When we look at a natal chart and before we know any of the details about a case, we have the potential future of an individual; the nature aspect. Whether they be a victim or a perpetrator, they all started out with a stellar pattern in the heavens; a unique plan all their own.
In this case as most, we are not privy to a birth time of the individual and so we generate the birth chart at noon giving us a mid-range Moon placement. I rarely include such a natal chart within an enquiry, however on this occasion we do, if only to reveal that all the planets are located in one hemisphere of the chart; a fan or as it is sometimes called, a bucket without a handle.
Note: Please ignore angles and house placements in this first chart.
click on charts for full size
Similar to a stellium, a pattern such as this tells us that the engine lacks a starter motor. There is no natural motivator to get the energy working; this person would need external motivation such as a transiting planet or another person to get them going.
Once the motor was turning over, they would be fine with a moral compass to guide them; plus, similarly to a stellium, they would likely roll with whatever opportunities crossed their path – career, romance etc.
This is the natal chart of a missing person who has since been declared dead by family; in order for his estate to be settled I would expect. He was born Raymond Frank Gricar in Cleveland, Ohio on 9th October 1945.
Ray Gricar disappeared on 15th April 2005 at the age of 59. He lived and worked in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. As the local District Attorney there would have been a list of felons he had put-away; a queue who would have liked to see him disappear, I’m sure.
Did someone ‘disappear’ him or did he choose to disappear himself? This is the question; the basis for this forensic astrology enquiry.
Astrology is a pseudo science; not accepted in a court of law. We can make suggestions and question possible results as we interpret planetary positions in the space-time continuum.
- We note a peregrine Pluto in the zodiac of Leo in the natal chart. Does this man handle power in a benign way, or is he a bit of a tyrant? Strong at work and weak at home? Pluto can swing either or both ways in the trenches; boundaries are needed.
- Both Mars and Uranus are quindecile the Lunar South Node – introducing a karmic element of compulsive hyper-excitability to the mix; Aspergers syndrome perhaps. Was he clumsy in social situations? Explosive?
- Uranus is also square natal Venus (pink) plus
- Sun is square Mars – the ego is involved. What’s going on here, switcheroo…
These last two aspects will reveal their part in the story as we go along, I’m sure.
With the last communication from Ray Gricar at 11:30am with a phone call to his live-in lady friend, Patty Fornicola in relation to his whereabouts, we can generate a bi-wheel from the event time (method).
The inner chart is a snapshot of the heavens at 11:30am in Bellefonte and the outer chart is the natal chart (as above). We view the interaction between the two energies. The heavens aren’t offside in this bi-wheel.
We are told that the conversation took place while Gricar was driving through Brush Valley en route Lewisburg, PA – northeast on Highway #192. We make a note of that; as it will need to be checked against the charts.
Our first interpretation of the 11:30am bi-wheel does reveal that communication did take place as Mercury is in the mix, both in the heavens and in the natal chart. One tick on the board; check.
Our priorities for interpretation are to consider the angles before midpoints; then the aspects. The fan is pretty much on the left-hand side of the chart; this man is likely assertive rather than defensive.
- Natal Mars conjunct ascendant – plans being put into action – impulsively. The chain of events unfolds.
- Transiting Saturn creates the midpoint that determines his demise – Saturn=Mars/Saturn – we can suggest that this individual met with the grim reaper (Saturn) as a result of action he took on this day. He likely thought he was in control of the situation (Mars-Saturn).
- Transiting Moon (blue) in the inner wheel represents the height of emotions/mental activity.
If this man indeed was a sufferer of Aspergers syndrome, then he would likely have been experiencing a manic episode over some days and during this period in time. There are no indications to suggest obsessive-compulsive behaviour; more likely an impulsive verbal explosion. Not a good time to be negotiating, I wouldn’t think.
- Natal Saturn is also squared by transiting Sun (date on the calendar) and the Lunar nodal axis – indicating trauma in a public place – a prearranged appointment perhaps. Under the town-hall clock may have been wise choice, rather than a carpark under these circumstances.
- Transiting Sun (date on the calendar) is opposite natal Mercury – confirming a prearranged appointment.
- Natal lunar nodal axis is also generating a square with transiting Mercury (yellow) in the 10th house. This suggests that the phone call at 11:30am was considerably more than just a social call. It created a sense of trauma for Ray Gricar in his mind (12th house).
The conversation was in relation to his work/career (10th house), which leads us to the overall interpretation of this bi-wheel – that his live-in lady friend; Patty Fornicola is aware of whom the appointment was with.
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Before we go further, an astrology aspect is drawing my attention. As Pluto is peregrine in this man’s natal chart, I would expect it to loom large at the time of his death – the ultimate powerless indicator; guardian to the entrance of the underworld.
