Spousal Abuse Murder – Naomi Bennett Blog

Spousal Abuse and Murder in Austin, Texas

On November 25, 1996 David Stone Sr. went to his wife’s workplace and shot her six times dead in the parking lot at 10:00 am in Austin, TX. He had just gotten out of jail for spousal abuse on the 24th by the bail posted by his mother. His wife, Linda Stone had a court protective order against contact with her. Linda had told police that her husband had tied her up in their home, cut off her clothes and threatened to kill their sons. She had gone to work the morning of the 25th to arrange extra security for herself while she was at work. She had moved into a duplex while David Stone was held in jail that weekend. By 11:30 am the same morning, David Stone committed suicide in a vacant field near the murder scene. The couple left two orphaned sons.

What can astrology tell us about these dynamics? David Stone was born January 8, 1956 and Linda Stone was born June 15 1964. Their solar charts are drawn with the Sun on the first cusp More details could be gleaned if the birthtime and place was available but there is still quite a lot of information given from the transits and natal aspects.

David Stone had a conjunction of Moon, Mars and Saturn in late Scorpio squared by Pluto in late Leo. If his birth time was later than sunrise, the Moon would travel nearer to his Mars and Saturn, so the aspect would stay in play most of the day. This was a man who innately had power and control issues regarding authority, women, money, and sex with intense jealousy. Transiting Pluto conjunct the Sun was in aspect to these points. This intensified his need for power, control and being the authority in his household. The Full Moon had just occurred within a few hours of opposing transiting Pluto and David’s Moon, Mars, Saturn. Note that he took drastic action with this Full Moon conjunct Pluto. The Moon represents women and the mother. He had his mother bail him out of jail and he killed the most significant woman in his life.

Life usually presents us with major changes in our lives with a Uranus opposing its natal position. His wife was leaving him and his world was turning upside-down. Transiting Mars in mid-Virgo had just left the square of transiting Pluto around November 6th. Their issues in their marriage had come to a head in early November and she was leaving. Transiting Venus had just left the conjunction of his Neptune. His Neptune is in a T-square with Mercury and Uranus. That gave him a Uranus square Venus transit across the T-square. It is my opinion that his imagination went overtime with this aspect and he was in intense anger and demand that gave him the willingness to eliminate his lover/wife with violent death by gunshot. Remember, he didn’t just shoot her once, he emptied the gun with six shots.

The truly odd element about the day of death was that transiting Jupiter and the Ascendant for the murder and suicide was conjunct his Sun. This is usually considered a positive aspect but this coincidence should not be ignored. I find that the moment of an event gives significant information and synchronicity. E. O. Carter of England associated the Jupiter transits with a merciful release of death for those with severe, chronic illness. Or another point of view could be that Jupiter can also be associated with excessiveness. Was this a factor in a excessive, reactive ultimate power play?

Linda Stone had Moon conjunct Uranus and Pluto in Virgo at birth and Saturn opposed these points in Pisces. Her Moon would travel closer to the Uranus-Pluto conjunction if she was born after sunrise. This is a powerful aspect too but it was modified by being in mutable signs. She intensely cared about her security, children and was willing to endure limitation and frustrations to have them. David’s Moon-Mars-Saturn opposed her Mars. It is this combination that can lead to spousal abuse. Her behavior could enrage him. David’s grown son said that he never remembers him being a violent person. But most of OJ’s friends couldn’t believe this kind of behavior of OJ either.

The transiting Sun-Pluto opposing Moon aspect on the 25th hit Linda’s Moon-Uranus-Pluto opposite Saturn into a grand square. Dominating men and emotional insecurity were the calling card of the day. Transiting Saturn was squaring her Venus. She had just taken legal action against her husband/lover to restraint him. She was going to divorce him again a second time. They had previously divorced in 1991. Transiting Mars had been crossing her Moon-Uranus-Pluto opposition Saturn in early November. The battle of separation, control and fighting started then. It didn’t culminate until the Sun conjuncted transiting Pluto and the Moon was full.

It has been my experience that powerful, long term transits are highly activated by Mars transits to that point but the issue is never fully finished until the separation aspect occurs with a full or new moon to culminate the longer, brewing issues.