Tarot Spread: Ann Marie Burr

 

I have always been fifty-fifty on whether Ted Bundy took little Ann Marie. He lived close by and he seemed to have known her family, although how well he knew them is up for debate. But he was just fourteen years old when she went missing. As tragic as it is for a child to go missing, people do not wish to think about a child being murdered by another youngster.

The information below is piled from the Charley Project.

Ann Marie was last seen in her home in the 3000 block of north 14th Street in Tacoma, Washington on August 31, 1961. She shared her bedroom with her three-year-old sister, who had a broken arm at the time. In the middle of the night, Ann Marie brought her sister to their parents' room because the younger girl's cast was bothering her and she was crying. Their parents told them to go back to bed. Ann Marie has never been heard from again.

Ann Marie's mother got up at 5:30 a.m. and discovered her daughter was missing. The front door had been locked and chained the evening before, but Ann Marie's mother found it unlocked from the inside and open.

There was a small living room window they had kept open a few inches, and in the morning it was found opened wider, with a piece of red thread stuck in the jam. A garden bench had been taken from behind the house and put in front of the window.

A faint footprint was found outside the open window. It had been distorted by the previous night's heavy rainstorm, but authorities believe it was from a Keds sneaker, size 6 or 7. A small man or a teenager would have feet that size. A similar footprint was found in the back of the house by the basement window.

There was no sign of Ann Marie anywhere and no sign of a struggle in her bedroom. Her sister and her two brothers who slept in the basement had not been disturbed, but the family's dog had barked that night. Ann Marie's parents had heard it and assumed it was scared of the storm. Neighbors reported that in the days prior to Ann Marie's disappearance, they had seen someone in their yard, peering into their windows, but they couldn't describe the person.

1.       Queen of Pentacles, reversed. Narrow-minded, selfish, immoral, greedy, insecure, mistrust.

This first card indicates that Ann trusted someone and they betrayed her. While I do consider Bundy to be a strong suspect from what we know about him, I think of Robert Bruzas. It has not been confirmed how well Bundy knew Ann’s family, while Robert Bruzas lived just two doors down from the Burrs. Either way, Ann knew her killer. Something that sticks out to me is that the Queen of Pentacles covers the period between December 13^th and January 9^th, which includes Ann’s birthday.

 

2.       Ten of Cups, reversed. Discord at home, sorrow, disruptions to family life, a child leaving home.

This card could have referred to Ann’s abduction, but it might be talking about her life at home. She faced sorrow, which may have come from trusting the wrong person.

 

3.       Five of Wands. Unrest, unease, being challenged, a sham fight, brainstorming, problem solving, sexual arousal, young men hanging out together.

A rather troubling card for this reading. There may have been a fight. Perhaps the wool had been pulled from Ann’s eyes and she saw that the person she trusted was cruel. Or maybe she was tired and wanted to go home. Either way, she had become unhappy.

 

4.       The Empress. Fruitfulness, doubt, ignorance. Solving problems creatively. Mothers, homemakers.

Could the ignorance mean that her killer was overlooked, possibly during the initial search? Perhaps people did not want to believe that he was responsible. This could mean one of two things. That her killer was someone in her family or inner circle, or that he was quite young. Considering the suspects, I believe that it is a combination of the two. There is a forest depicted in the card, alongside a river.

 

5.       Page of Pentacles. A student or undergraduate, apprentice, school friend, youngster, projects involving research or study. A young male with dark hair and possibly brown eyes.

While I do not wish to be judgemental whenever I read the Tarot, all signs DEFINITELY seem to point to Bundy, especially as the fifth card represents what the Querent – Ann – is currently moving through. Remember that the Tarot is not limited by the boundaries of time, so ‘current’ or ‘present’ in this case mean what happened to her after she was kidnapped from her room.

 

6.       Six of Swords. Journey by water, route, way, relocation, successfully navigating a difficult period.

I wonder if this card – as the sixth card suggests the future – might mean that Ann will be found, despite the odds. I wonder if her body was thrown into the bay or some other body of water. There are also islands in the card, which make me think of the bay.

 

7.       Ten of Pentacles. Abundance, wealth, family stability, prosperity, treasures found, family loyalty. Historians, genealogists, home builders, homemakers.

I think that this card also shows promise when it comes to finding Ann. It seems as if people from the Tacoma area may decide to look back on what they know and try another direction. The ‘treasure’ that may be found could be Ann.

 

8.       High Priestess. Secrets, mystery, a future unrevealed, silence, wisdom, science, morality.

There is a ‘B’ and a ‘J’ on the two pillars either side of the High Priestess. I truly think that the evidence is piling up against Bundy. This card represents the environment around the Querent, so with the information gathered from the Page of Pentacles, I am confident in saying that Bundy was responsible. As this card indicates things that are not yet revealed, I think that advances in science might be able to identify Ann, if her body or partial remains have already been found, or help to detect her body.

 

9.       Ace of Cups. Joy, content, happiness, abundance, love in its purest sense.

The ninth card signifies the Querent’s hopes and fears. She must want her family to be able to feel joy again. She clearly loves them very much. The card shows water pouring out from a cup and into a body of water with lily pads. Maybe Ann is not in the bay at all, but in a pond or lake. A quick search on Google Maps shows that a pond in Wright Park, less than half an hours’ walk away from Ann’s house, has islands in the middle. Could it truly be possible that Ann or some other evidence is inside the lake? Now, I am not suggesting that we go out and drench the pond, but it is something to think about.

 

10.   Knight of Pentacles, reversed. Illness, stagnation, carelessness, missed or withdrawn opportunities, neglecting responsibilities, heavy handed.

I get the feeling from this card that some people think that it is not worth looking at this case and that her body can never be found. This is not the case. It is possible to find Ann’s body. Whether or not I am right and she is in the pond in Wright Park, I think that she can be brought home.