Imagine sitting down to a meal with friends and family, only to discover that the food is laced with deadly poison.
This is exactly what happened to four people who ate a meal prepared by Erin Patterson, who has just been found guilty of murdering three people with death cap mushrooms.
A Guilty Verdict After a Long and Dramatic Trial
The trial, which lasted over two months, ended with a guilty verdict on all charges. But what’s even more shocking is what happened to Patterson while she was awaiting trial in prison.
According to reports, she was accused of tampering with inmates’ food, which led to her being thrown into a notorious isolation cell known as the “slot”.
Life in the “Slot”
Patterson spent 22 hours a day isolated from other inmates while an internal investigation was carried out.
The investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, but the tension between Patterson and her fellow inmates was palpable.
One inmate allegedly fell sick after sharing a meal with Patterson, which sparked the accusations of food tampering.
A Web of Lies and Deceit
Patterson’s lawyers have denied any wrongdoing, but the evidence against her was overwhelming.
Prosecutors argued that Patterson knowingly sought out death cap mushrooms and included them in the lunch, intending to kill or seriously injure her guests.
Her defense team, on the other hand, claimed that she accidentally included the deadly mushrooms and acted poorly out of panic.
A Sentence of Life in Prison
Patterson now faces a sentence of life in prison, and will return to court for a pre-sentence hearing in August.
The jury’s guilty verdict brings an end to a dramatic and shocking trial that has captured the attention of people around the world.
The Fatal Lunch
The meal that Patterson prepared was a beef Wellington that contained death cap mushrooms.
Over 10 weeks, the court heard from more than 50 witnesses, including Patterson herself, who were grilled in the witness box.
The evidence painted a picture of a woman who was capable of carrying out a brutal and calculated crime.
What’s Next for Erin Patterson?
As Patterson awaits her sentence, the question on everyone’s mind is: what drove her to commit such a heinous crime? T
he answer may never be fully known, but one thing is certain: Erin Patterson will spend the rest of her life behind bars, paying for her crimes.