Tarot Spread: Rita Jolly

Rita left her residence on Horton Road in West Linn, Oregon at 7:15 p.m. on June 29, 1973 to go for a walk. She never returned. She was last seen between 8:30 and 9:00 p.m. that day, walking uphill on Sunset Avenue. Rita has never been heard from again.

Rita may have been a victim of the serial killer Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy. A photograph of Bundy is posted with this case summary. He was executed in Florida in 1989. He is a suspect in scores of murders, mainly from the Pacific Northwest, though he was convicted only of killing three females in Florida. He confessed to many deaths prior to his execution.

Bundy may be responsible for the disappearances of Nancy Baird, Ann Marie Burr, Lynette Culver, Julie Cunningham, Susan Curtis, Georgeann Hawkins, Vicki Hollar, Donna Manson, Denise Oliverson, Nancy Wilcox, and many other girls and young women.

The women continue to be listed as missing persons. Their remains have never been recovered. It is worth noting that Bundy did not confess to Rita's murder before his death, but he is considered a suspect in many deaths and disappearances he did not claim responsibility for.

Rita's disappearance remains unsolved, as her body was not found and Bundy was never charged or confessed to her murder. Foul play is suspected in her case. She was a junior at West Linn High School in 1973.

I have been interested in Rita for a long time. I found that people still seem to think that Bundy is responsible despite the fact that he had an alibi that day (I will provide a link below).

It is not just Bundy whom people like to point a finger at. Warren Leslie Forrest was also active in Washington and Oregon at the same time. Unlike Bundy, Forrest is still alive as of this publication. I would like it if he was questioned on Rita's disappearance - if he has not been questioned already - but as you will see in this reading, perhaps Rita's fate lies closer to home.

1.       Eight of Swords, reversed. Being released from obligations, taking steps to empowerment, obstacles clearing, fatality.

This could be a sign that Rita met with death. This is not surprising, considering who the main suspects are, but I cannot say for certain if this necessarily means death.

 

2.       Nine of Swords, reversed. Prolonged anxiety, going over old ground, not finding the solution, mental exhaustion, seeing an end to despair. It could mean imprisonment or reasonable fear.

Could this possibly mean that Rita was alive for a time after she was last seen?

It might also link to the search for her. The second card refers to obstacles that the Querent – in this case Rita – comes across, but it might connect to law enforcement. They possibly latched onto the idea that Bundy killed her and refused to let go of this possibility. The idea of ‘going over old ground’ could literally mean examining a place that was previously searched, or looking back at other suspects.

 

3.       The Hanged Man, reversed. In limbo, being narrow-minded, not seeing from all sides, not letting go, having false motives, holding back. Freedom fighters, humanitarians, eco warriors and protesters.

The idea of protesters makes me think of the Vietnam War, although Rita’s case may have nothing to do with it. Did she know anyone who took part in a protest? This card represents the Querent’s past, but I cannot find anything online that may suggest that she was involved in any protests.

The idea of false motives, however, makes me wonder about someone tricking her. Someone that she thought that she could trust. It might NOT have been Bundy, though; since this card links to the past, she may have been hurt by someone in her past, or someone that she knew lured her away.

 

4.       Seven of Pentacles. Delays in payment, long term returns, slow but steady growth, not working as hard as you could, working for nothing, little reward for a lot of effort. Farmers, long term investors, garden centre workers, tree surgeons.

The fourth card indicates the future. In the case of a reading for a missing person, the future refers to the time after they were last seen. Pentacles relate to money, so this makes me think that money was involved somehow. Did Rita owe someone money?

The idea of ‘little reward’ and ‘working for nothing’ makes me think that for forty-five years law enforcement has been barking up the wrong tree. A quick look at Bundy’s timeline shows that he was in Seattle on the day that Rita went missing. The exact timing is unknown, but I do not believe that he was in Oregon at all on that date.

