Australia's 'mushroom murderer' handed life in prison with parole
Patterson, 50, was convicted in July of triple murder for serving a poisonous meal to her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle during a sumptuous beef Wellington lunch at her home in 2023.
An Australian judge sentenced convicted killer Erin Patterson on Monday to life in prison with parole after 33 years for killing three people with toxic mushrooms, capping a trial that sparked a global media frenzy.
Patterson, 50, was convicted in July of triple murder for serving a poisonous meal to her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle during a sumptuous beef Wellington lunch at her home in 2023.
Her trial drew podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to a courthouse in the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in Victoria better known for its prize-winning roses.
Audiences from New York to New Delhi followed every twist of what many now simply call the "mushroom murders".
The motive of the murders remains a mystery.
Patterson was sentenced on Monday morning in Melbourne where Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale said she had inflicted "trauma" on her victims and their families.
"Your failure to exhibit any remorse pours salt into all the victims' wounds," he said.
"The gravity of your offending warrants the imposition of the maximum penalties for your crimes," he said.
He sentenced her to life in prison but said she would be eligible for parole after 33 years, when she will be 83 years old.
Her legal team had argued she should be given the chance of release after 30 years because the notoriety of her case would mean she will spend most of her prison sentence in isolation.
She now has 28 days to appeal both her convictions and her sentence.
