Sarabeth Rose Hammond

 

Sarabeth Rose Hammond, seventeen years old, was last seen in Roanoke, Virginia on December 28. Her last electronic contact with anyone was a text message she sent to her mother on that date. No one has seen or heard from her since. Perhaps a reading will help.

The first two cards are the five of wands crossed by the eight of swords. The gives undertones of mental games and untruths, even though the investigation has only been going on for a couple of days, crossed by a reality of being "stuck" or trapped. From this, it looks very much as if law enforcement has already spoken with someone connected to Sarabeth's disappearance, whether they know it or not.

Beneath this foundation, we have the seven of cups. This speaks to scattered forces and not enough solid information. It is followed by the Queen of Cups, reversed. This queen, when she falls reversed, tells of a woman who is not always honest and tends to be selfish. I do not think this is Sarabeth; I think this woman is an adult. Strength, reversed, appears above, warning us that at some point in this situation, we may see power abused. There is a connection between this and the scattered forces we saw in the seven of cups. The next card is encouraging: the ten of cups. The ten of cups represents completion, but usually in a happy way. It describes family and home in balance. It tells us that a happy ending to this may yet be possible.

In the place of fears, we have the four of pentacles. Someone is hiding evidence and holding back information from those who are trying to find Sarabeth. There is a sense that this person cannot "afford" to come forward with what he or she knows. Next, in the place of environment, we have Justice. This is a clear suggestion that the case may end up in court, very soon. I am encouraged to see Justice upside right; upside down would indicate a denial of justice. The five of pentacles shows up in the place of hopes or fears. Here, we have a suggestion of a love gone astray, or some type of spiritual or literal impoverishment. At this point, it is either a fear, upon which someone acted; or a fear held by someone connected to Sarabeth. The last card is the Fool, reversed, which is not encouraging. This goes to faulty choices and the gradual grinding of gears before an endeavor shuts down. Somehow, these concepts are in control, right now. They are given power by the person(s) who withholds information.

Water has been represented quite a few times in this reading, beginning with the eight of swords and its reference to entrapment in shallow water, to the seven of cups and its reference to dreams and fantasy, moving along to the ten of cups, showing us a home. The five of wands points us south, but not too far south.  Also, the Queen of Cups is a watery card, too. While the reading does not scream "death", the eight of swords is not a card of freedom. This is the card that worries me. The suggested directions are south and west, the suggested element is water. An adult male and an adult female have information that can help.

Anyone who has any knowledge about this case should call the Roanoke County Police in Virginia at 540-562-3265. Her car is a white, 2016 Hyundai with New York plates; TCW 125.

Where Is Melissa Lee Brannen?

 

Melissa Lee Brannen was last seen on December 3, 1989 in Lorton, Virginia, when she was five years old.  She had been at a holiday party held for residents of Woodside Apartments. A man named Caleb Hughes was found guilty of kidnapping Melissa, and while some very compelling evidence was found connecting him to her disappearance, she has never been found.

We begin with the two of cups, reversed, crossed by the Chariot, which is also read reversed here, as a foundation.  This refers to a very violent passion, followed up with nowhere to go; a description of some very decadent and forceful desires. The King of Cups is at the base; this is an adult male, who is sensitive and professional. Since he falls upside right, I will assume that he is kindly disposed toward Melissa, and is trying to find her. Next, also in the past, is the King of Pentacles, reversed. This is another adult male, and as he falls reversed, I must label him part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. When the King of Pentacles comes up reversed in a reading, it refers to man who abuses resources and other people, and abuses any authority granted him, as well. Look for this man to have had dark hair and eyes in 1989. 

In the realm of possibilities, we have the eight of pentacles. Generally, this card depicts a workplace or an apprenticeship position, but this hardly seems to fit the bill as an answer to where a little girl ended up after she went missing. It leads me to ponder whether or not the workplace of the King of Pentacles was properly searched. As it is in "possibilities" rather than actualities, I would be inclined to advise searching it again. The nine of cups, reversed, comes up next. This card describes a home with a lot of resources, and; sure enough, the suspect's home did turn up a lot of clues; but as the card falls reversed, all that was found was evidence, not Melissa. 