 

5.       Eight of Pentacles. Being cautious, foresight, careful with money, learning, education, a period of study, working hard, attention to detail, meeting deadlines. Factory workers, the self-employed, mature students, tradesmen, skilled workers, craftsmen.

Could Rita be the ‘mature student’ described here? Is she the one who is ‘careful with money’? How does money fit into her disappearance?

Regardless, I think that the person responsible for her disappearance could fit into one of the jobs listed above. The fifth card symbolises the best that the Querent can hope for. The idea of money worries comes up again in regards to this.

This card also represents the Sun in Virgo, which it certainly was on the day that she went missing.

 

6.       Eight of Cups, reversed. Questioning your decision to leave, not being able to move on, fear of the unknown, clinging to the past. Backpackers, travellers, night shift workers, solitary workers, groundsmen and maintenance workers.

Rita had to ‘leave her life behind’. Whether or not she chose to, however, is another question. Something that interests me is the idea of groundsmen and maintenance workers. Warren Forrest worked for a Parks and Recreation department. Could this be a factor?

Since the Eight of Cups when standing upright shows a figure making his way towards the mountains, when this card is in reverse I believe that it means that the Querent went AWAY from the mountains. Since the mountain range was to the east of West Linn, I think that Rita went westwards.

 

7.       Two of Pentacles, reversed. An imbalance between work and home, not coping with work, discord, resisting change, incomplete projects, buckling under pressure. Injustice.

Was Rita also struggling at school? I believe that school had just ended on June 29^th, so it does make me wonder if she believed that she hadn’t done as well as she expected.

However, the idea of resisting change or an incomplete project again makes me think about how rigid investigators seemed concerning whether or not Bundy was responsible. All of the cards so far heavily imply that he was NOT involved in Rita’s disappearance, as well as the fact that he seems to have an alibi for that date.

But the idea of ‘injustice’ infuriates me. I think that the police were so focused on Bundy that they missed the real culprit, who may have been right in front of them! Most crimes are committed by someone the victim knows, after all.

 

8.       Seven of Swords, reversed. Being caught out, ashamed of your actions. Blaming others, making excuses, walking away at a crucial point, uncovering a sham. Private investigators, researchers, burglars.

Compared to the last card, this one is somewhat favourable, especially since the eighth card signifies the Querent’s hopes and fears. Rita, wherever she is, must either be scared that those looking for her are making excuses – and may even have been diverted from the real culprit when Bundy was caught – or hopes that her case will be reopened and as such the culprit will be named.

 

9.       Five of Swords, reversed. An attempt at disruption, petty arguments, attention-seeking behaviour, malicious gossip, paranoia, intimidation, manipulation, humiliation.

The Five of Swords depicts three people on a beach. One of them is carrying two swords, while three others lie on the sand. I may have been right in thinking that Rita was taken westward. Perhaps she is near a beach, or even underneath one.

 

10.   Two of Wands. Being in control, dynamism, gaining control, dominating another or a situation, seeing the big picture, wanting more, not satisfied with your lot, focusing on your intent. Business partners, office workers and planners, travel agents and hotel inspectors, hoarders and collectors, silent partners.

The last card not only represents the outcome of a situation, but is the most important card in a reading. I wonder if this particular card represents the person responsible for Rita’s disappearance. He – or even she – may not have been satisfied with whatever happened to Rita. They chose to dominate her, whether before or after her abduction. Even after they were finished with Rita, they wanted more. This is a very sad card to end a complex reading.

In conclusion, I think that Rita might have been taken by someone she knew. Perhaps it was someone she owed money to, or someone she knew owed them money. It could have been someone that she met at school. Either way, I think that it ended tragically and one of the reasons that the culprit may have been able to get away for so long is because people – particularly law enforcement – chose to put all of their resources into questioning Bundy.

People chose to focus on serial killers because they do not like the idea of someone from their own community being responsible for a horrific crime.

http://web.archive.org/web/20200707115440/https://web.archive.org/web/20060621144017/http://tedbundy.com/errata/freebies/Ted%20Bundy%20Multiagency%20Investigative%20Team%20Report%201992%20from%20tedbundy.com.pdf

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.

