At the bottom of a picturesque cemetery on the outskirts of their hometown, the graves of Erin Patterson’s alleged victims still lie unmarked, more than a year after their deaths.
Patterson will appear in the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday for the first of a series of preliminary hearings aimed at paving the way for her eventual jury trial next year.
The 49-year-old woman is charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of her father-in-law Don Patterson, mother-in-law Gail Patterson and relative Heather Wilkinson, who attended a luncheon at her home last July.
She is also accused of the attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon Patterson, who was invited to the same lunch but failed to show up, as well as two other alleged attempts in 2022 and another in 2021.
Patterson is also accused of the attempted murder of Reverend Ian Wilkinson, who was present at the lunch but survived after fighting for his life in hospital.
The final resting places of her alleged victims are located at the rear of the cemetery, among lush lawns and a stone’s throw from a pasture with cows.
While the bodies of Patterson’s in-laws Don and Gail Patterson were buried within a month of their deaths, Mrs. Wilkinson was not buried until October.
It is still unknown why no gravestones have been placed for the three, more than a year after their tragic deaths.
The lonely graveyards of Don and Gail Patterson (top left) and Heather Wilkinson (bottom center) on Monday
Erin Patterson is accused of killing her in-laws during a deadly luncheon in July 2023
Five weeks before Mrs Wilkinson’s funeral, a memorial service was held for the Pattersons. Hundreds of people attended the service at the Korumburra Recreation Centre.
A similar crowd attended Ms Wilkinson’s memorial service on October 4, where Mr Wilkinson was seen for the first time since the alleged attack on his life.
Simon Patterson
Mr Wilkinson walked into his wife’s funeral service with the aid of a walker, just weeks after being discharged from hospital.
Although he did not address the crowd at the time, he will be required to testify if called to the stand at Patterson’s trial.
On Monday, neither Mr Patterson nor Mr Wilkinson would discuss their scheduled appearances at upcoming preliminary hearings.
Warning signs at the gates of their homes in Korumburra, 120km southeast of Melbourne, threaten media representatives with prosecution for trespassing if they try to approach their properties.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges and will appear in court via video link on Wednesday.
The mother of two was living on a property set among bush and lush green fields in Leongatha, a short drive from Korumburra, at the time of the alleged murders.
On Monday, there was still a warning sign on the electronic gate of her house.
Erin Patterson’s once prestigious Leongatha home now appears overgrown
A legal notice remains tied to Erin Patterson’s front door with cables
Patterson’s alleged victims are buried in unmarked graves at Korumburra Cemetery
Although Patterson reportedly still owns the property, she no longer lives there and the property appears uninhabited, abandoned and overgrown.with long grass surrounding the property.
It was the same house where police accused Patterson of murdering her alleged victims with a beef Wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms.
Patterson’s first preliminary hearing is expected to conclude Monday. Additional hearings are scheduled for later this year, prior to next year’s trial.
The evidence from the hearings remains secret from the public, so potential jurors do not hear information that was not disclosed during the trial.
Don and Gail Patterson were both allegedly murdered by Erin Patterson
Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Mr Wilkinson survived the deadly lunch that took his wife’s life
The graves of Patterson’s alleged victims remain unmarked more than a year after their deaths
Korumburra General Cemetery is nestled among rolling green hills
The case gained worldwide attention when news broke in late July last year, with journalists from all over the world flocking to the case.
When the actual trial begins next year, the world press will have full access to the events. American documentary crews are also expected to appear in the press.
Patterson has always denied any wrongdoing and burst into tears when she broke her silence last year, just before she was arrested.
“The loss to the community and to the families and my own children who lost their grandmother… I just can’t fathom what has happened,” she said at the time.
“I feel so bad that they lost their lives. I just can’t believe it.”