The first card on the staff is the Hierophant, reversed. The Hierophant is all about orthodoxy and order, endorsing all that is socially approved. As he falls reversed here, the suggestion is to follow a mode that is not as traditional within the usual comfort zones, but to think and look "outside" of the box. In the place of environment, we have the Sun, reversed. This gives us an outside location, possibly a garden or an embankment with a wall. This is a place that is readily visible to the four "kingdoms" of nature: mineral, vegetable, animal, and human. It was once well manicured, but has not been maintained. As we get the number XIX from the sun, nineteen miles to the north or northwest is symbolized. We deal also with the number ten in the Wheel of Fortune, which comes up next, reversed. The symbolism on this card also deals with four "corners", or realities, if you will. In this case, we have Taurus the Bull, showing us earth, Leo the Lion, representing fire, Scorpio's eagle for water, and the Aquarian angel for air. Somehow, this symbolism plays a role in the location of Melissa. Four elements; four corners. The number of the Wheel of Fortune is X, so ten is key, but here, I think it is a placeholder or a descriptive number, such as part of an address or name. The final card is the ten of pentacles, which is also reversed. This card not only speaks of monetary loss when it falls reversed, but of a loss of family honor, as well. Someone who could help with Melissa's location has kept silent for the sake of "family honor", and has kept the secret for all these years! 

Because of the "earth" references, I expect that Melissa was buried, somewhere between ten and twenty miles to the north of where she was last seen. Anyone with information about this should call the Fairfax County Police in Virginia; 703-246-7800.

 

Who Killed Mary Rachel Carson?

Time flies. It's been almost ten years since eighteen year old Mary Rachel Carson was murdered, and still not resolution. So I will see what the Tarot has to say about her case. This reading is a horoscope spread.

The card for the first house, which represents elements of the whole matter, is the ace of swords, reversed. This tells us of obstacles and snags, somewhere along the line, and a person with too much power. Following this in the second house, of possession.........who has what, and when.....is Judgement, reversed. Not only does this card often describe loss of possessions, but in reversal, it often speaks to a fear of death. So from the getgo, Ms. Carson a victim of someone who wanted something and had no problem with violence and murder, in order to take it. House three, relatives, memory, and short journeys, shows the three of pentacles, which is the card of the craftsman. In mundane terms, it would appear that the card is merely telling us that either the victim, the perpetrator, or a key witness was on his or her way to work. More on that later........

The Knight of Wands comes up, reversed, in the fourth house, which is the house of the home environment, also governing the last days of life. Interesting that a court card would appear here: when this knight is reversed, he is usually a youngish man in his twenties, and jealousy and covetous attitudes usually accompanies violence in scenarios involving this knight's reversals. Somehow, he was close to Ms. Carson's home environment. In the fifth house, love affairs, creative pursuits, and children, we find the three of swords, reversed. This screams that there was some sort of conflict involving those elements, between Ms. Carson and possibly, the Knight of Wands. The Devil, reversed, appears in the sixth house, which represents everyday things, such as work relationships, paying mundane bills, worry, and with whom the subject currently resides. Here, this card seems to be telling us about release from bondage, but by indecision followed by violence followed by cover-up. And it relates very directly to Ms. Carson, and her environs; it looks as if she and her killer may have known each other.

Moving on the the seventh house, of partnerships and close relationships, we have the High Priestess, which is a card of secrets. Something important, having to do with a marriage or a common law marriage was only known to the victim and her killer. The three of cups follows close on it's heels in the eighth house, the house of death, wills, joint finances, and probate. The three of cups, when it falls reversed, usually tells us that "all good things must come to an end", so it seems that we should look for someone who was able to benefit from Ms. Carson's death. In the ninth house, the house of law, the establishment, long trips, and protection, we have the four of pentacles. This is a card of clinging and hoarding, and this tells me that somehow, a legal entanglement involving the holding back of assets is at play here: the killer did not get everything he tried to get. Some information is still, somehow, tied up in probate, or there are unanswered questions.