Tarot Spread: Patricia Lynn Taylor

 

 

Patricia's case is interesting to me because she may have started off as a runaway, but could easily have become something else. The information below is piled from the Charley Project.

Patricia was born in California. Some time later, due to problems at home, she went to live with relatives in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Six months later, she was taken to Oklahoma and placed in the care of Oklahoma's Department of Human Services (DHS).

Initially she stayed at the Oklahoma Baptist Home for Children's Owasso campus. She was transferred to the Tulsa Girls Group Home in July 1981. Patricia was last seen on August 31, 1981. Authorities classified her as a runaway.

Patricia left behind a large family, including at least five half-siblings. The Oklahoma DHS closed her case when she turned eighteen, but in 2015, after over 30 years without hearing from Patricia, her family asked the police to open a missing persons case for her.

Why did people chose to close missing children's ages when they passed their eighteen birthdays? Or decide to go for years, even decades, without opening up the case again? True, the latter instance may be due to people mistakenly believing that the police would follow procedure or that someone else had reported their loved one missing, but it still baffles me.

 

1.                   Four of Pentacles, reversed. Greed, isolating yourself, loving your savings or possessions, unstable foundations, feeling insecure.

As Patricia was in foster care when she went missing, this card does not surprise me in the very least. She may have felt angry at the world. Did she lose any important possessions while in foster care?

 

2.                   Ten of Swords. Ruin, a sudden ending, grief, a negative outcome, falling just before the finish line, being stabbed in the back.

Was Patricia betrayed in some way by the people who were supposed to be looking after her? I am not referring to physical or sexual assault, but rather neglect or lies being told. For once in these readings I think the obstacles card does not connect to an abductor, but the position Patricia found herself in. How miserable was she? Did she really run away, at least at first? Whatever caused her to abscond she was a very unhappy young woman.

 

3.                   Ten of Cups. Fulfilment, satisfaction, a happy family unit, your dream becoming reality, stability in personal relationships, a move to the country.

This card shows four happy figures, two parents and two children, underneath a rainbow. You do not have to be a psychic to work out that this meant that Patricia wanted to be part of a happy family. From what I have heard she had at least five half-siblings. She was being pushed around from foster home to foster home and although I do not know the reason why, she was clearly miserable. The third card signifies what the Querent – Patricia – wants but is not theirs at present.

 

4.                   King of Cups, reversed. Petty, spiteful, a weak man, lazy, sometimes violent and possibly abuses alcohol and/or drugs.

I wonder if this man might have been in a position of power at the place Patricia was living in. Could this have been the man that let Patricia down in some way? He is possibly older, most likely over forty at the time.

 

5.                   High Priestess. Mystery, intuition, emotional stability, things yet to be revealed, a single woman, a chaste woman, information withheld, secrets, not trusting your intuition, being lied to, led astray, immorality. Teachers, mentors, nuns, librarians, spa workers, mediators, educators.

I wondered for a moment if this card represented Patricia. The fifth card symbolises what the Querent is moving away from. However, this could mean the situation in 1981 or even things yet to be revealed that occurred AFTER she was last seen. Those over the age of 14 are usually represented by Pages, but I wonder if this card in fact means Patricia had a secret of some sort. Was she being led astray at outside influences? A ‘B’ and a ‘J’ might come up somewhere.

 

6.                   Queen of Wands. An energetic and lively woman, creative, self-confident, ambitious and determined, expressive, enjoys socialising.

This card is the complete opposite of what Patricia was going through. This card might refer to embarking on a period of self-discovery or learning to be more daring and bold. Somewhere along the line Patricia learnt to be brave in some capacity. Queens often refer to a woman over the age of eighteen years and when describing people the Wands depict people with red hair and those with Fire Signs (Patricia is a Sagittarius). Could this mean that Patricia lived long enough after she was last seen to become a legal adult? The sixth card represents the future, so is it entirely possible? Anita Drake and Crystal Haag were both teenagers when they disappeared, but were found to have survived for YEARS after they were last seen (Anita was dead by the time she was identified, but had died of cancer after almost thirty years). Patricia may not be dead, although I will speak about this.

