Forensic Astrology: Mystery Tragic Event

by Britanie Leclair

Introduction

For the third column in OPA’s forensic astrology series, I was presented with five mystery charts pertaining to a single violent event. It was revealed that the victim had been beaten to death at the time indicated by the event chart, but no other details were provided. This exercise aims to help demonstrate how astrological charts could be interpreted in a real-life situation with very little background information to go on.

Mystery Charts

• A tragic event – Chart 1
• Victim of tragic event – Chart 2
• Suspect 1 male – Chart 3
• Suspect 2 Female – Chart 4
• Death of Suspect 2 – Chart

Questions for the Mystery Chart

1. Why was Victim (chart 2) assaulted on Tragic event (chart 1) – She was found beaten and died of her wounds shortly after. Was it an accident or premeditated?
2. Was Suspect 1, 2, or both, the perpetrators?
3. What possible motives?
4. Suspect 2 was found hung - Chart 5 (no time available). Was it suicide or murder?

Event Chart

This event chart shows the planetary alignments when the victim was murdered.

Here, the victim is signified by the ruler of the Ascendant (Mercury), while the person of interest (POI) is signified by the ruler of the descendant (Jupiter). Both the victim (Mercury) and the POI (Jupiter) are sitting tightly conjunct in the 5th house at 24 and 23 degrees, respectively. While this cannot be confirmed, it would be plausible to suggest that both people were having fun, drinking and/or partying/celebrating when the event occurred. Neptune sits prominently in the 10th house of this chart, ruling the 12th through Pisces, which seems to emphasize Neptunian themes that may be inherent in this 5th house placement. However, it is also notable that the 5th house is the house traditionally associated with sex, children, and romance.

The 7th house being ruled by Sagittarius, a double-bodied sign, can indicate that more than one POI is involved. For now, however, we will refer to our POI(s) as a single individual. Pluto also sits in the 7th house describing the individual in question. Generally, this is not a positive placement as it indicates the potentially ruthless, violent, and obsessive nature of the individual. According to forensic astrologer Caroline Luley, Pluto generally changes the course of events through outside factors including violence. In the 7th, it can also indicate that the POI was perceived as safe and secure and may have been yearning for a risky lifestyle choice.

Because the Moon is always a co-significator of our victim, we would also need to consider its placement. In this event chart, the Moon sits in the 2nd house; however, it is also tightly conjunct Saturn, the greater malefic, which rules the 8th house of death through Capricorn. The influence of Saturn conjunct the victim’s co-significator can show a restriction and may imply that they may have under the control of an authoritative influence. These conjunctions to the victim’s significators by both Saturn and Jupiter (the POI) seem to imply dark potentials.

With the Moon in the 2nd house in the sign of Cancer, there may have been concerns regarding the victim’s moveable possessions (i.e. belongings or money). There is also a “foundation of life” quality associated with the 2nd house which could show that this was a major concern for the victim. Along with this 2nd house theme of foundation comes the 2nd-house association with esteem. As John Frawley notes, the 2nd house is associated with the subject’s “self-esteem, self-valuing, and also esteem for the partner: esteem, or value, seen as a transferable thing.” 
If money was not a direct concern in this case (Moon in 2nd), it does appear that the victim’s emotional (Moon) esteem or value (2nd house) may have been challenged or restricted (Saturn). In general, this conjunction could also indicate a hardening (Saturn) of emotional (Moon) factors, which may also have been a factor precipitating this case.

As mentioned, Jupiter (the POI) and Mercury (the victim) are sitting closely together in the 5th house. However, they are both also in the sign of Leo and being disposited by the Sun in the 4th house. This dispositor can indicate what was motivating both people at the time of this event. In this chart, the Sun sitting in the 4th house shows that familial or home concerns may have been motivating our victim and POI. The Sun in Leo is powerful in its sign of rulership, but its shadow side can present itself as arrogant, pompous, patronizing, and competitive. Ego is also associated with the Sun and Leo and, as a result, this placement can express an intolerance to disrespect. Leo also has a desire to be appreciated and loved – and, at its most negative, may find this attention through shallow, sexual encounters.

