Three key questions surround magic mushroom poisoning at Soul Barn Health Retreat in Clunes, Victoria – as criminologist drops big bombshell

A leading criminologist has said there are three major lines of inquiry open to police after a woman died of suspected mushroom poisoning at a health retreat.

Rachael Dixon, 53, attended the Soul Barn Creative Wellbeing Center in Clunes, near Ballarat, Victoria, on Saturday night and became violently ill after she is believed to have crushed mushrooms and consumed them in a drink.

University of Newcastle criminologist Xanthe Mallett spoke on Channel 7’s Sunrise on Wednesday morning about the key questions facing investigators, including that the mushrooms could be the type known as magic mushrooms.

Professor Mallett said there are only three options the police will look at.

“Was this a horrific accident – so an accident – was this a case of suicide or was it something else, something more intense,” she said.

“I think we can probably rule out suicide quite early in that piece, but the police will of course see that as a potential. It must be done.’

The academic added: ‘We’re really looking at accident or intent … the police are looking at both of those until they have evidence to take them down one of those paths.’

Sunrise’s Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington pointed it out magic mushrooms are illegal to use in Australia and asked where the responsibility could lie in a situation like this.

“It really depends on who may have been scavenging those mushrooms,” Professor Mallett said.

‘They are likely to grow at this time of year. It is autumn.

“So it really depends on who picked them and who knew what was in those drinks.

‘The police are really going to have to unravel all that before they can look at guilt.’

The professor was also asked about comparisons with the Erin Patterson case, in which a woman was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Those charges stemmed from an incident where she allegedly poisoned a meal with mushrooms at a home in the same region of Victoria where the case involving Ms Dixon took place.

Prof Mallett said “some of the (same) toxicologists” may be involved in the latest case.

“They need to know exactly what was in the tea that supposedly contained magic mushrooms. There might be some other poisonous mushrooms in there, she said.

‘The likelihood of someone getting very sick or dying from magic mushrooms is very low, but they can be mistaken for other poisonous mushrooms.

‘So they will have to determine exactly which mushrooms were allegedly in that drink.

She said people picking their own mushrooms should be careful about which ones they pick at this time of year.

Along with Ms Dixon, who died, two others were also taken to hospital after allegedly consuming a drink with ‘disreputable’ ingredients during the ‘alternative health’ retreat.

The other two people were released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Police are expected to investigate whether the drink contained ‘magic’ mushrooms, which contain the hallucinogenic chemical psilocybin.

Mrs Dixon’s son Matthew paid tribute to his mum on social media on Sunday, writing: ‘To the most loving, most caring person I have ever known, I can’t thank you enough for everything you have ever done for me and all the support you gave me’.

‘Words cannot begin to describe how much I will miss you, wish I could give you one last hug.’

Detectives from the Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit are investigating Ms Dixon’s death and are set to interview those who were at the retreat at the time.

There is no indication that the poisoning was intentional.

Soul Barn’s Facebook page describes the center as an ‘Alternative & Holistic Health Service’ and was used to promote the skincare event.

“(The specialist) weaves ancient skincare rituals and combines them with modern techniques to create nurturing yet active facials,” it announced.

‘Using infused herbal oils from local farms and wild foraged plants, plus handcrafted skincare from around the world, specially selected for its potency and purity… This is a facial like no other, one you’ll never forget!’

A post on Sunday extended the company’s ‘deepest sympathies’, while stating that a ‘sound healing’ session that day would be canceled and those who booked would be refunded.