 

7.                   The Devil, reversed. Breaking free from unhealthy relationships, becoming less sexual, freedom from restraints and starting a new life. It might refer to prison guards, interrogators, smugglers or house thieves.

The seventh card might mean that Patricia chose to leave the foster home of her own free will. Something fascinating is that the number associated with this card is 15, the age Patricia was when she was last seen.

 

8.                   King of Swords, reversed. Dictatorial, domineering, suspicious, a liar, spineless, coward, arrogant, impatient.

However, things were not as rosy as Patricia expected after she left the foster home. This card represents the environment around a person. This might link to a current environment as opposed to a previous one. She may have met someone – most likely a male with grey or fair hair or a light complexion and possibly in his forties or older – who might have taken advantage of her. Due to being in tough living conditions at the foster homes, I do not believe Patricia would have fallen for tricks, but that is my own opinion.

 

9.                   Fool, reversed. Folly, stupidity, lack of direction, poor judgement, being gullible, naivety, blocks, restrictions.

It seems as if I was wrong. Patricia MIGHT have been taken in by this person’s charm or his lies. Maybe he offered her a lift back to her family. This card can refer to a traveller or a wanderer or even pleasure seekers.

 

10.                Chariot. Drive, willpower, ambition, victory, confidence, overcoming obstacles, mastering a skill, energy.

From what I have seen in the previous cards, this one may have two different interpretations. The first is that Patricia was able to overcome her misery and begin a new life. The second is that she entered – willing or unwillingly – a physical vehicle, probably driven by the person represented by the King of Swords, which might have sent her towards a tragic end. This does not mean, of course, that she entered a vehicle and was not killed, but considering the dangers of hitchhiking I tend to lean towards darker outcomes when it comes to this activity. There are tall buildings in the background of the card, which makes me think that she might be near a city or somewhere with tall buildings.

There is one more factor that I would like to address and that is if Patricia has sadly passed on, where could she possibly be? Has she been found and is still unidentified?

Some time ago I came across a picture of an unidentified girl whose body was found in Campbell County, Tennessee in 1985. She is suspected to have been a victim of the Redhead Murders (I talked about this at length in Nancy Baird’s reading). She was aged between 9 and 15 when she died, between 1981 and 1985 (remember that the deceased was skeletal and had therefore died some time before discovery, as well as the fact that she was found more than 35 years ago). I believe that the latest reconstruction by the NCMEC resembles Patricia.

If someone out there reading this knows Patricia’s family then I would recommend that you tell them about this unidentified young lady, if they do not know already. It may help to bring some closure.

https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/1577

Tarot Spread: Lauren Maria Pico Jackson

This little girl has been missing for over thirty years and yet there seems to be very little about her online.

The information below is piled from the Charley Project.

Lauren was last seen digging in the dirt with other children near her mother's apartment complex in Spring City, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1988. When her mother, Christina O'Donnell, went to check on her later, she was gone. One of Lauren's playmates said he saw her walking towards her home; she was about 100 feet away from her front door at the time. She has never been heard from again. An extensive search of the area turned up no clues as to her whereabouts.

O'Donnell and the child's father, Michael "Mickey" Jackson, shared custody of her at the time of her disappearance and he lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had planned to seek full custody of Lauren because he was concerned about the living conditions in her mother's home. Michael described O'Donnell's neighborhood as a haven for drug activity. O'Donnell herself was arrested on drug charges prior to Lauren's disappearance, and she later admitted she had a substance abuse problem.

Tracker dogs traced Lauren's scent away from her mother's apartment, along Park Road to Route 724 and along there to the Vincent Motel, nearly a mile from the apartment complex, before the dogs lost the trail. Due to the lack of evidence in Lauren's case, investigators believe she was most likely abducted. Her case remains unsolved.

