The sole survivor of the mushroom murder case, Ian Wilkinson, opened up about his grief as he offered forgiveness to his wife's and relatives' murderer, Erin Patterson.
According to Sky News, Wilkson, the only surviving guest of a lunch that contained toxic death cap mushrooms, told the Australian court on Monday, August 25, that he felt “half alive” after the death of his wife and two closest friends.
He made these comments as he delivered the first victim impact statement at the beginning of the two-day sentencing hearing of Patterson in the Victoria State Supreme Court.
The Baptist pastor, while breaking down in tears, said, “It's a truly horrible thought to live with that somebody could decide to take her life. I only feel half alive without her. It's one of the distressing shortcomings of our society that so much attention is showered on those who do evil and so little on those who do good.”
“I encourage Erin to receive my offer of forgiveness for those harms done to me with full confession and repentance. I bear her no ill will. I am no longer Erin Patterson's victim, and she has become the victim of my kindness," he added.
Furthermore, 50-year-old Patterson was found guilty last month for her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson after serving them Beef Wellington containing toxic death cap mushrooms at lunch.
She was also convicted of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, who survived the poisoning.
