Erin Patterson's conviction for the deaths by poisoning of her estranged husband's relatives has prompted fevered speculation across Australia about her motive.

In what is being called Australia’s ’trial of the century’, Erin Patterson was found guilty of murdering her estranged husband’s parents and aunt by spiking their sumptuous lunch with death cap mushrooms in 2023.

An alleged murderer testifying as a witness in their own defence is a rare strategy and normally a last resort.