I have a personal suspect in mind, although where exactly he was and when seems to be a bit spotty.

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/vicap/homicides-and-sexual-assaults/richard-william-davis

Richard William Davis murdered Siobhan McGuinness in 1974. He was only connected to the crime in 2020, six years after he died. He had links to Pennsylvania, but no matter how far I have searched, I cannot work out where. However, he is not the only child murderer with links to Pennsylvania. Lauren might very well have been taken by someone else and could still be alive. We must never give up hope.

1.       The Moon, reversed. Secrets being revealed, deceptions are seen, insomnia and unusual sleeping patterns. Irrational thoughts and behaviours.

Was Lauren or her mother suffering from insomnia when she went missing? The Moon also links to the number 18 and the element of water. Could there be a link to the Schuylkill River?

 

2.       Knight of Swords. Active, energetic, sudden changes. A soldier, lawyer, negotiator, surgeon, hairdresser or graduate.

This card symbolises Lauren’s obstacles. She was taken from her home suddenly, that is for certain, but perhaps this card might describe her kidnapper. He was most likely over the age of forty, or someone who could be considered a stern leader. He may have been the head of his family or household, if he had one. His hair may be black or dyed. Kings and Queens also tend to mean people who are married.

 

3.       Queen of Wands. A mother, flirty, dynamic, creative, open-minded or a femme fatale. A businesswoman, counsellor, manager, performer or executive.

A woman might have been involved in Lauren’s disappearance. She could be an energetic and lively woman, or perhaps a tough businesswoman. But whoever she was, this does not sound at all like Lauren’s mother. A cat is featured on the card at the feet of the Queen, with more cats decorated on her throne. Maybe cats are a bit part of this woman’s life, or maybe she is named Cat or Catherine. Something important is that this card represents the best that the Querent – in this case Lauren – can arrive at.

 

4.       King of Cups, reversed. Petty, spiteful, lacking in commitment, a weak man or philanderer, betrayal, laziness and sometimes violent. A negotiator, veterinarian, doctor, judge or bar owner.

The idea of a veterinarian makes me think again about the possible connection to cats. This card shows a large body of water, but as Lauren was last seen in Pennsylvania, I wonder what this might mean. Perhaps she was taken east or even north to the Great Lakes. The search dogs followed her scent to a motel north of her apartment complex. Her abductor could have been going to, or even lived, close to the Great Lakes. This man might be violent at home, but appear kind to the outside world.

 

5.       Five of Pentacles. Material loss, worries, setbacks, desolation, feeling isolated, losing your home, financial hardship.

The fifth card represents what the Querent is moving through. Lauren was definitely taken from her home and would have been worried and perhaps even physically isolated. The card depicts two figures walking by a church, oblivious to the fact that warmth and even happiness might be inside. Lauren could have believed that there was no hope for her. This is quite an upsetting card, as the meaning that this particular card illustrates means that I am unsure if this even means if she is dead or alive.

 

6.       Six of Wands, reversed. Self-doubts, loss of confidence, delayed success, being ostracized.

This card signifies the Querent’s future. Lauren may at present – whether she is dead or alive – have no confidence in herself. The delayed success could refer to the investigation; perhaps there has been a significant clue but it was not followed up on for one reason or another.

 

7.       Three of Wands, reversed. Loss of direction, lack of ambition, difficulties in business, disarray at work, disorganization.

This card represents Lauren herself. She may feel lost – both physically and emotionally – and this may be the reason why this reading appears to be muddled. This card shows a figure overlooking a stretch of water large enough for boats to sail in. She could be close to some docks, a beach or, as I have suggested, by the Great Lakes.

 

8.       Knight of Wands. Travel, movement, change of residence, courage, clever, witty, charming. A tour guide, soldier, sportsman, illusionist or electrician.

