The sole survivor of the ill-fated Beef Wellington lunch has broken his silence a day after Erin Patterson was found guilty of murdering her ex-husband’s parents and aunt.
Patterson on Monday was found guilty of killing her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson at her Leongatha home almost two years ago.
The mother-of-two was also found guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson.
The local church pastor, who spent weeks in hospital recovering from the lunch that killed his wife and in-laws posted a message on a noticeboard outside the Korumburra Baptist Church on Tuesday.
‘Life can be hard, but God is faithful,’ part of the message read.
The message also requests privacy during this ‘difficult time’.
‘We all greatly miss Heather, Don and Gail, whether we were friends for a short time or over 20 years. They were very special people who loved God and lived to bless others,’ it continues.
‘It’s been a long journey, and we continue to lovingly support Ian, Simon and all the Wilkinson and Patterson family members through this difficult time.’
Mr Wilkinson attended almost every day of the 10-week trial until last week, when the jury retired to consider its verdict.
He wasn’t present at court when the jury delivered its verdict shortly after 2pm Monday, instead choosing to be with family and friends away from the limelight.
Mr Wilkinson was the second witness to front the jury and give evidence, after Patterson’s estranged husband Simon.
Seated in the witness box, Mr Wilkinson provided powerful and compelling evidence about not only how Patterson lured his family to lunch, but also how she went about killing them.
Mr Wilkinson claimed Patterson told lunch guests she had undertaken a diagnostic test that showed a spot on the scan that was a tumour.
He was challenged repeatedly on his evidence by Patterson’s defence team but never wavered from his original version of events.
More to come.