Erin Patterson has been found guilty of poisoning several of her relatives with wild mushrooms in a trial that has gripped Australia for nine weeks. She prepared a lunch of beef wellington on differently coloured plates allowing her to avoid the tainted food herself – within a week, three former in-laws would be dead, a fourth would be fighting for his life
There was a startling backdrop to the story which was disallowed in court but the Daily Mail (typically) has it all, having somehow blocked those stories in the Australia edition.
Erin Patterson who was tripped up in various lies in court was born 30 September 1974 and has an ultra-determined, probably grudge-carrying Libra Sun conjunct Pluto and Mars inconjunct Jupiter in Pisces. With her Mars in an edgy, can-be-bad-tempered square to Saturn. Her Neptune in Sagittarius conjunct North Node squares her Jupiter.
Looking at other notable poisoners:
Mary Ann Cotton, 31 October 1832, Durham England was convicted and executed for poisoning her stepson though she is believed to have killed others including 11 of her 13 children and three of her four husbands for their life insurance policies. She had a Scorpio Sun inconjunct Pluto sextile Mars – which is not that dissimilar to Erin Patterson – and she also had Jupiter in Pisces.
Although poisoning is supposed to be a woman’s crime, William Palmer, 6 August 1824 Stafford, England, tops the list as the Prince of Poisoners. An English doctor he was convicted and hanged for one poisoning case but suspected of poisoning others including his brother, mother-in-law and four of his children before their first birthdays. He made large sums of money from the deaths all of which he lost by gambling on horses.
He had two yods of a coercive, cold-blooded Pluto sextile Saturn inconjunct Mars; and a lawless Uranus inconjunct a Leo Sun sextile Saturn. His Jupiter is in Cancer – what gives with supposedly compassionate Jupiters? All three in Water signs and not even in Scorpio.
All three have notable 18th harmonics which is often the case with serial killers though it can have other meanings. 18 is two time 9 – and 9 in negative mode is acquisitive.
Why the three above should be riddled by quincunxes is an oddity – it can create a sense of not fitting in though can also produce a singular purpose in life which does not normally lead to wholesale slaughter.
Erin Patterson was undergoing a transiting Pisces Neptune opposition to her natal Virgo Venus (ruling her Sun-Pluto-Mars-Uranus) at the time of the incident, July 29, 2023.
Looks like this transit that could reflect delusion, disappointment, or unhappiness related to feeling unloved or wronged by others (the opposition); the kind of pain or rejection that might underlie devious scheming or create a bizarre act.
Thanks. Psychology analysis is must but then Neptune, north node both r deceptive and delusional signs and water signs jupiter just seems to add more to it ..overconfidence ..also jupiter is exalted in cancer as I read to get away with anything kind of confidence. Pisces is always confused, delusional and to me, it seems ..it wants something but can’t help doing opposite as its symbol. Artists sign ..too emotional to rationalise. Neptune also rules asylums and Pluto prisons
Hi Rachana, thanks for pointing out her natal Neptune-Node conjunction. For me, that adds potential for social confusion or disappointment connected to overly sensitive feelings, high ideals, or unrealistic expectations.
As I understand it, the sentence for murder in Australia is life improsonment, but with likely parole after 25 years. Perhaps the Times article that I read was misleading; but effectively 25 years for 3 pre-meditated murders seems extremely lenient.
Another astrologer I sometimes follow pointed to the prominence of Ceres (ruler of food) in Erin Patterson’s chart, both natally (conjunct Saturn in Pisces) and in transit (Mars/Pluto).
Thanks Marjorie. I’m now curious about the Daily Mail! What a very strange case this has been. Almost Victorian, when it was believed to be ‘a woman’s crime’ as you say. Erin Patterson’s Saturn (square Mars) aligns with Wasat, 18 Cancer, in Gemini. Of astro interest:
“Of the nature of Saturn. Connected with chemicals, poisons and gas. Violence, malevolence, destructiveness as a first principal.” [Robson, p.216.]
“Because of the Saturnine quality of this star, it gives a heaviness and tendency to pessimism. Apart from that however, Al Wasat does show up a quality of being able to speak with clear authority when others are waffling and prominence in public affairs or management is often the result.” [The Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse, p.45.].
‘Why the three above should be riddled by quincunxes is an oddity – it can create a sense of not fitting in though can also produce a singular purpose in life which does not normally lead to wholesale slaughter.’
Thanks Marjorie. Curiously, Stephen Port, who lethally drugged and raped his male victims has a Yod on Saturn and possibly the Moon in Cancer with Neptune sextile Mercury in Aquarius with his Neptune similarly conjunct NN, since he is the same generation as Patterson.
Beverley Allitt also has a yod on Saturn in Aries, with Neptune in Scorpio sextile a tight Pluto in Virgo Jupiter conjunction. She also has Mars in Virgo and Venus in Scorpio with Scorpio rising.
Maria Swanenburg, who poisoned her parents with arsenic and then went on to poison 102 people, 27 of whom died between 1880 and 1883. She has a quincunx of Sun tightly conjunct South Node inconjunct Pluto in Aries. She has Mars in Scorpio conjunct BML square Neptune in Aquarius which in turn is in quincunx to Chiron in Cancer. She has Jupiter/Venus in Libra opposition Pluto in Virgo.
Graham Young, the so-called ‘Teacup Poisoner’ has Sun, Venus and Mercury in Virgo (Virgo and Scorpio crop up quite a bit in serial poisoner’s charts, make of that what you will) with Chiron, Jupiter, South Node in Scorpio. Like Swanenburg, he has Mars in Cancer square Neptune in Libra. He also has his Scorpio Jupiter square Saturn/Pluto in Leo. Mars/Neptune can be linked with drugs as well as poisons.
Unlike some other killlers, poisoners usually have reasonably good impulse control and the ability to carefully plan their crimes. They often believe they’re cleverer than others. The frequency of Jupiter/Pluto aspects reflects their perception that the rules don’t apply to them, and that they enjoy the feelings of power. It’s also an aspect you sometimes see in the charts of death cult leader charts.
* Maria Swanenburg has Venus/Jupiter in Libra opposition Pluto in Aries.
Yeah….deceptive. Neptune in natal chart 1hiuse does give similar kind of getting away with and used to till they get clobbered by a Saturnian stronger. Deception can be deceptive to self once it becomes habit as initially they get away as others cannot think of them as culprit..the deception
Dee Dee Blanchard also had a Jupiter in Cancer, Sun Pluto Aspect. Though this was not really poisoning but abuse through food in my opinion. There is another Penelope or something who killed her husband because of dinner. Dob is either jan/ Feb 1955. The rest I can’t remember the details.
Personally I think scorpio hold grudges. But if you have done nothing to them then no issue with them. But personal experience of jupiter in cancer mother is just weird. She needs to control the food even determine who can eat which part of the chicken. And if we order takeaway and the packet that she opened up looks to have lesser of some condiments or main dish she will switch, she will take pieces off and redistribute to herself.
Scorpio’s sting at best. Yet in a challenge with the scorpion sexes, the females can kill and eat their opposite once satisfied. The above murders involved eating food to murder her in-laws . A powerful metaphor!