Now we go onto Lauren’s environment. The idea of travel makes me think again of ships and oceans, but it could just as easily be an airport or a major highway. The Knight of Wands rules the Six of Wands, causing me to think that this card somehow connects to Lauren’s personality. Did she want to travel? Was she a charming sort of child?

 

9.       Two of Pentacles, reversed. An imbalance between work and home, resisting change, discord, a turn for the worse, incomplete projects, buckling under pressure.

As this card symbolises Lauren’s hopes and fears, I think that she hopes that her abductor – if he is still alive – will buckle under the pressure if he is accused. Resisting change could refer to the situation she is in if she happens to have passed on. This card can also refer to accountants, shift workers, people with multiple jobs, buyers and sellers or market traders. Yet again I see ships on the water behind the figure and I really do think that Lauren is close to a large body of water.

 

10.   Eight of Wands, reversed. Delays in communication, disruption to plans, stalling or moving slowly, descending into chaos, targets missed.

This card represents the outcome. There shall be some delays and disruptions, which makes me wonder if they will catch Lauren’s kidnapper – again, if he is still alive – but there shall be some delays in finding her or prosecuting him. Perhaps he is dead and the complications therefore refer to finding Lauren.

Tarot Spread: Nancy Baird

 

This is a case that has been on my mind for some years now. Nancy Baird is suspected of being a victim of Ted Bundy, although I do not think that she was for reasons I will state below. The information below is piled from the Charley Project.

Baird was last seen at the Fina gas station in the 200 block of south Highway 89 in East Layton, Utah on July 4, 1975. She was employed there as a service station attendant. A police officer on patrol saw her working alone there, and at 5:30 p.m., less than fifteen minutes later, she was discovered missing.

There was no evidence of robbery and no indications of a struggle, but about $10 worth of gasoline from the station's pumps had not been paid for. Baird's car was found locked and parked in the station lot where she'd left it, her car keys were left behind, and her purse was inside the station, containing her medication and $167 from a recently cashed check.

At the time of her disappearance, Baird lived near the gas station, her four-year-old son lived with relatives, and her ex-husband lived in Wyoming. It's considered unlikely that she would have left of her own free will. Just before her disappearance, witnesses saw a truck at the station; it was never identified and it's unclear whether it had anything to do with her case. Investigators questioned Baird's her ex-husband and two male friends in her case. All of them had been out of state at the time she disappeared and passed polygraph examinations, so they were cleared of suspicion.

1.       The High Priestess. Mystery, intuition, emotional stability, things yet to be revealed, discovering your own truth, morality.

While the card does include a ‘J’ and a ‘B’, I do not think that Bundy was involved in Nancy’s case, simply because she was taken from a gas station and I do not think he was in Utah that day. The ‘B’ could simply refer to Baird. If this is true then it means that Nancy was an emotionally stable woman. The card might also refer to a single woman and Nancy had divorced her husband.

 

2.       Ten of Cups, reversed. Discord at home, empty nest syndrome, marital conflict, family problems, a child leaving home. Landscape gardeners, festival organisers, churchgoers, community workers, volunteers.

This card refers to obstacles and I think that these might link to Nancy and her family. Her four-year-old son lived away from her and I truly believe that she was unhappy without him. She is extremely unlikely to have left of her own accord. A river and trees feature in this card.

 

3.       Six of Cups. Pleasure, sentimentality, happy memories, reminiscing, families and siblings, florists, child minders, teachers.

This could link to Nancy wanting a happy home. But since this card is upright, none of these aspects are in a negative way. She was not living in the past, but this card does not indicate false hope, either. As this may represent what she wanted, there might possibly have been a planned reconciliation with her son and/or husband.

 

4.       Eight of Wands. Acting quickly, directness, communications, blockages removed, event organizers, postmen, deliverymen and couriers.

Someone – whether Nancy or someone involved in her disappearance – acted quickly. They were direct about what they wanted and communicated easily. This card might point to someone who has red hair and blue or green eyes. Nancy had strawberry-blonde hair, so I wonder if this card refers to someone who caused her to disappear. The ‘deliveryman’ aspect could come from the fact that a truck was seen at the gas station where she worked. There is also a river in the card.