There seems to be numerous testimonies pointing towards children and the family environment in this chart. For instance, both our victim and the POI fall in the 5th house of fatherhood, sex, and children and are both being disposited by the Sun in Leo – the planet and sign associated with children through the concept of creation – in the 4th house of home and family. There is clearly no way of confirming this without additional details surrounding the case, but it is interesting, nonetheless.

The Sun in this chart is also quincunx Uranus in the 10th house at 2-degree orb. The quincunx aspect can indicate instability and imbalance and, combined with the energy of Uranus, can potentially point to volatile and unexpected influences affecting the individuals involved.
Mars and Uranus are widely conjunct near the zenith of this chart at a 9-degree orb. Together these planets often portend unexpected accidents, aggression and/or injuries. Interestingly, the Moon (victim) in the 2nd house is trine both Mars and Uranus, falling almost exactly on the Mars-Uranus midpoint. This seems like it could indicate an explosive and unpredictable event – not necessarily one that was premeditated with intent. Mars is also widely square Pluto at a 7 degree orb which could also indicate the presence of a deep, obsessive and/or power-oriented (Pluto) aggression (Mars).

Because of the explosive aggression indicated by a lethal beating, Mars would be important to examine. In this chart, Mars is in Pisces in the 11th house. However, Mars in Pisces tends to express itself in unique ways. Sue Tompkins describes this placement’s aggression as “diffused and free-floating” with the ability to light “on anyone or anything.” Along with other indicators, this does not seem to indicate a pre-meditated act – but more so a crime of passion, being triggered by explosive emotions and Leonine ego and pride. The Ascendant, which represents our victim’s vitality and physical body is also square both Uranus and Mars (at 3 and 6 degree orbs).

A few other important placements should be noted – mainly that Jupiter (the POI) and Mercury (the victim) are also both square the Nodes. This seems to indicate that the wheels of fate had been set in motion. Please do not interpret this as the victim or murderer were fated to encounter this event. It may simply be understood as planetary alignments providing a critical moment where life-changing decisions may be made.

In considering  the 7th house ruler (Jupiter) in combination with the fact that Capricorn rules the 8th, we see themes involving drowning, bleeding out, and potential liver problems (Jupiter/Sagittarius) as well as the idea of bones and the skeletal system (fractures). Taken together, these two factors could, very well, point to a lethal beating, potentially motivated by alcohol or drugs. 

While in this case we have our suspect’s natal chart for further analysis, in a situation where the POI is unknown, the sign on the 7th house cusp and its ruler could potentially provide information regarding their identity. In this case, Sagittarius (a double-bodied sign) provides the possibility of two suspects being involved, but it can also describe their physical appearance and personality.

In this sign, the suspect may be described as well-proportioned, tall and/or overweight, strong and well-set with an oval visage, high forehead and large body. In a literal manner, they may also be associated with Sagittarian careers or themes, like higher learning, publishing, or travel. Likewise, the victim may also be tall and thing with an upturned nose and clear complexion.
In terms of aspect patterns, this chart has an interesting grand trine between the Moon-Saturn (victim/restraint) conjunction in the 2nd house, Mars (aggression and assertion) in the 11th, and Juno in Scorpio in the 6th. A trine shows an easy flow of energy that encourages action to play out swiftly.

In Greek mythology, Juno (also known as Hera) was married to Zeus (Jupiter) and considered the patron goddess of marriage. She was known for her fidelity and loyalty to her husband, but their marriage was borne out of obligation and it often turned combative when Juno was forced to face the constant infidelities of Zeus. According to Demetra George, this asteroid bears an energy like that of Libra and Scorpio, acting on the polarities of intimacy and manipulation. While she is associated with the concept of relatedness, she also holds strong association with relationship pathologies such as infidelity, jealousy, betrayal, power games, and subtle manipulation. In the sign of Scorpio, this can show a deep need to bond with the partner – but at its most negative, can express itself in jealousy and sexual power games and manipulation. In the 6th, Demetra George states it can show that there is a “constructive” aspect to the relationship based mainly on routine and day-to-day-life. 

