Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Patterson visited area with death cap mushrooms a day after expert spotted deadly fungi, phone records indicate

By STEPHEN GIBBS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 18:46 EDT, 18 May 2025 | Updated: 02:52 EDT, 19 May 2025

Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage of accused mushroom chef Erin Patterson‘s murder trial at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in Morwell, Victoria.

Phone records ‘indicate Erin Patterson’s movements’

Dr Sorell has given evidence supporting the Crown’s case that Patterson visited an area in South Gippsland where death cap mushrooms grew.

Prosecutors have told the court Patterson’s phone records suggested she visited Outtrim on May 22 and Loch on April 28 in 2023.

Fungi expert Tom May has previously told the court that sightings of death cap mushrooms were recorded in the Outtrim and Loch areas in May and April 2023 respectively.

The jury heard Dr May made an online posting about the mushrooms at Outtrim on May 21.

Dr Sorell said Patterson’s phone records for May 22, 2023 were consistent with Patterson travelling from Leongatha, where she lived, to Outtrim that morning.

Her phone handset appeared to be relatively stationary, based on its connection to Outtrim base station, from 11.24am to 11.49am.

After midday, the phone appeared to be stable in Leongatha.

Patterson may have visited second area where death caps grow, jury hears

Dr Sorell has given evidence of a ‘potential visit’ by Patterson to the town of Loch on April 28, 2023.

Dr Sorell also said phone records indicated Patterson might have travelled from Leongatha, where she lived, to Loch on May 22, 2023.

Fungi expert Tom May previously told the court that sightings of death cap mushrooms were recorded in the Loch area in April 2023.

Another witness, Christine McKenzie, said earlier on Monday she had spotted death cap mushrooms in the Loch area in the same month.

The court has adjourned for today and the trial will resume tomorrow.

Patterson’s phone records examined

Dr Sorell examined four and a half years of phone records for Patterson’s mobile number.

Dr Sorell said he was asked by police to analyse the call records of Patterson’s phone number between January 1, 2019 and August 3, 2023.

He said the handset connected to that number had changed several times over that period, but the same device was used between February 12, 2023 and early August 2023.

Dr Sorell had been asked to concentrate on any movements of Patterson’s phone between 8am and 10am on July 31, 2023.

Trial breaks for lunch

Patterson’s trial has been adjourned for the lunch break and will resume at 2.15pm.

Telecommunications expert Dr Matthew Sorell will resume giving evidence after lunch.

Telecommunications expert takes to the stand

A telecommunications expert is the latest witness to give evidence.

Dr Matthew Sorell (pictured below) is the principal of Digital Forensic Services Australia, an Adelaide-based private company which provides legal evidence on telecommunications to courts.

The court heard Dr Sorell had been involved in about 400 court cases across Australia, mostly for the prosecution.

Dr Sorell is explaining to the jury how he can determine the location from where phone calls have been made, in relation to mobile network base stations.

He has already mentioned base stations at Korumburra, Arawata, Holmes Hill and Loch South.

Death cap mushrooms could have been mistaken as edible, jury hears

Defence lawyer Sophie Stafford suggested Ms McKenzie removed the death caps because she feared someone would mistake them for edible mushrooms.

Ms McKenzie agreed. The jury heard even though she was concerned they could grow back, she did not return to the site.

Death caps removed from Loch

Ms McKenzie said she attempted to remove death cap mushrooms in the Victorian town, Loch.

The jury heard she was able to identify the mushrooms because of her training, and that she was keen to remove them for safety reasons.

Prosecutor Jane Warren asked if more mushrooms could have grown in the area. Ms McKenzie agreed.

Poisons expert on death cap mushrooms

Christine McKenzie (pictured below), a former senior poisons information specialist at the Victorian Poisons Information Centre, was the first witness to be called on.

She explained death cap mushrooms usually grow between March and May in Victora. Several factors have to be right, including the temperature and moisture.

Mushroom murder trial enters fourth week

Patterson will face her fourth week of a Supreme Court trial on Monday.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to killing her three lunch guests and the attempted murder of Pastor Ian Wilkinson – the lone survivor of the deadly lunch.

Erin Patterson should have experienced ‘adverse outcome’ from lunch

Erin Patterson claims she ate only half of a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms at her deadly lunch.

Patterson made the claim to hospital staff and a child protection officer in the days following the lunch that claimed the lives of her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.

The jury has already heard Gail Patterson ate just half of her pastie-sized beef Wellington, with her husband finishing off the rest.

Unlike Patterson, the portion was enough to make Gail violently ill within hours and eventually killed her.

On Friday, Dr Dimitri Gerostamoulos, head of forensic science at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, suggested Patterson’s portion should have caused an ‘adverse outcome’ for her.

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Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial LIVE updates: Patterson visited area with death cap mushrooms a day after expert spotted deadly fungi, phone records indicate