Pluto is also peregrine in the bi-wheel at this point in time. We will definitely need an angle in the mix and so we generate two charts located at Bellefonte rather than Lewisburg, as we have not yet determined that Gricar did in fact go to Lewisburg. (The ascendant would change slightly for the two locations)
The first bi-wheel is generated at noon, a likely appointment time and secondly when Pluto crosses the ascendant, a possible time of death. The first chart has Saturn at the ascendant at the time of midday (date with the grim reaper) and Pluto crosses the ascendant at 1:30pm; all on the day in question,15th April 2005.
- Note the native’s concentrated activity in the 3rd house of the second chart. He is likely endeavouring to negotiate his release at the suggested time of his death.
We must comment that none of the charts indicate that Ray Gricar was starting a new life. That would require the major action of planets at the IC, rather than the ascendant.
Our next step is as we would expect with a crime scene; start with the immediate players. Patricia E. Fornicola was born on 15th June 1963. She was 41 years-old; co-habiting with Ray Gricar in the house she grew up in.
T
he 11:30am phone call was between Ray Gricar and Patty Fornicola. This is born out by both charts, however as to the content of the conversation, we remain objective.
We would expect that the recipient of the call was at the office and he, likely in his car. That he is in his car, en route Lewisburg is not confirmed at this point of our enquiry.
Before we even start to interpret the aspects in this chart, I can confidently suggest that this is not the chart of a woman who is having a conversation with her boyfriend about letting the dog out, or having a chat about a visit to Lewisburg looking for antique furniture.
The emotive response by Patty Fornicola is much more sinister than that, according to the charts. There is no indication of suspicion of another woman. In fact there is no mention of a female in any charts; nor money.
- Transiting Saturn (red) exact conjunct natal Lunar Nodal axis in the 1st house – this is a primary indicator of a POI or victim. It also give us a locator angle.
- Transiting Moon (blue) square natal Jupiter – inflated mind control of emotions.
- Transiting Pluto (another primary forensic indicator) opposite natal Sun (orange) in 12th house – death is on the mind.
- Transiting Uranus opposite natal Pluto in 3rd house of communication – this individual is empowered by the interaction.
- Transiting Mercury (yellow) indicating that Patty is likely at work at 11:30 is conjunct natal Moon – personal driving needs are communicated.
Note: I have since viewed video footage of Patty being interviewed. I suggest that on at least two occasions her cognitive responses were ‘constructed’ rather than ‘recalled’. The questions were nothing out-of-the-blue.
Why did Patty Fornicola need to construct an answer in relation to her relationship with Ray Gricar? Was it complicated? And why lie about the conversation on the phone? People’s egos are so fragile – drives me to distraction…
When we start working with cartography, rules need to be followed (method). We generate a map and draw a connecting line from the Gricar/Fornicola residential address in Bellefonte to where Gricar’s car was located in Lewisburg. This gives us a locator angle.
We then use Patty’s bi-wheel at the time of the phone call and superimpose it over the map. This reveals a close proximity, however not precise. Close enough to confirm that yes, Ray Gricar was on his way to Lewisburg but the time is not quite on the money…
We can then wind the clock to fit the map and we find it slots into place at noon (Lewisburg location). We therefore suggest that Patty Fornicola definitely knew that there was a meeting at noon in Lewisburg. Her chart confirms this.
The seriousness of the situation in astrology terms, is in the bi-wheel and what lies on that red line – transiting Saturn conjunct the natal Lunar nodal axis.
Patty Fornicola knew, even if it were sub-consciously, that Ray Gricar was going to meet with the grim reaper at that time and in Lewisburg.
We now change our focus to Lewisburg and use that location for our remaining charts. We are aware that SAR dogs were on the case, revealing that Ray Gricar likely left his vehicle and joined someone else in theirs in the Lewisburg carpark. Not that he went antique shopping; went off on foot to toss his computer off a bridge, or commit suicide; the scent started and ended in the carpark.
We use fresh charts for Lewisburg at noon and the natal chart of Ray Gricar. This is only slightly different from the charts we have already interpreted. We need to generate them in order to get an angle of some significance.
Immediately we note the invisible man at the IC – natal Neptune (turquoise). Unfortunately this generally means that the case will in all likelihood, not be solved.
Natal Saturn is exact at the ascendant. It is now just a matter of time. The most we can do is generate a locator angle and transpose same onto a map.
We follow our usual cartography method and use this bi-wheel centred over the location of where Ray Gricar’s locked car (containing his cell phone) was located. The angle is not quite north-south.
If we were to suggest a direction, it would be to follow Ray’s voice (Mercury in the outer chart) and go north – transiting Lunar nodal axis intersects with natal Mercury.
Hopefully this will ring bells for someone who knows more about this case that we do.
Whether Ray Gricar had a liaison with someone (other than a female) or was meeting a male person in relation to his work / off-the-record we may never know, but Patty Fornicola carries the answer; it’s now her karma.