Interestingly, Ceres also falls in the 1st house of the victim in this chart, once again bringing up parenting and mothering themes through its traditional mythology. However, Ceres can also express herself as rejection, abandonment, control over children, death and dying. These asteroid placements add an interesting archetypal layer to the details of this event.

Natal Charts

Victim

I was provided with the natal chart of 3 individuals – the victim and that of a male and female suspect. Interestingly, in this case, having a double-bodied sign (Sagittarius) on the Descendant of the event chart accurately indicated that there were, indeed, two suspects involved.

If a forensic astrologer were working directly with the victim’s family or using information provided by news reports, they would be privy to information detailing the connection between the victim and the POI. Indeed, homicide is the least likely crime to be committed by a stranger. For the sake of this exercise, using Occam’s razor, we can reasonably assume that the suspects and victim knew each other in some way.

We can look at these charts (both alone and together) to gauge how these individuals may have interacted. Let us start by briefly examining our victim.

According to the information provided, our female victim is an Aquarius Sun with a fiery Leo Moon and an earthy Taurus Rising. With the exclusion of the Moon, her personal planets all fall in the traditionally Saturn-ruled signs of Capricorn and Aquarius. Based on this information, we can assume that the victim was a progressive, freedom-oriented individual, who may appear partially detached yet reliable. However, her Moon in Leo suggests a deep-seated need for appreciation and the tendency to dramatize emotions. This Sun-Moon opposition can create competitive tensions, with the individual aiming to find their self-worth through competition with a real or imagined “other.” This seems more likely when considering her exalted Mars and natal, 2-degree Sun-Saturn conjunction. Regardless, there is a charming, pleasant quality to be had with the Sun-Venus conjunction. With both Venus and Mars in the 9th house of Capricorn, despite the victim’s progressive nature (Aquarius placements), she is likely attracted (Venus) to the traditional elements and wisdoms of life (Capricorn/9th) – as well as to individuals who embody these principles.

Scorpio on the 7th house cusp bears similar themes for interpretation. According to Marion D. March and Joan McEvers, these natives may attract someone who tries to “take them over” or who may throw them aside at a whim. With a fixed Taurus/Scorpio angle, however, it is likely this individual was interested in marriage with someone who would put them before all else. With Pluto in the 5th, we see potential power issues in the realms of romance and children, and this planet is also exactly conjunct her Dark Moon Lilith.  

The victim has a natal, fixed T-Square between Neptune in the 6th, her Mercury-South Node-Jupiter conjunction in the 10th, and her Moon-North Node conjunction in the 4th. Bil Tierney suggests that the apex planet of a T-Square shows a planetary energy that the native has difficulty incorporating into the awareness of the opposition without resulting in the imbalance/disharmony implied by the square. These issues, he states, are usually expressed through relationships.

In this case, with Neptune as the apex planet of the T-Square, the individual likely has difficulties bringing personal Neptunian themes (idealism, dreams, projections, and illusion) into conscious awareness. With Mercury (mental processing) and Jupiter (expansion, growth, miracles) at one end of the opposition with the Moon (instincts/emotions) at the other, it may suggest that the victim may have had difficulties recognizing legitimate Neptunian effects on her emotions and thoughts. The empty point opposite the apex of the T-Square (Neptune) falls at 13 degrees Taurus in the 12th house. As such, 12th house areas of life (spirituality, the subconscious) may have provided her an opportunity to work through the complex energies denoted by her chart.

Suspect 1 (Male)

According to his natal chart, suspect 1 is a dreamy Pisces Sun, a fiery Sagittarius Moon and an earthy Capricorn Rising.

