Jacob Wetterling

Jacob Wetterling disappeared in October of 1989 in Minnesota, when he was eleven years old. His parents were visiting friends, and had given Jacob and his brother permission to ride their bicycles. A stranger took Jacob at gunpoint, and that was the last time he was seen by family or friends. Recently, detectives in Minnesota developed a lead on the case, and I will ask the Tarot about what happened to Jacob.

We begin with the eight of wands, reversed, crossed by the five of swords, also read reversed here. Whoa! The arrows of jealousy mixed up with vengeance and rage. This describes the circumstances that somehow led to this crime and warns of a violent personality on the part of the perpetrator. It is based by the Emperor, reversed, telling us a little more about the perpetrator; not only is he given to spurts of violence, he is immature in the ways of the world, and possibly lived with his parents at the time Jacob went missing.

In the past, we see the Page of Cups, who, I believe, is Jacob. This would be an imaginative young person whose nature is kind and helpful. He falls upside right, so he is not part of the problem, here, but either a victim or part of the solution. Pages often indicate children in readings. Next, we encounter the Magician, reversed, and he describes the general lack of direction from which this case has suffered. It seems that leads have been difficult to follow, and no one expected a child to disappear near Jacob's home, therefore; law enforcement did not have much training for such tragedies. But now, in the near future, we have the three of wands, granting local police assistance and practical help from other departments. Perhaps the new lead will shed some light.

In the place of self perception, we find the Queen of Swords, reversed. This is an adult woman who has had information about Jacob and his whereabouts for many years, yet has refused to come forward. She is obstructing justice, and has no empathy for anyone connected to Jacob. The environment is described by the nine of cups, reversed. This card not only speaks of flaws in plans when it falls reversed; it warns of alcoholism and drug addiction. It points to excesses of food and drink. Seeing it in this position tells us that addiction is likely part of the picture in the perpetrator's life. In the place of hopes, we find the four of cups, reversed. From this, we can see that the perpetrator is hoping to "get on with his life", and simply skip any accountability for Jacob's disappearance. Reversed, the four of cups signifies new relationships and new opportunities. But this is only a hope; it is what the guilty party is attempting. The final outcome gives us the four of pentacles reversed. This is a warning of setbacks and material loss. The case is far from solved, and it will take time and commitment.

The only part of the reading that indicates death is the beginning; the reversed eight of wands, crossed by the five of swords. From this, I feel that Jacob probably died at the hands of his kidnapper almost immediately. It also appears that Jacob was taken somewhere by car, and either left or buried somewhere that has posts, possibly three posts (as in, the three of wands) sticking up from the ground. There may be a small cliff, ravine, or ditch that would help hide him. I also believe that the perpetrator's family helped him hide his crime, all these years. I always hope I am wrong when it looks as if someone has been murdered, so I will keep hoping and praying that Jacob is found safe.

Where Is Michaela Garecht?

In November of 1988, Michaela Garecht was outside of a store, looking for her schooter, which she had initially forgotten, and when she spotted it, was grabbed by a man reaching out of a car! Her friend went back inside the store to call for help, but the man got away, taking Michaela. I will see what a reading will tell us.

This reading begins with the five of pentacles, reversed, crossed by the three of swords. One of the sidebar references of the five of pentacles is lovers lacking a place to meet, and reversed, it would simply mean the opposite, except that the place found by these lovers would be clandestine and possibly illicit. In fact, the whole relationship might be rather illicit. But here it is, part of the basis for the question of what happened to Michaela. Crossing it is the three of swords, and this speaks to a lovers' quarrel! A quarrel involving a break-up, and possibly one party compromising the other party in some way. 

So what does all this have to do with Michaela Garecht? In the background, we find the two of pentacles, which tells us that the person who actually grabbed Michaela was in the process of either of moving from one residence, relationship, or job to another; possibly all three. This person was able to mask any feelings of difficulty, and pretend that he did not have any stresses, even when he did. Following it is the Chariot, which reiterates what we've seen in the two of pentacles somewhat, but the Chariot is from the major arcana, while the two of pentacles is a minor arcana card. This tells me that the circumstances of change in this person's life were not his choice, but imposed upon him, either by circumstances, or by other people. There is also an air of hunter/hunted and chasing down quarry here. Revenge is sometimes indicated with this card, too. This man was hunting.

The next card is the two of swords. The hunting trip, despite it's success, somehow did not proceed as planned. The perpetrator was actually spooked into indecision for a short time by something. That "something" may have been law enforcement, or threats of law enforcement, judging by the predominance in this reading of cards from the suit of swords, and the three of swords in particular. The perpetrator may have had to hide or "lay low" for a few days in order to avoid getting noticed. What comes next is what bothers me the most in this reading: the ten of swords. This is a violent card, describing a violent end. I wish there was some better news, here.

The Emperor shows up in the fears of the perpetrator. He is a person who is afraid of parents, particularly fathers. Something that others see in the perpetrator, and remember about him, is that he mooches, almost never truly pays his own way in life, and has trouble working at any job......so says the six of pentacles, reversed. Following this is the ten of wands, reversed, suggesting that the perpetrator may have won a lawsuit using false testimony or fake evidence, or may have committed fraud and gotten away with it. The last card is the King of Wands, reversed. This suggests a bitter, stubborn, violent man who must have everything his own way. He is between the ages of fifty and sixty, (give or take a couple of years) and had reddish or blond hair as a young man. The suggestion of the reading is that he is still at large. Perhaps that is why the cards have focused on him so much in this reading. The swords seem to be pointing east, for a location for Michaela, as that is the direction of air. Also, the reversed six of pentacles suggests that Michaela may have initially been buried, but the geology of the area somehow changed. It is not possible to get an address from the Tarot, but it does not appear that Michaela was taken far away. I would expect that she is still within the general area, near Hayward California.