She Made Beef Wellington — with a Side of Poison? After 3 People Died, Police Say It Was No Accident

It was supposed to be a quiet family lunch. Instead, three guests ended up dead — and now, a woman stands accused of murder.

On July 29, 2023, Erin Patterson invited her ex-husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, over for lunch at her home in Leongatha, Australia. Also at the table were Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, and Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, 68, according to NBC News, which cites authorities.

During lunch, the family had Beef Wellington — but the dish would soon make headlines around the world, when it was discovered to have been laced with poisonous mushrooms, authorities alleged, per News.com.au. Don, Gail and Heather were hospitalized and died within days, while Ian recovered weeks later.

Now, Erin, 50, is facing multiple murder charges — and the allegations don’t stop there. Police say she also tried to kill her ex-husband, Simon Patterson, who had been invited to that fateful lunch but didn’t attend. According to the Associated Press, authorities allege she attempted to poison Simon on three separate occasions in 2021 and 2022.

According to a statement previously shared by Victoria Police, Erin has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

At the time, following the third death, Erin had denied wrongdoing, saying, per the AP: “I’m devastated. I loved them. I can’t believe that this has happened and I’m so sorry.”

Police said previously that they believe the victims ate Amanita phalloides — otherwise known as death cap — which are among the most lethal mushrooms for humans, per CBS News.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Authorities noted at a press conference in 2023 that two children were also at the lunch but did not become ill, per 9 News Australia. They believe the kids were given a different meal than the adults.

On April 15, Erin was seen for the first time since being charged, stepping into the Victorian Supreme Court for a pretrial hearing, according to News.com.au. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is expected to go on trial on April 28, the outlet reported.