I have wondered for a while now if Nancy Baird was taken by the alleged ‘Redhead Murderer’ who may have been responsible for numerous deaths in the Bible Belt between 1981 and 1985. Although Nancy disappeared several years prior to this spree, I do not think that it is wise to rule her out. The victims all disappeared from different states and this might have been a factor in their delayed identifications.

 

5.       Four of Swords. Calling a truce, an agreement, synchronicity, taking a break, quiet consideration, tomb, coffin.

This card shows a coffin inside of a tomb or crypt. The figure involved is lying down, but three swords hang above him, showing that he has not completed his task. Since this card shows a coffin, I usually tend to interpret that the subject has passed on. But somehow I am unsure if this is the case, at least in the period after her disappearance.

 

6.       Five of Swords, reversed. Petty arguments, attention-seeking behaviour, malicious gossip, paranoia, intimidation, manipulation.

Could the ‘malicious gossip’ have referred to allegations that Ted Bundy was involved in Nancy’s disappearance? I would hardly say that it was ‘malicious’, since he did take numerous women from the state of Utah at the time Nancy was last seen, but perhaps this card suggests that we are looking in the wrong direction. The card shows a large body of water, so I wonder if she is still close to Salt Lake. This card may indicate the future, so I wonder if at some point after her abduction Nancy or her abductor became paranoid.

 

7.       Nine of Cups, reversed. Taking things for granted, wishes denied, dissatisfaction, loss of pleasures, hedonism, overindulgence.

This card signifies the Querent; Nancy herself. Her wishes being denied and feeling dissatisfied with her life might have been a reference to her mental state before she went missing, but it could just as easily mean the time after she disappeared, if she was held for a while. This card can also suggest bar or cocktail workers, people involved in the wine, glass or china trade or collectors.

 

8.       Six of Wands, reversed. Self-doubt, lack of confidence, delayed success, feeling crushed, feeling ostracized, being out-manoeuvred.

Either Nancy or someone involved in her disappearance might have had a lack of confidence. Being ‘out-manoeuvred’ implies to me that someone prevented Nancy from getting away. This card refers to the environment around Nancy, although whether this is before or after she went missing, I am again uncertain.

 

9.       Judgement, reversed. Ignoring a calling, doubting yourself, being led by your own fear, a change is coming but has been delayed, avoiding making a decision, judges and magistrates, religious leaders, evangelists, motivational speakers, public speakers.

Could the delay be due to people being so focused on Bundy that they can’t see the forest for the trees? As this card connects to Nancy’s hopes and fears, she might be worried that her name will always be connected with him when this is not the case. Evangelists and religious leaders make me think that she is still in Utah, although this may not necessarily be the case. As this card shows people ascending from a lake, could she be in Salt Lake or another large body of water? Or could some evidence be in water?

 

10.   Three of Pentacles, reversed. Loss of work, career dissatisfaction, unsatisfactory work, delays to completion. Building surveyors, architects, builders, bricklayers and stonemasons, carpenters, master craftsmen, recruitment consultants.

This card once again makes me think that people are focusing in the wrong place when it comes to where Nancy is or who took her. If things are going the way they are then if she is found it is likely to be by accident. But as to where, this card might provide a few clues. The building in the Three of Pentacles reminds me of a church of another old, stone building. Since there are a limited number of old, stone buildings stateside, perhaps Nancy is close to or inside of a church. The coffin from the Four of Swords makes me think about placing a body inside another person’s coffin. Or Nancy could simply be underneath a building that was under construction in 1975.

This reading is generally fascinating because the first five cards were upright, but the last five were reversed. This could imply that Nancy’s fortunes were reversed and things went downhill for her, or even whoever took her, after she was last seen.

