Erin Patterson's reign of terror behind bars: 'Conniving' mushroom killer is out of solitary and ruling Australia's toughest women's prison... and she has a special friend

By PAUL SHAPIRO, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 08:21, 12 May 2026 | Updated: 08:27, 12 May 2026 Erin Patterson is out of solitary confinement and running the joint inside Melbourne’s notorious Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, the Daily Mail can reveal. And she's not doing it alone: according to a well-placed legal source, the mushroom murderer has teamed up with another prisoner and together they are ruling over other inmates with an iron fist. Despite warnings she could spend years in solitary, Patterson - serving a minimum 33-year sentence for killing three family members with a death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellington - was recently released into the wider prison population. The former Leongatha housewife, who shed crocodile tears for TV news cameras, is now said to be a force to be reckoned with - calling the shots behind bars and wielding significant influence among prisoners with the help of a fellow inmate. The identity of the second inmate - and whether she is romantically linked to Patterson - remains unclear, but there is no shortage of notorious contenders inside Dame Phyllis Frost, where toxic relationships between inmates are common. The latest development in Patterson's prison life comes after she was handed a non-parole period to go with her three life imprisonment sentences in September. The triple-killer avoided life without the possibility of parole after her then-barrister Colin Mandy SC argued his client would endure harsher conditions inside Dame Phyllis Frost. Patterson was found guilty of the murders of Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson. Mushroom murderer Erin Patterson is out of solitary confinement and running the joint inside Melbourne ’s notorious Dame Phyllis Frost Centre  Melbourne 'meth queen' Tess Rowlatt (left) is housed in the same jail as Patterson. She is making moves to leave the prison in the next few months, and there is no suggestion she has partnered up with Patterson Judy Moran, once a feared matriarch of Melbourne's underbelly, is in jail with Patterson They died after consuming death cap mushrooms served in beef Wellingtons during lunch at her Leongatha home on July 29, 2023. Pastor Ian Wilkinson survived the lunch after being critically ill, with Patterson also convicted of his attempted murder. Justice Christopher Beale granted the non-parole period after Mr Mandy SC convinced him that Patterson would face a harder time behind bars locked in a 'management unit' for the foreseeable future. During the sentence hearing on September 8 last year, Justice Beale said there was a 'significant chance' that Patterson would spend several years in solitary confinement. 'You have effectively been held in solitary confinement for the last 15 months, and at the very least, there is a substantial chance that for your protection, you will continue to be held in solitary confinement for years to come,' Beale said. Patterson has been described as evil, intelligent, domineering and manipulative - all hallmarks of a potential jail-yard bigwig. A well-placed source told the Mail that Patterson is now exerting influence over other inmates, with her control-freak tendencies becoming increasingly evident. 'She's shrewd and conniving and has teamed up with a second inmate. They both now run the prison,' the source said. Patterson has been described as evil, intelligent, domineering and manipulative It's unknown who the second inmate is, but the list of lags capable of ruling alongside Patterson could include convicted paedophile Malka Leifer or even gangland matriarch Judy Moran, who may want to re-establish control from her sickbed. Melbourne 'meth queen' Tess Rowlatt - who pleaded guilty in March to trafficking drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime - is also housed at the prison, but she is making moves to the leave in the next few months. And given her middle-class background, Rowlatt is likely to steer clear of the internal politics of long‑term inmates. Patterson entered Victoria's toughest prison surrounded by hardened criminals whose same-sex relationships are said to play a role in determining the pecking order.  Ultra-Orthodox Jewish former school principal and convicted paedophile Malka Leifer is serving time alongside Patterson at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre Leifer had been in a jailhouse romance with Samantha Azzopardi, a conwoman known for impersonating schoolgirls Among them is Leifer, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish former school principal jailed for sexually abusing female students. Leifer had previously been in a jailhouse romance with Samantha Azzopardi, a conwoman known for impersonating schoolgirls. The pair's bizarre romance has made headlines of its own, with reports of note-passing, gift-giving and kissing in front of prison guards. Sources inside the prison say Leifer and Azzopardi became inseparable and their intense bond unsettled staff and inmates. 'It's not just about affection, there's manipulation, control, and status in these kinds of relationships,' a former inmate told the Daily Mail in July last year. 'Now Erin's in the mix, bringing a much different dynamic, so things may shift around.' With Azzopardi understood to have been released from prison, Patterson appears to have seized the top position. The Mail is told she was quick to assume control after she was let out of solitary.  In July, the Daily Mail's prison source predicted that Patterson's long sentence would unsettle the established order behind bars. Patterson is interviewed by a homicide detective during the 2023 investigation 'Unlike others in the unit, she's not loud, not brash, and certainly not remorseful,' they said. 'Some inmates will keep their distance, unnerved by her silence and the sheer notoriety of her crime. 'But others will be curious and even drawn to her, fascinated by her worldwide media attention. 'Erin's ability to play the long game could make her a force to be reckoned with, especially if she goes "gay for the stay" like so many others. She could team up with anyone really.' Patterson has appealed her convictions with the matter still pending. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Community Safety told the Mail: 'Corrections Victoria does not comment on individual prisoners or their placements.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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