In examining the suspect’s natal chart, we see that fire and air dominate his personal planets. While water can aid in softening the passion and dominance shown by air signs, oftentimes it can also create a volatile individual capable of lashing out (fire) when they perceive insensitivities (water) to their being. With his many Pisces placements and a Sagittarius Moon, Jupiterian energy is strong in this chart; however, Jupiter is in the sign of Aries which can suggest a crusading or pioneering attitude toward expansion and the possibility of over-the-top behavior. With the Sun in Pisces, this individual may feel a sense of self-sacrifice or martyrdom coupled with a weak sense of boundaries. This seems to be emphasized by the exact Sun-Chiron conjunction at 14 degrees of Pisces.

This Sun-Chiron conjunction is important because it is the strongest (and tightest) major aspect in this chart. This aspect seems to inherently imply deep wounding to his individuality and sense of self. According to Reinhardt, for those with this placement: “Our sense of being at the creative center of our own world falters, and we may seek to make someone else the centre of our universe.” Indeed, those with this placement may be extremely charismatic and well-liked but are unable to recognize and/or believe it for themselves. This interpretation fits very well with other themes in this chart tightly opposing Pluto in the 8th house. 

Additionally, the suspect’s Chiron is conjunct Mars at 10 degrees Pisces (4-degree orb) and trining Neptune at 17 degrees of Scorpio (3-degree). A Mars-Chiron placement can express itself as a fear of confrontation or a tendency to subconsciously push down anger. However, it may also point to a merciless and ruthful element that innately understands how to take down an opponent and break down the confidence of an enemy. The Neptune contact seems to emphasize the issues with boundaries already associated with the sign of Pisces. Reinhardt notes that “limits, exclusiveness and boundaries may be feared, and

There is an element of wistfulness and romanticism inherent in the sign of Pisces, which is coupled with the emotional (Moon) Sagittarian need for freedom and experience. Both these signs, however, have been known to express a tendency for idealism and wearing rose-colored glasses. With a Mercury in Pisces, this individual may be highly intuitive when it comes to others and will likely learn best in an intuitive manner. The exact opposition between Mercury and Uranus shows the potential for a fast, lightning-speed brilliance but also potential erraticism and an inconsistency of ideas which may be unappealing to social groups and peers.

With an Aries Venus, he may be attracted to the damsel in distress, seeing himself as a savior for his romantic partners. However, his Mars in Pisces shows that he may also unconsciously “drift” into situations without fully considering their implications. He may also be prone to easily ignited, free-floating violence, which can be exacerbated by drugs and alcohol. Still, this is a seductive placement. Combined with a Sagittarius Moon (that desires variety and experience), (which bravely goes after what one desires), and an exact Sun-Chiron conjunction (seeking to find a mirror in another), at their worst, romantically, these aspects suggest the possibility of infidelity and/or multiple partners.

It should be noted that this suspect’s natal Mars is exactly conjunct transiting Mars in the event chart, strongly suggesting a direct involvement in the event.

Suspect 2 (Female)

In examining the chart of the second suspect (a female), we see that she has a 29-degree Leo Sun coupled with a fiery Leo moon and a Cancer ascendant. Her Leo placements indicate a warm and loyal personality that may be prone to dramatic or prideful displays. Generally, someone with this type of prominent Leo energy may require recognition and want to be the “best” at something – whatever that something may be. However, her Mercury and Venus in Virgo show an analytical side that may be attracted to those who are overlooked by others. Her Leo Mars demonstrates the potential for a fiery, strong aggression that may be inspired by the superiority of others. With Jupiter in Virgo, we get the sense of a conscientious individual; however, one that can be fraught with worries. Saturn is also in its fall in Aries, which Sue Tompkins describes as a genre “stop-go” situation where the individual naturally expects opposition to their plans. However, at its highest expression, it may have the ability to curb Aries’ aggressive tendencies.

In this chart, Pluto is conjunct both Mercury and Venus, showing the capability for deep (and potentially obsessive) thought processes, as well as the ability for passionate love. A fear of loss and betrayal may be a motivator behind social interactions and attachments.

