A source close to the ex-husband of the suspect in the fatal Australian family lunch reportedly claims his former wife previously tried to poison him.
Erin Patterson, 48, hosted a family lunch with her former in-laws, Gail Patterson and Don Patterson, as well as Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, and her husband Ian, at her home in Victoria's Leongatha.
Tragically on Friday, Heather, 66 died in hospital. Her husband, 68-year-old Baptist Church pastor Ian Wilkinson, continues to fight for his life in hospital. Heather's sister Gail, 70, and brother-in-law Don, 70 also died in hospital.
A source close to the family, who has not been identified, spoke to the Herald Sun and said Erin's ex-husband, Simon Patterson, believed she tried to poison him through an "ingested toxin".
The Herald Sun reports the source close to the family claims "Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin".
"There were times he felt… a bit off and it often coincided when he spent time with her," the friend claimed.
The Herald Sun is not suggesting Erin did attempt to poison Simon, only that a source has made allegations to that effect.
The source told the Herald Sun Simon believed he ingested the poison through nightshade plants.
From the moment media first spoke to Erin, she maintained "I didn't do anything" to her whānau.
"I love them. I just can't fathom what has happened," she said.
"I can't believe that this has happened, and I'm so sorry that they have lost their lives."
From the outset, homicide squad detective inspector Dean Thomas described the case as "complex" and said it "could be very innocent".
Det Insp Thomas has previously said police are "presuming at this point" the mushrooms caused the deaths, and up until now have been unsure where they were sourced.
According to 7News Erin told police during her interview she purchased the mushrooms from a local shop in the Leongatha area. But it's reported there have been no recalls or warnings for locally-bought produce.
Erin told media on Tuesday the events that have unfolded are "devastating" and that she was grieving too.
On Wednesday, a friend of Simon claimed Simon was supposed to attend the fatal lunch too, but "pulled out last minute".
Simon had just recovered after months of rehabilitation from a mystery stomach illness that had him fighting for his life in hospital. He spent 21 days in intensive care after collapsing at his home in May 2022.
The friend of Simon's told the Daily Mail that Erin was wanting to retain the family home, which she had reportedly been living in with the couple's children since they split.
It's also been reported police are carrying out forensic testing on a dehydrator that was found at a nearby rubbish dump.
The Herald Sun reports one theory being investigated by police is whether a dehydrator was used to preserve the mushrooms - before it was binned the day after they were eaten.
