyond that, he wouldn't talk about it. Don said they can't adjudicate if they don't know both sides. Dot, dot, dot, this family, I swear to effing God. She continued. I said to him about 50 times yesterday that I didn't want them to adjudicate, and then there's a smiley emoji. Nobody, bloody, listens to me. At least I know they're a lost cause. I wonder if they've got any capacity for self-reflection at all. I mean, clearly, the fact that Simon refused to talk about personal issues in part stems from the behaviour of his parents and how they operate. According to them, they have never asked him what's going on with us, why I keep kicking him out, why his son hates him, etc. It's too awkward or uncomfortable or something. So that's his learned behaviour. Just don't talk about this shit.

Speaker 1: 4:15

Earlier in the trial, the court heard testimony from the Group chat participants Jenny Hay and Daniela Barkley. These Facebook messages also referenced earlier conversations on the encrypt messaging app Signal, which reportedly involved Aaron, simon and his parents. Those exchanges, according to Simon, were characterised by emotional and provocative language. Another message sent by Ms Patterson on the same day was quote Don rang me last night to say he thought there was a solution to all of this If Simon and I get together and try to talk and pray together and then there's a happy face emoji. Now I have to explain what happened in court yesterday, which was hilarious. They were discussing if they needed to explain what an emoji was and the judge just sort of cut in and he said words to the effect I don't think you need to explain an emoji. Anyway, this one here is a happy emoji. And then he also said Simon had indicated there was a solution to the financial issues if I withdraw the child support claim. My head nearly exploded and I was like what? And Dom goes. Oh sorry, just ignore what I said. I don't want to get involved. I'm so sick of this shit. I want nothing to do with them. I thought his parents would want to do the right thing, but it seems their concern about not wanting to be uncomfortable and not wanting to get involved in their son's personal matters are overriding that. So FM.

Speaker 1: 5:59

On the 7th of December, further messages were allegedly sent by Miss Patterson to the group of December. Further messages were allegedly sent by Miss Patterson to the group. In them she mentioned she had received messages from Simon and his parents but had chosen not to read them. Quote I don't want to hear it. Simon's will just be horrible, she wrote. She anticipated that Simon's message would be quote gaslighting and abusive and ruin my day, while expecting more quote weasel words from his parents. She also noted that Don and Gail might treat their daughter's spouse differently if he behaved as Simon did. At the same time, she suggested her estranged husband's apparent decision to disengage from financial obligations such as child support might ultimately be a quote blessing in disguise.

Speaker 1: 6:51

So anyway, I sent a group message to them all last night saying how Simon's behaviour is unconscionable. I got that, didn't I? Do I have to fine myself for stuffing that up? Unconscionable? That didn't I Do. I have to fine myself for stuffing that up Unconscionable. I think I've got it right. And asking me to withdraw the child support claim is wrong and disadvantages me and his children. And how dare he, etc.

Speaker 1: 7:15

One message read Simon's parents again say they don't want to take sides. But by their very action they have. And if their daughter came to them laying all the same complaints about her husband that I did about Simon, they would never say to her oh well, we can't believe you until we hear side right now. It's your word against his. No, they will just believe her. If their daughter's husband just walked away and refused to support her kids, they would have things to say to him. But by refusing to hold Simon to account, they've made it clear his word means more than mine. So that speaks volumes, even if they claim they haven't taken sides. In addition, she wrote they've had Simon fatigue every night for three months and never once picked up the phone to me since the separation and asked if I'm okay and need help. So that tells me their choices.

Speaker 1: 8:17

Simon wants to walk away from his responsibilities too. Well, that's his choice. Maybe it's easier if he's not involved in even paying their child's school fees. It means I can choose their school all by myself and I don't have to refer to him. If he wants them to go to a school, then he can help pay for it. If he doesn't want to help pay for it, I don't have to send them there, do I? So maybe it just means having more freedom about my choices. A blessing in disguise.

Speaker 1: 8:48

And then a message came through from Bronwyn, which said it reads in the body of the message will you still go to that church? And then Erin replied in the body of the text. I haven't been to church in months. The kids go with Simon every second Sunday and come to one with me in Leon Gaffer the other Sunday and then the next message reads, but it has nothing to do with it. Quote his mum was horrified I had claimed child support. Why isn't she horrified? Her son is such a deadbeat that I had no choice but to. So they were the messages that were extracted from the device.

Speaker 1: 9:32

The analyst, mr Fox Henry, also provided evidence about photographs discovered on a tablet seized by police which depicted mushrooms on drying racks and scales. He was also asked about a series of photos located on a tablet computer seized by police which showed mushrooms on the dehydrating racks or on scales and the details about two cancers. The screenshots included results of two internet searches seized from Ms Patterson's tablet. They suggested she was looking for information about stage four cancer, stage four slash A, ovarian cancer and brain lymphoma. The prosecution also asked the analyst about another Samsung phone, described in court as mobile phone B, which he said appeared to have been factory reset by the user after being seized by police.

Speaker 1: 10:28

So thank you so much for listening today. For more information, go to my website. Make sure you subscribe to the mushroommurdertrialcom newsletter Plus. I'm on all the socials and you'll see them there in the show notes. And if you feel like rewarding me for the I've decided to say now gazillion hours I've spent on this work, I have a Buy Me A Coffee membership which allows you to pay $5 as thanks and I get a coffee, and I would love that. Thank you. You know the best thing about this, though, paid or not, it's engaging with you guys and I'm getting people coming through now and that's always a great part of the podcast, which I really appreciate. But I'm an independent journalist so I'm not backed by a big media organisation, so I have to pay for everything myself. But for you, there's exclusive membership material on the site. So thanks again, have a fabulous day and I will speak to you soon. Bye.