In the tenth house, we have the Star, telling us that social status, such as it is to the perpetrator, was important at the time of the murder. His job, and his work relationships were more important than family his family. In the eleventh house, this is back up by the Moon, reversed. When the Moon falls reversed, I look for lies and false personas, and this time, it has fallen in the eleventh house, which rules not only hopes, wishes, and dreams, but friends and and social life! So....this person has been able, somehow, to keep the secret of the murder, and has not been accused by the justice system. He is not without an enemy, though. In the twelfth house, the house of subconscious secrets, institutions, self undoing, and secret adversaries, we find the King of Pentacles, reversed. This would be a man, probably over forty years of age, whose methods are not always "kosher". He has suspicions about the perpetrator's involvement in the murder, and is eagerly, but patiently waiting to bring the matter to light.

Virginia Welch

Virginia Welch, of Roanoke, has not been seen since July of 1982, when she was last seen alive by her roommate. In 1982, there were no cell phones or email, and all other traceable clues of her to day life stopped at that point, in 1982. We will see if the Tarot can shed any light on her situation.

We have a basis of the Queen of Swords, crossed by the Knight of Cups. These are two people, a man and a woman. The woman was an adult in 1982, and because she falls upright, I will assume she means Virginia no harm. If this queen is not the roommate, she may have actually seen Virginia after her roommate saw her; if not, her testimony is more relevant. The Knight of Cups is a young man who distracted Virginia and the Queen of Swords with a plan or a new idea......a plan that had not been properly researched.....and that was the end of the conversation. For some preceding background, we find the Page of Wands, reversed, which I think is not a person in this reading, but the whole situation......this page in reversal represents bad news, unplanned catastrophe, and indecision. There was a problem with Virginia acting against her own better judgment in connection to the Knight of Cups.

Behind this, we find Justice. Justice is upside right....so something important happened that actually had a well balanced start. But then, Justice is immediately followed by the reversed Page of Cups. This is connected to the knight, and indicates deception. So far, it is starting to look as if Virginia may have stumbled into a situation involving crime, or police matters, and someone hiding information determined that Virginia was a threat. Something else to note is that the number of the Justice card is eleven. Perhaps that related to location, or the name or part of an address or description of a location. The next card is the three of pentacles. This is a completely different direction than the one we have followed via the other cards: matters connected to Virginia stop, and the Knight of Cups moves on. His job is described here in this card....he was either in construction or a job connected to driving from one site to another. As a location for Virginia, this would indicate near someone's workplace, or near her own workplace. Pentacles are "earth" cards, but before we determine that she has been buried, lets see what the other cards tell us.

The first card on the staff is the Hierophant. Virginia did not always want to conform to mainstream

ideals, and this was part of the reason she disappeared. I am almost seeing an effort to "go against the grain" at times. In the place of environment, the Star comes up. This is a card of hope and enlightenment, but as it relates to location, it is interesting to note that Roanoke is called the "Star City of the South". Could she still be in Roanoke? Rivers and water are also suggested on this card, and possibly boats and places where two bodies of water meet. The three of cups appears to tell us that there was a difference of opinion that made the friendship between Virginia and the Knight of Cups a bad "political" choice, meaning that she could not stay associated with her and still keep all of his other friends. It also points to an "air'related" death, possibly strangulation or suffocation. The reading ends with the six of cups, looking back on past relationships and childhood, but not making new memories. This is sad, and I wish this reading gave us something happier. Pictured to the left is the Roanoke Star, on Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia.

Will There Be Answers About The Lyon Sisters?

There are now two persons of interest named in the case of the Lyon sisters, who disappeared in Maryland in 1975. There was a massive search in Bedford County, Virginia, and the grand jury is deliberating about charges. The question is, will we find answers through these developments?

We start with the five of pentacles, which speaks of destitution and loneliness. This describes where the girls actually are. It is crossed by the World, which is triumph and achievement. While the desolation of the five of pentacles is not good news, it is rather expected after all these years. The World is a good sign, although investigators are still working at finding answers. The Star appears as a foundation for the recent search......a reliable tip was received. It was followed by the three of swords, which tells us a little more about the tip. There is an element of infighting between involved parties here; someone either heard a secret he or she did not want to keep, or someone divulged information out of malice toward another party. Either way, there was discord involved. The ten of cups appears as a possibility, which means that this lead may, indeed, finally bring the Lyon sisters home.

The Knight of Pentacles appears as a young to middle aged man who is searching for the girls. He is moving slowly, not only in physical searches through rural places which must be physically dug up, or unearthed, (earth is represented by pentacles) but through information and paperwork, as well. Answers will come slowly, but he is not going to give up. 

