Nearly two months after he ingested the deadly mushroom meal that killed three people, including his wife Heather, Pastor Ian Wilkinson has returned home from hospital in what his friends have dubbed
a “miracle” recovery.
The 68-year-old survived what is suspected to have been a poisonous beef Wellington dish served by Erin Patterson at her home in Leongatha, two hours east of Melbourne, on 29 July. Erin also survived the meal.
The dinner guests quickly became ill after ingesting the poisonous mushrooms. Victims (from left) Heather Wilkinson, Don Patterson and Gail Patterson all died from mushroom poisoning.
Ian was hospitalised in a critical condition, but his family says he has made “significant progress in his recovery”.
At a service at the Korumburra Baptist Church last week, the close-knit community gathered to celebrate Ian’s recovery.
But many locals have been left searching for answers.
“We’ve all got questions, but hopefully they’ll get answered,” church member Trevor Shaw says. “The truth will come out and then we’ll all be able to relax because then there’ll be some closure.”
Erin hosted the lunch as part of a “mediation” to discuss her relationship with her estranged husband.
The hunt for clues
Ian’s release from Melbourne’s Austin Hospital has renewed hopes he will be able to help police piece together what happened at the family lunch that killed Heather, 66, her sister Gail Patterson, 70, and brother-in-law Don, 70.
Police and doctors have confirmed the victims’ symptoms were consistent with being poisoned by death cap mushrooms.
A food dehydrator belonging to cook Erin, 48, was discovered by police at a local rubbish tip and is undergoing forensic testing.
In a letter to police, the mother-of-two said she was worried she’d lose custody of her children, whom she shares with her ex-husband Simon – the son of victims Gail and Don Patterson – and dumped the dehydrator.
When discussing the dehydrator with her children, Erin claims Simon asked her, “Is that what you used to poison them?”
Erin later stated that Simon had intended to attend the family lunch but pulled out at the last minute.
What went wrong?
Erin has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and has told police she bought the mushrooms at an Asian grocery store in Melbourne several months before the tragic incident.
The fatal lunch, which sparked headlines across the world, has also generated a slew of amateur sleuths, including a tradesman who discovered drawings on a wall in a Korumburra home previously owned by Erin.
In pictures taken by the tradie – who was tasked with painting the wall so the property could be sold – a section of text reads, “You don’t long to live 1 hour exactly… Your dead from my sword.”
The anonymous man claims that Erin had explained they were a series of drawings from the children.
“I’ve looked at it and gone, ‘Holy s**t, what the hell’s going on here?'” the tradie said.
While survivor Ian completes his recovery at home, plans are currently underway to honour his wife Heather in a public service in the small town on 4 October. No charges have been laid in relation to the ongoing police investigation.
