A poisonous lunch held by the estranged wife of a popular church member had been held in an effort to try and negotiate a reconciliation with him.
Sources have told Daily Mail Australia that Erin Patterson, 48, invited her estranged ex-husband Simon Patterson to their former family home for lunch with his parents Gail and Don Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her pastor husband Ian on Saturday, July 29 as part of a church mediation.
The revelation that Ms Patterson wanted to get back together with her estranged husband, who pulled out of the lunch at the last minute, comes amid reports the deadly dish she served up was a beef wellington pie.
Police continue to investigate Ms Patterson after Simon’s parents and Ms Wilkinson died from eating the deadly lunch at her Leongatha home, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, on July 29.
Mr Wilkinson – a Korumburra Baptist Church pastor – continues to cling to life in hospital.
Erin Patterson speaks to waiting media outside her home on Thursday
Simon Patterson was supposed to join his parents for the lunch that killed them
Gail and Don Patterson died after eating the mushrooms. Erin was previously married to their son, Simon
Those that died were all deeply involved with Korumburra Baptist Church (pictured)
A source close to Simon, who remains in hiding days after the tragedy, told Daily Mail Australia his mate had no interest in getting back together with the mother of his two children.
‘They went to her house for a mediation to talk to the family. Simon was supposed to go there for lunch but he pulled out in the last minute otherwise he would be in that death bed too,’ the friend said on Thursday.
‘The people who died, Gail, Don and the Wilkinsons, were talking to them because they’re heavily ingrained with the church and they wanted to make sure she was right to resume a relationship with Simon … she was basically petitioning to get back with him and the family didn’t think that was a good move.’
The friend claimed Ms Patterson was desperate to get back together with her estranged husband.
‘She wanted to get back with Simon and the family didn’t want Simon to get back with her,’ he said.
‘They basically didn’t think she was good enough for him in their eyes.
‘This wasn’t just a lunch, it was an intervention with the pastor as mediator. That’s why this lunch happened.’
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Ms Patterson is a wealthy real estate owner, who invested wisely after inheriting money she received from the death of her parents in 2019.
The above family tree shows the connections between the Pattersons and Wilkinsons embroiled in the unusual poisoning tragedy in Leongatha
Simon Patterson lived with his parents while recovering from a serious stomach problem
Her estranged husband continues to live in a Korumburra home listed as being owned by his ex-wife.
‘She’s got like four or five properties and pays for them all with cash. She doesn’t work. She just buys the houses with cash. She doesn’t have a mortgage. She’s cashed up. She’s not stupid,’ one source said.
Simon’s friend maintained his mate had not suspected his ex-wife had poisoned him after he fell ill from a mystery stomach complaint after the couple split.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Simon spent 21 days in intensive care after collapsing at his home in May 2022.
Several of Simon’s friends have told Daily Mail Australia he never once accused his ex-wife of foul play.
On Thursday, Ms Patterson lashed out at a waiting media pack, who she accused of making her a prisoner in her own home.
‘I’ve got tonnes of friends who want to help (me) but I’ve told them to stay away while all the vultures are here because they don’t want to be in the papers either,’ she said.
‘So I can’t get help from my friends who all want to come and help me but they’ll all be subjected to the crap so do I have to move out of my own home?’
Ms Patterson said she was travelling to Melbourne to speak with her lawyers.
Ian Wilkinson and Heather Wilkinson (both pictured) became severely ill after they ate wild mushrooms. Mrs Wilkinson died on Friday while her husband remains in a critical condition in hospital
Mourners continue to leave tributes outside the Korumburra Baptist Church for those that died
This notice was placed outside Korumburra Baptist Church
Police returned to a nearby rubbish tip to search for CCTV footage
She has denied any wrongdoing and no charges are expected to be laid at this stage of the investigation.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Ms Patterson was responsible for Simon’s illness or the three deaths.
Police say the symptoms experienced by the victims were consistent with consuming death cap mushrooms, which can cause kidney and liver failure.
Sole survivor Ian Wilkinson remained in a critical condition on Wednesday night awaiting a liver transplant.
Hours earlier police returned to a rubbish tip in Koonwarra to request CCTV footage after a dehydrator was found discarded at the site.
It was previously revealed detectives are investigating was whether a food dehydrator was used to prepare the meal and then disposed of a day after the lunch.
Police are believed to be carrying out forensic testing on the appliance.