Operation Anagram: Jackie Ansell-Lamb

Jackie Ansell-Lamb

http://www.cheshiremagazine.com/Archives/lamb.html

Jackie Ansell-Lamb was killed on 8^th March 1970 or just after.

Jackie was eighteen years old when she was killed whilst hitchhiking north from London.

Her body was found on 14^th March 1970 by a farmer, in Square Wood, Mere, near Knutsford. After investigating, police found that a witness remembered a girl fitting her description getting into a car at Keele service station between four and five. She had worn a blonde wig, false eyelashes, a dark blue maxi coat and maroon patent boots.

Over the weekend that she vanished, 40,000 people went to Manchester’s European football match. A lot of people had travelled on the M6.

In 1990, DNA from the case matched up with the Barbara Mayo case. Barbara was killed six months later; she had been hitchhiking north too.

Peter Tobin is considered a suspect.

As this was my first case for a victim known to have died, I asked what happened on her last day.

The first rune is Thurisaz, merstave.

Danger, defencelessness, betrayal, hatred, torment, lies. Rape.

This could be either her situation or the situation of hitchhikers themselves, especially the female ones. But I’d say that she let her guard down and she was ‘betrayed’ by her killer using her trust.

The second rune is Sowilo, merkstave. False goals, bad counsel, false success, loss of goals, 

destruction, justice. Wrath of God.

This is interesting.

Could the ‘goals’ mean Manchester? Her aim of getting there, obviously, but maybe the match? What was the score? Can any of you remember? Did a parent, grandparent, a friend, go to that match?

If you do, that could really help.

The justice could mean that this case will be solved. Jackie – and Barbara – will get justice.

The wrath of God could mean the killer getting a just punishment, but I am also reminded of the St Christopher medals in Tobin’s possession. St Christopher is the patron saint of travellers. It would make sense if a hitchhiker had one.

Could it belong to Jackie?

I want to do readings on the jewellery, but never really got round to it. In fact, I apologize for the length of time between readings. I have had a busy – and mentally stressful – life.

The third rune is Ehwaz, merkstave.

A change is craved, feeling restless or confined in a situation. Mistrust, betrayal.

The restlessness and confined in a situation makes me think. Could the restless be Jackie asking her kidnapper where they were going? Was she thinking they were going the wrong way? Was she annoyed that they weren’t getting anywhere? She could be irritated that they weren’t near where she wanted. Was she now anxious?

Or even, could she have been tied up by now? Tobin tied his victims with their bras. However, the Bible John victims weren’t found like that, so maybe he hadn’t started it yet.

The fourth rune is Kenaz, merkstave. Disease, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, false hope.

I assumed they are in a lay-by or somewhere private. Woodland? A car park? I’d say she had her clothes taken off. Was she found naked?

False hope may mean her thinking, was this man going the right way? She could have been telling herself she hadn’t made a mistake.

The fifth rune is Mannaz, merkstave.

Self-delusion, depression, cunning, slyness, manipulation, craftiness. Expect no help.

This could describe Tobin. He acted like a gentleman, but was nasty and violent. Somehow, he reminds me of Claude Duval, the highwayman who danced with a woman during a robbery.

The sixth rune is the blank rune, which could mean this is in the hands of the universe.

The seventh rune is Ingwaz, merkstave. Impotence, movement without change, production, toil, work.

Maybe she’s trying to get out. She knows what she’s in now.

The eighth rune is Raido, merkstave.

Crisis, rigidity, injustice, irrationality, disruption, possibly death. I’d say that she’s dead now and she may realise. Maybe she floats above as she wonders where she’s going – both on the road and perhaps, going to another plane.

The last rune is Jera.

A time of peacefulness and happiness. A promise of success earned. Life cycle, everything changes in time.

This one makes me feel sad and pleased. She finally realises what’s happened to her. Was there anyone waiting for her? Her life cycle is over, possibly all of her lives on Earth.

This poor girl has now had her life ended, in a most disgusting way, but the thing is, she’s at peace now.

If there’s anyone you want me to do a reading now, please write in the comments below.