Episode 80

Spores of Suspicion: Murder Served Medium Rare | July 23, 2025 | 27:00

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A murderer blames a supermarket for her killer cuisine.

Hosts

Greg Caputo

Maria Raha

Jason Schell

Topics

• This week’s headline: Fox 5, Newnan, Georgia, Feb. 25, 2025

• Leongatha, Australia

• Erin Patterson

• Chris Webster

• Beef wellington

• Mushrooms

Additional Resources

• Al Saafin, Aziz. “Timeline: How the Australia Mushroom Poisoning Saga Unfolded,” 1 News. Nov. 2, 2023.  https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/11/02/timeline-how-the-australia-mushroom-poisoning-saga-unfolded/

• Bucci, Nino. “Erin Patterson no Longer Accused of Attempting to Kill Husband as Mushroom Murders Trial Begins,” The Guardian. April 29, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/29/erin-patterson-alleged-mushroom-murders-trial-begins-australia-ntwnfb

• Dunstan, Joseph, and Boaz, Judd. “Accused Murderer Erin Patterson Fed Children Beef Wellington Lunch Leftovers Despite Illness, Court Told,” Australian Broadcasting Corp. June 11, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-11/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-death-cap-asian-grocer/105403086

• Cassidy, Caitlin. “Erin Patterson’s Hospital Visit — and what the Beef Wellingtons Really Looked Like: Mushroom Murder Exhibits Revealed,” The Guardian. July 7, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/07/erin-patterson-hospital-visit-beef-wellingtons-mushroom-exhibits-revealed-ntwnfb

• Eds. “Police Charge Erin Patterson with Murder over Deadly Leongatha Mushroom Lunch,” Australian Broadcasting Corp. Nov. 2, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-02/police-charge-erin-patterson-mushroom-poisoning-deaths/103056694

• Eds. “The Final Word: Closing Arguments in the Erin Patterson Case,” Hayton Kosky. June 14, 2025. https://haytonkosky.com.au/the-final-word-closing-arguments-in-the-erin-patterson-case/

• Hancock, Sam, and Wertheimer, Tiffany, eds; Turnbull, Tiffanie, and Khalil, Shaimaa, reporting. “Erin Patterson Found Guilty of Murdering Relatives with Toxic Mushroom Lunch,” BBC. July 7, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cm26eq093myt

• Juanola, Marta Pascual. “‘Do I Have to Keep Suffering Through This?’ The Moment Erin Patterson Lost her Cool in Court,” The Age. July 8, 2025. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/do-i-have-to-keep-suffering-through-this-the-moment-erin-patterson-lost-her-cool-in-court-20250519-p5m0e4.html

• Juanola, Marta Pascual, and Pearson, Erin. “Doctor’s Death Cap Poisoning Warning Played to Jury after Son, Daughters of Guests at Fatal Beef Wellington Lunch Testify: Trial Day Seven, as it Happened,” The Sydney Morning Herald. May 7, 2025. https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/erin-patterson-trial-live-updates-more-witnesses-appear-before-jury-in-trial-of-mushroom-cook-20250507-p5lx8f.html?post=p58mle&gb=1

• Kinsella, Elise. “Who is Erin Patterson, the Host of Australia's Infamous Mushroom Lunch?” Australian Broadcasting Corp. July 7, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-08/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-air-traffic-controller/105464254

• Kolovos, Benita, and Bucci, Nino. “Two Years Ago, Erin Patterson’s Lunch Guests were Admitted to Hospital. This Week She Became a Convicted Murderer,” The Guardian. July 11, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/12/erin-patterson-australia-mushroom-trial-convicted-murderer-ntwnfb

• Ritchie, Hannah, and Atkinson, Simon. “Suspected Mushroom Poisoning: Erin Patterson Faces Australian Court on Murder Charges,” BBC. Nov. 3, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67305278

• Turnbull, Tiffanie. “‘You Did It: How Doctor Realized Mushroom Cook was a Killer,” BBC. July 9, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74zwevy181o

• Turnbull, Tiffanie; Watson, Kathy; and Atkinson, Simon. “Toxic Mushroom Meal was ‘Terrible Accident,’ says Woman on Trial for Murder,” BBC. April 30, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgqjny1296o