Brief Synastry

Victim with Male Suspect

When examining the synastry of the victim and male suspect, a few things stand out. Should these individuals have been acquainted, there would be a few interesting dynamics occurring. Firstly, the man’s Sun is quincunx the victim’s Moon, showing that her emotional instincts clash with his very being. He likely doesn’t understand whatsoever the emotional responses that she puts forth. On the flipside, however, with her Sun sextiling his Moon, and she likely has a positive effect on his emotional nature, making him feel nurtured and cared for. With his Sun trining her Neptune, any relationship between these two would likely feel very sacred for the victim; however, this same Sun opposite her Pluto may illuminate the Plutonian energy within her, and this passion may distort her perception of who he really is. His Moon is also squaring her Pluto, showing the potential for her to be rather insensitive when it comes to matters of his heart. However, this may not be without reason. Her Ascendant and Venus both square his Saturn. This can indicate a repression of her self-expression and responses to love. Overall, however, with so many of her planets falling into his 1st house, there is likely a strong attraction and/or strong approval of each other’s general being. While the relationship between these individuals is not revealed, there does seem to be some potential for romantic involvement at play. Still however, her Pluto sitting opposite his Mars shows the possibility of power struggles which can explode at a moment’s notice.

Male Suspect with Female Suspect

When examining the relationship between the two suspects, there are a few things of note. Firstly, the female suspect’s Sun trines the male suspect’s Venus while opposing his Saturn (both at a 2-degree orb). The Sun tends to illuminate things in a literal way, and she likely incited feelings of pleasure, fondness, structure and authority within him. Her Ascendant trines his natal Sun/Chiron conjunction at a 1-degree orb – a placement denoting both healing and attraction on his part. However, her Moon is also exactly square his Neptune, a placement that can cause them to misread each other’s signals and is difficult to manage without conscious awareness. However, each finds their ideal mate (and shadow side) in the other, with their reversed natal ASC/DSC signs. His North Node is also widely conjunct her Ascendant, which likely contributes to the power of this connection, while her Neptune is also tightly conjunct his MC, bringing potential themes of idealism, confusion, and scandal to the 10th house public realm. 

When transposing the houses, we see that the female suspect’s prominent Leo/Virgo placements fall directly into the male suspect’s 8th house. While this is known as the modern house of sex, it also holds themes of death and ownership. This type of heavy 8th house activation can indicate an intense, inexplicable attraction, but it may also indicate the desire to want to “own” another person – this seems likely with the female suspect’s Pluto falling here as well.

Female Suspect and Victim

At the same time, the victim’s planets transpose most strongly onto the female suspect’s 8th house – again, bringing up themes of control and obsessive tendencies between them. Interestingly, the victim’s Moon also sits exactly on the female suspect’s North Node.

Transits Overview

By transposing the event chart onto the natal chart of each individual, we can also examine how the planetary transits were affecting these individuals at the time of the event.

Victim

Our victim was heavily under Neptunian influences, with Neptune crossing over multiple planets in her 10th house and squaring its natal position. With Neptune in the 10th, the victim may have felt unsure of where she was going in life and what she should be doing. Because Neptune is a slow-moving planet, this is something she had likely been feeling for a while. Unfortunately, as Robert Hand notes, this is a time where one must take special precautions to avoid deceiving others or being deceived themselves.

In particular, this victim was experiencing Neptune widely conjunct her natal Saturn (at a10-degree orb) while also closely conjunct her natal Jupiter and Mercury (at 3 and 5-degrees respectively). It was also opposite her natal Moon. For the sake of brevity, we can assume that this individual’s rational thinking was not at an all-time high. She may have been experiencing strange moods or obsessions or have been letting emotions override her mental state (Neptune-Moon). She may have been overly confident in the wrong types of people or situations (Neptune-Jupiter) or simply showing potentials for self-deceit (Neptune-Mercury). Regardless, there was probably a foggy, trusting quality influencing many of her decisions at this time.
At the time of the victim’s murder, transiting Mars was also opposite her natal Pluto at a 1-degree orb. To use the words of Rob Hand, on its most basic level, this transit can indicate “severe interpersonal power struggles.” He notes that this influence may cause the native or others around them to behave in a ruthless, aggressive manner and may even indicate acts of violence. Considering what occurred, this transit seems important to interpret further. To gain a better perspective, we can use Bernadette Brady’s transit grid system.