The six of swords appears as a motivating factor, in some way. It is a fear of travel, or movement, on one person's part. Location, location........if it were a location, it would be a body of water big enough for a boat and deep enough for travel. The five of cups follows, as someone's unshared knowledge. It also has to do with disappointment over an inheritance, or frustration because a reward or payment was not as large as expected. Most Tarot decks show the five cups near a stream or a river. The five of swords follows this, in the place of hopes. This is clearly revenge, which, once again, gives credence to the idea introduced by the three of swords that came up earlier, showing some infighting among parties. The five of swords in the place of desires clearly details revenge. The last card here is the one true problem with finding answers through this investigation; it is the Page of Swords, reversed. Here we have someone who has shared information, but with ulterior motives, and who has not really shared ALL the information he or she knows. Hopefully, the Knight of Pentacles will persevere, and yes, it looks as if we may get answers through these proceedings.

Alexis Murphy

Alexis Murphy disappeared from Northern Virginia last month. She is seventeen years old, and while her cell phone has been located, she has not. There is also a suspect in custody, in connection to her disappearance, who has been denied bond. Alexis was last seen at a gas station in Lovingston, Virginia, and after that, seems to have vanished completely. So where is she, and what happened?

We begin with the three of wands crossed by the High Priestess. The three of wands represents the gas station and the business, customers, and community. The High Priestess is mystery, and hidden matters, with a touch of feminine influence. The subconscious mind is also represented by this card, and I am convinced that a customer or patron saw Alexis there, and also saw either a person in her acquaintance, or a vehicle that is part of the scenario; yet does not realize that it was Alexis, or realize the importance of what was seen. The matter of things that are hidden appears as an obstacle, so the advice to counter that problem is obviously to keep information and contact numbers for law enforcement in prominent places at the gas station, and keep asking everyone who was in the vicinity to come forward with any detail, no matter how unimportant it might seem. There is either a reluctant witness, or a witness who does not realize that he or she is a witness, and the gas station can somehow yield more clues.

Beneath this, we have the three of pentacles. Note that we have another "three"! This is the card of the craftsman, and speaks of a man who is very good at his job. It is followed by the King of Wands, and he falls upright, so I am going to assume, for now, that he is favorably disposed toward Alexis, and trying to find her.  The card representing his best chance of doing that is the nine of pentacles, which is solitude and waiting for counsel before acting. Security, and protecting one's assets is an obstacle in effort to find Alexis.  This card could also represent a woman, who does not want to step away from her secure "comfort zone" in order to come forward with something she has seen. What follows, as something that will happen soon, is the seven of cups. This represents scattered forces as a result of invalid choices and offerings, and energies wasted on things that do not pan out. So far, a large amount of this King's energy has been wasted.

The five of pentacles, reversed, is the first card on the staff. This is someone's fear, and it is a fear of something, or someone, being returned. Next, we have the influence of a person as the environment of this matter: the Knight of Pentacles, reversed. When reversed, this knight is lazy, dishonest about financial matters, and careless and sloppy. He, too, has a connection to the three of pentacles, only he is not very good at his job. He is also a bit of a fraud. The card describing this Knight's hopes and favorite passion is Strength, reversed, which is abuse of power, and sometimes physical abuse. The last card is the Chariot, reversed, which tells us that the wills of two individuals are at odds right now about which direction to take evidence. The opposite opinions and energy forces cannot work together to move the chariot, so it stands still. On mundane levels, this card sometimes refers to vehicles which have broken down. Another possibility connected to this card is message that no one traveled very far. This is one more thing that takes us back to the gas station for clues.

The presence of two cards with values of three lead me to believe that Alexis is not far from the last place she was known to have been seen........about three miles. The pentacles point north, but the cups point west. The High Priestess also has a connection to water, as does the seven of cups. Water somehow aided the hiding of evidence, and is still obscuring the Truth. I hate to see cards like Strength, reversed, in connection to persons directly involved.....in this case, the reversed Knight of Pentacles. This tells me that Alexis somehow ended up in the company of someone who either abuses his own strength, or some type of power he either has over others, or just had over her.

Hopefully, Alexis will be found soon.