Simon Patterson’s estranged wife Erin Patterson was convicted of murdering three family members.
Erin Patterson is the subject of a new documentary on Netflix(Image: Getty)
Simon Patterson, the estranged husband of killer Erin Patterson, was absent from the fatal lunch that claimed the lives of three relatives.
A new Netflix documentary, Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders, examines the baffling poisoning case which resulted in Erin facing three murder charges and one attempted murder charge.
In April 2025, Erin was convicted of murdering her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, after serving them a deadly beef Wellington at her Victoria home in 2023.
Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, managed to survive the meal following his recovery from a coma.
Simon Patterson is the estranged husband of murderer Erin Patterson(Image: Getty)
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Simon had withdrawn from attending the lunch at the eleventh hour, partly because he suspected his wife had been ‘attempting to poison him for years’, the BBC reported.
A clear motive for the killings was never established, with Justice Beale stating to Erin: “Some murders occur for no reason, the motive for some murders may only be known to the offenders. Clearly, the jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the alleged offences. Only you know why you committed the murders, I will not be speculating about that matter.”
At Victoria’s Supreme Court, Erin received three consecutive life sentences plus 25 years imprisonment, ensuring she cannot be released for a minimum of 33 years, reports the Express.
Where is Simon Patterson now?
Simon Patterson said it will take ‘years’ to process what happened(Image: Getty)
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Despite the global media frenzy surrounding his estranged wife Erin Patterson, Simon Patterson has reportedly turned down numerous lucrative broadcasting offers. Instead, he’s chosen to launch his own media company to produce a podcast sharing his perspective on the notorious ‘mushroom murders’, according to News.com.au.
Simon is also said to be partnering with a publishing house to pen a memoir and e-book, which will feature transcripts from the podcast. A source told the news outlet: “He wants to be in control of the message, to have complete agency over it and make the edits himself.”
The engineer and father-of-two is set to team up with Jessica O’Donnell, a management consultant and crisis communications specialist, for the podcast. He’s reportedly been inundated with offers from media companies but remains “not motivated by money”.
During a pre-trial hearing in 2024, he expressed his motivation to share his story, citing the “local community is grieving” and acknowledging that it would take “years” to come to terms with the loss of his family members at the hands of his estranged wife.
The podcast is slated for a 10-episode run, with Simon purportedly planning for his new media venture to provide a platform for other crime victims. Given the immense global interest in the case, it’s suggested that his story could be worth up to a million dollars.
Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