Because the victim’s natal Mars and Pluto are in the 9th and 5th houses, we can assume that the event was precipitated by issues in these areas –  in particular, a desire for experience, travel, or learning (9th house) and/or related to children or romance (5th house). These precursors would, theoretically, cause a change in her 11th house realm (Mars transiting natal 11th house)– indicating perhaps the meeting of new people or a social group or team work (11th house) or an event involving the children of others (11th as the 5th from the 7th). The ultimate effect of this transit would be felt in the natal houses ruled by these signs. In this case, the victim’s 7th and 12th house are ruled by Mars, which could indicate a relationship either being formed or broken (the 7th) and the victim feeling alone, isolated or without power (12th house).  

Male suspect

When examining the natal chart of our male suspect, we see that he was experiencing prominent Pluto transits at the time of this event. These include transiting Pluto square his natal Sun-Chiron-Mars opposing natal Pluto in the 2nd/8th house axis. At the time of this event, Pluto was transiting the suspect’s 11th house, indicating a potential dissatisfaction with people and ideas that he once felt were important. He may have been looking for intense, emotional encounters in the social realm, and this transit often brings the type of people who can easily change the course of your life. Hand notes that Pluto opposite the Sun can often bring about major crises – and under extreme conditions, it can “release its energy in a single explosive burst as an injury or physical assault.” Pluto square the suspect’s Mars only increases the intensity of this already powerful aspect and can add an extra “egotistical” layer to its expression. The square to his natal Pluto can indicate a time of regeneration and transformation but may also show power struggles when obstacles attempt to impede this change.

Now, going deeper into these transits, we see that the suspect’s natal Pluto is located in his 8th house, indicating that a situation regarding security, death/rebirth, or a simple desire for change incited events involving a new group of people or other people’s children (transiting Pluto in the 11th house), and ultimately resulted in changes to the suspect’s public persona or social standing (10th house ruled by Pluto/Scorpio).

Female suspect

Let’s move on to the second suspect – the female. At the time of this event, the female suspect had been experiencing an interesting variety of transits. These include transiting Uranus opposite her natal Sun (2-degree orb), transiting Neptune opposite her natal Mars (1-degree orb), transiting Mars opposite her natal Jupiter (2-degree orb), and transiting Pluto exactly squaring her natal Venus. Hand says transiting Uranus opposite the Sun can bring about a number of events that cause the native to question their individuality and personhood – and because the Sun is a predominantly masculine energy, it can also show unexpected events involving males in particular. Mars opposite Jupiter can either be very good or very bad – but it can sometimes encourage people to bite off more than it can chew. Neptune’s influence on her natal Mars can also show the possibility of deceitful actions, either from her or from others.

With Pluto transiting over the 5th, the female suspect was likely desiring a depth of experience, and these transits can bring about intense love affairs that can seem karmic or fated to those involved. Indeed, this would feel even stronger with transiting Pluto also squaring her natal Venus at the same time. Still, however, Pluto can also bring about difficulties and may provoke jealousy and possessiveness. This transit deserves a closer look.

An issue at home (natal Pluto in the 4th) or in the familiar environment (natal Venus in the 3rd) would have instigated a concern involving children, lovers or creativity (Pluto transiting the 5th). It would be felt in the 5th house of romance, children, and creativity, (Pluto ruling the 5th), in the 4th house of home, perchance signaling the finality of the event (Venus ruling intercepted Libra in the 4th), and/or the formation of a new social group or events involving other people’s children (Venus ruling the 11th house).

Death of suspect 2 – (Chart 5)

Seven years following the victim’s murder, the female suspect was found hung. I was asked whether the male suspect was involved in her death or whether it was suicide. Here is a chart showing the time she was found – No exact time of the actual event was recorded, so we are using a Solar Chart (Sun on Ascendant).

