An Australian judge sentenced convicted killer Erin Patterson on Monday to life in prison with parole after 33 years for killing three people with toxic mushrooms, capping a trial that sparked a global media frenzy.
Patterson, 50, was convicted in July of triple murder for serving a poisonous meal to her estranged husband's parents, aunt and uncle during a sumptuous beef Wellington lunch at her home in 2023.
Her trial drew podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to a courthouse in the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in Victoria better known for its prize-winning roses.
Audiences from New York to New Delhi followed every twist of what many now simply call the "mushroom murders".
The motive of the murders remains a mystery.
Patterson was sentenced on Monday morning in Melbourne where Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale said she had inflicted "trauma" on her victims and their families.
"Your failure to exhibit any remorse pours salt into all the victims' wounds," he said.
"The gravity of your offending warrants the imposition of the maximum penalties for your crimes," he said.
He sentenced her to life in prison but said she would be eligible for parole after 33 years, when she will be 83 years old.
Her legal team had argued she should be given the chance of release after 30 years because the notoriety of her case would mean she will spend most of her prison sentence in isolation.
She now has 28 days to appeal both her convictions and her sentence.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Patterson wore a paisley shirt as the sentence was read out, with her hair tied back.
Speaking after the sentence was handed down, Pastor Ian Wilkinson -- the only guest to survive the toxic mushroom lunch -- thanked those who had supported the family in the aftermath of the murders.
"I'd like to encourage everybody to be kind to each other," he said.
"Please respect our privacy as we continue to grieve and heal," he added.
'Heavy burden of grief'
In July, a 12-person jury found Patterson guilty of murdering her husband Simon's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, as well as his aunt Heather Wilkinson, at her home in Leongatha, in the state of Victoria.
She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Ian, Heather's husband.
Simon had also been invited to the fateful lunch, but pulled out on the eve of the meal, texting his estranged wife that he felt "uncomfortable" attending.
At the time, Patterson's relationship with Simon had turned sour.
The pair -- long estranged but still legally married -- were fighting over Simon's child support contributions.
Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms, the world's most lethal fungus.
Death cap mushrooms are easily mistaken for other edible varieties and reportedly possess a sweet taste that belies their potent toxicity.
Friends and family of the victims last month told a court of the devastating impact of the crime.
Sole lunch survivor Wilkinson said he feels "half alive" without his wife.
"The silence in our home is a daily reminder," he said.
"I continue to carry a heavy burden of grief over her untimely death."
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