In July 2025, Erin Patterson was found guilty of murder in the Victoria’s Supreme Court following an 11-week trial. The case dominated headlines, with the media coining the term, mushroom murderer.
That phrase is now the title of a six-episode limited series coming to Paramount+ in 2027 with Emmy-nominated actor Melanie Lynskey has been cast to portray the triple murderer.
Mushroom Murders: There’s More to Unearth will begin with the 2023 murders, where Erin dished toxic death cap mushrooms in beef wellington which was fed to her estranged in-laws.
Served in Leongatha, Victoria, the meal was served to four relatives but killed three: her husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson. Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson survived the poisoning. Simon Patterson, Erin’s estranged husband, was also invited but decided to not attend the day before.
The series will conclude with her arrest – 96 days after the murder.
Following a two month trial, Erin was convicted after pleading not guilty. She told the court that the deadly mushrooms were accidentally included in the meals.
Melanie, a New Zealand actor beloved for her role on Yellowjackets, will be the executive producer and created by Anya Beyersdorf (Apple Cider Vinegar), Diana Reid (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Deb Balderstone (Dustfall).
The 49-year-old confessed she is “very excited” to take on the role at the Paramount+ and Ten upfronts. “It offers a compelling and unique perspective on the events that made headlines around the world. Because behind all those headlines, there’s still so much to unearth.”
But what more could this series possibly “unearth”?
Every second of the trial was covered by the media, and Mushroom Murders: There’s More to Unearth isn’t the first retelling. Two true crime documentaries have followed the triple murder case: Murder Down Under: Murder by Mushroom and Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders. Both deep dived into why Erin laced the meal with poisonous mushrooms and the trial.
Perhaps we will learn more about Erin. During the murder trial, we received murky insight into her and the connection to her victims.
Survivor Ian described Erin as a seemingly “normal,” someone who was friendly but distant with the couple. “I would say our relationship was friendly, amicable. It did not have much depth. We were more like acquaintances. We didn’t see a great deal of each other,” he told the court.
Lately, streaming giants have gravitated to dramatising true crime stories. Netflix has majorly benefited from its series, Monster, which popularly brought murderers Jefferey Dahmer, Lizzie Borden, Ed Gein and more to life. And to put a well-known face on the screen to portray the murderer could very well mean a hit series…
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