In this chart, the female suspect would be represented by Saturn in the 9th (because Capricorn is on the Ascendant). The other person, if there was one involved, would be indicated by the Moon in the 11th house.

Generally, the Moon is a co-significator for our victim (in this case, the female suspect), so the fact that the other person is indicated by the Moon is interesting. Theoretically, one would look at the aspect between these significators to see if there was an opportunity for interaction between these two people. In this chart, there is no aspect between the Moon and Saturn, therefore, we can assume that no interaction was made. While this is not always accurate, it is all we have to go on right now.

In this chart, the 8th house is being ruled by Leo, with the Sun in the 1st house. This is interesting because the Sun indicates vitality and is sitting in the 1st house of the victim and ruling the 8th house of death. This, along with the fact that the Moon acts as the significator for both our victim and POI, seems to indicate that this event was likely a suicide.

Conclusions

For those who are still with me, congratulations; it’s been a long one. But now, let us try to sum up what we have gathered thus far.

First, we have three people involved in this event: a female victim who was beaten to death and two suspects (a male and a female). In the case of homicide, it is statistically more likely that these individuals know each other in some way; however, the details of the relationship are unknown.

Throughout our analysis, we saw themes of partnership, romance, family, and children. For instance, this was shown by the placement of the significators of our victim and POI in the event chart (5th house) being disposited by the Sun in Leo in the 4th house. We also saw Ceres in the 1st house of the victim and Mars, Saturn and Juno involved in a powerful grand trine.

Based on the natal charts, we can assume we are dealing with a victim who is relatively independent, perhaps a bit stubborn, with a dramatic emotional style. Her natal T-Square implies she has difficulties bringing Neptunian energies to consciousness – and we also know that she was experiencing heavy Neptunian influences at the time of this event.

Our male suspect is a watery Pisces with an impressive amount of fiery energy hidden behind a serious, Capricorn mask. He may be wounded (exact Sun-Chiron conjunction), easily swayed and idealistic – but he has no trouble going after what he wants. There are a few synastry aspects that could speak to a stable relationship between our victim and male suspect, but according to our analysis, he may have been looking for a lifestyle change when these events occurred. At the time of the murder, the suspect’s progressed Venus was exactly conjunct his natal Descendant, while transiting Mars was exactly conjunct his natal Mars. There are also some indicators that drugs and/or alcohol may have been involved.

Our female suspect is a fiery, confident woman with a strong practical, analytical side. There is strong attraction seen in the synastry of these two suspects, and they would likely feel that their relationship is fated in some sense. At the time of this murder, the female suspect was experiencing strong Plutonian energy over her 5th house of romance, while Pluto was also firmly squaring her natal Venus. In the deeper transit analysis, themes of relationship formation and breakup keep reappearing.

Now, while there is no way of confirming this information yet, I derive from these charts interactions that these people may have been in the midst of some type of love triangle or that the male was being torn between the two women in a social group. While I don’t have chart indications that this crime was premeditated, the male suspect comes across as possessing a volatile temper, activated by his Mars return at the time of the event If a conflict did erupt within a romantic relationship between the victim and the male suspect, the victim with a 4th house Moon and highly fixed energy likely wouldn’t be keen on change.

 

