Source : Perth Now news
Accused killer Erin Patterson’s movements in the months before serving a deadly mushroom lunch will be examined as a jury hears evidence about her phone records for a second day.
Digital forensic expert Matthew Sorrell is testifying in Patterson’s triple-murder trial and has told the jury her phone had pinged near death cap mushroom sites in May 2023.
It’s alleged she deliberately served her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms on July 29, 2023.
Heather’s husband Ian also ate the lunch but survived and Patterson has been charged with his attempted murder.
She has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and is on trial in the Victorian Supreme Court in Morwell.
Dr Sorrell said analysis of Patterson’s phone records showed she was in the vicinity of the Gippsland towns of Outtrim and Loch on May 22, 2023.
The jury was told a post was published on the iNaturalist science website on May 21, outlining that death cap mushrooms had been located on Neilson Street, Outtrim.
Another post on April 18 stated the poisonous mushrooms had been spotted earlier that day at the Loch recreation reserve.
Christine McKenzie, who made the April post, told the jury she removed all of the mushrooms because she was worried about the public’s safety.
In her evidence on Monday, Ms McKenzie confirmed she did not return to the reserve although there was a chance more death caps could have grown back.
Dr Sorrell told the jury the phone data supported the proposition that Patterson’s mobile was near Neilson Street and the Loch recreation reserve on May 22.
The digital forensics expert gave evidence for three hours on Monday but is yet to be questioned by Patterson’s lawyers.
His evidence before Justice Christopher Beale continues on Tuesday.