The Story - by Maurice Fernandez French actress Marie Trintignant (victim) died on August 1, 2003, three days after she was beaten to death by her boyfriend Bertrand Cantat (male suspect 1), front singer of famous music group “Noir Desir.” Her death followed a violent dispute that initially rendered her comatose in the early hours of July 27, 2003. The tragedy shook France to the core as the two prominent celebrities were cast for a dramatic role they never chose for themselves. The events set alight renewed activism in protest for violence against women. The couple were together in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, where Marie was involved in a movie production, impersonating the main role in the movie Colette, une Femme Libre (Colette, a Liberated Woman). Synchonistically, the author Colette after which the movie was made, was born on January 28, 1873, and died on August 3, 1954 – within days of Marie’s birth and death dates. On the evening of July 26, 2003, during a festive party and alcohol consumption following a long production day, the two are seen arguing, with Bertrand seemingly agitated as Marie does not reply to his questions. They return to their hotel room around 11pm, where it was later revealed that Bertrand flew into an all-consuming rage that results a couple of hours later, around 1:00 AM July 27, in Marie comatose following 19 blows. Her injuries included a pulverized nose, the rupture of her two optic nerves, and cerebral lesions that caused a brain hemorrhage. Bertrand had caught a text message on her phone from her ex-husband, father of her four daughters. He interprets that as a sign of fundamental treason since, in their passionate and symbiotic romance, they had promised each other to cut ties to absolute minimum contact with their respective exes, if only to discuss children arrangements. Bertrand did the same with his ex-wife and mother of his two children, Krisztina Rady (female suspect 2), whom he left for Marie 10 months prior—a week after she gave birth to their baby daughter (Sept 16, 2002)—severing their 11 years of marriage. According to Bertrand, it was Marie who imposed these conditions, and yet, she did not follow suit as the text from her ex-husband, a film producer, suggested. “He lost it, it was an accident, she was the one who first got physical, and he retaliated by slapping her 4 times, with his rings causing the greater injuries,” he claimed. Following Marie’s loss of consciousness, Bertrand lays her body on the bed under covers with a cold press on her face. A while later, he calls her ex-husband, sharing with him that they had a bad fight, as he apologizes profusely about the late hour call. The ex, surprised by this call, tries to calm him down, claiming Marie is above petty fights and will not hold it against him. Then, he proceeds to call her brother who comes on site and sees the silhouette of his sister lying under covers in a dark room—he sees her bruised but breathing. The two men speak for hours without calling for help, until around 7:15am, when her brother notices blood on her lip and finally calls an ambulance. Bertrand is sent back to the hotel where he ingests pills, attempting to commit suicide. He is taken to the hospital to have his stomach pumped, tainting subsequent toxicology reports about his drug and alcohol intoxication levels throughout the evening. Marie is flown back to France for a last chance surgery. She dies from the consequences of the brain hemorrhage on August 1. Bertrand's ex-wife Krisztina runs to his rescue from France, where she takes his defense and testifies at the Lithuanian trial that he never ever was violent and was an exemplary father during their 11 year marriage. Bertrand Cantat is convicted in Lithuania for fatally beating his girlfriend and is sentenced to eight years in prison. He is granted conditional release 4 years later, in 2007, and goes back to live with Krisztina and their children in France. Krisztina, an art director and theatre actress of Hungarian origins, is found by their son Milo around 12:00 PM on January 10, 2010, hanged in a room adjacent to where Bertrand was still sleeping, a suicide note next to her. Later, her parents alleged intense physical and psychological abuse and threats of suicide by Bertrand if she were to leave him. “I almost lost a tooth this time,” she reported to her mother in a call preceding her death. Conclusion Using Forensic astrology techniques, Britanie Leclair accurately uncovered the main themes of the events through the chart analysis, with the little information that was made available to her. She accurately defined the personalities of the three people involved, and identified the circumstances leading up to the tragedy: the initially festive evening, the victim’s “home” place which was in this case, her hotel room, the fact that suspect 1 was the person most likely to have offended, that they were romantically involved, and the fact that the death was not premeditated. Her reference to children coming through the charts is interesting in the light that the couple had both separated from partners who were parents to their children, and that connection to these exes in relation to their children was the reason that prompted the jealousy rage. With gratitude to Britanie for taking on this challenge and demonstrating the value of astrological analysis in forensic investigation.

Published in: The Career Astrologer, September 2020.

Author:
Britanie Leclair is a forensic astrologer, research- er, writer, and true-crime junkie from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. She has a four-year BA.Hons in psychology and is currently completing an MA in cultural astrology and astronomy at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. She can be reached at brit@britsbrain.com.

Images:
Silhouettes: License purchased by The Career Astrologer; permission to republish on astro.com
Drawing of Trintignant in Série Noir: Martino75 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

© 2020 - Britanie Leclair - The Career Astrologer

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