Marcia Moore: A Cautionary Tale

By: Elaine M. Kuzmeskus

On a Seattle night in January 1979, American astrologer and author Marcia Moore vanished without a trace. Her pocketbook, winter coat, and jewelry were still in her bedroom. Two years later a stranger found her skull in the back of an abandoned barn less than three miles from her home.

Marcia Moore’s disappearance is still capturing the public’s attention. In November 2021, Dematerialized: The Mysterious Disappearance of Marcie Moore came out. No, Moore did not dematerialize—but she certainly did not perish from natural causes. An examination of Marcia Moore’s horoscope as well as the horoscope of her husband, Dr. Howard Alltourain may provide some clues to this unsolved mystery.

The astrologer, writer and yoga teacher first came to national attention in was Jess Stearn's book Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation. The widely-read book (two million copies in print) introduced yoga to Americans. When Stearn met the petite brunette, he was surprised that she was old enough to have three children. Then in her mid-thirties, Marcia looked ten years younger. When she invited the middle-aged author to study yoga in her home in Concord, Massachusetts, he accepted. With Jess Stearn’s Moon at 19 degrees of Taurus is conjunct Marcia Moore’s Venus at 20 degrees of Taurus, the two remained life-long friends.

Marcia Moore was born on May 22, 1928 in Cambridge Massachusetts at 9:10 a.m. With her Sun in Gemini in the eleventh house of friends, she attracted many spiritual seekers through her involvement with astrology, yoga and theosophical groups. Her Gemini Sun is sextile Uranus, planet of genius, and the energy planet, Mars. This aspect gave her a flair for writing, teaching, and group endeavors. However her Sun made a hidden square to the mystical planet, Neptune, which made her idealistic and sensitive—and impulsive. She very much needed to choose her friends wisely.

Family was equally important to Marcia as she had her Moon in Cancer and a Cancer ascendant. Her father, Robert Lowell Moore, was the co-founder of the Sheraton Hotel chain. She seemed to have a happy childhood in Concord Massachusetts where she attended private schools. Her Moon in Cancer conjunct Pluto would indicate a strong karmic connection with family—even though the aspects were mixed. While the Moon makes a good aspect to Venus, denoting caring family relationships, it makes a square to Uranus, planet of change, and another square to dynamic Mars. The mother of three often found “kiddie karma” and domestic life challenging.

Marcia Moore longed for a more exotic life than that of a housewife. Her Moon in Cancer, an intuitive water sign, conjunct Pluto, the planet of the unconscious mind, in the twelfth house gave her psychic perception and a life-long passion for the mystical side of life. She believed in reincarnation and was sure that one of her lives was that of an Egyptian priestess. If so, she certainly attained great knowledge in this world as well. In 1955 she and her first husband Simons Roof spent two years in India made an extended trip to India, where they studied Hindu and esoteric religions.

After the couple later divorced in 1961, Marcia went on to marry three more times. With Venus in Taurus, she liked the security and comfort of a mate by her side. Venus in the sign of Taurus also indicated kindness, compassion, and loyalty. With Venus sextile Moon in Cancer, she enjoyed the comforts of home—yet was not content with domesticity. Unfortunately, her Venus squared Neptune gave Marcia Moore a blind spot. She minimized flaws in her partners more than was wise—a trait was to become evident at the end of her days on earth. Fortunately, with Jupiter in good aspect to Neptune in Leo in the second house of money, she was born into wealth and privilege. She could always count on her family to help when relationships went sour.

The astrologer’s Mercury in Gemini indicated her talent for writing. She could be quite serious with Mercury opposite Saturn in the sixth house. The opposition would also point to a tendency toward depression. Activity seemed to be her way of dealing with stress. She had Mercury sextile Jupiter, so she enjoyed travel, and Mercury sextile Neptune gave her creativity and original ideas.

Whatever Marcia Moore undertook, she did so with the passion of Mars in Aries conjunct Uranus in the 10th house. Her career also indicated by Jupiter in Aries in the 10th house was a successful one. She not only introduced yoga to American audiences, but also astrology and reincarnation. With Jupiter trining Neptune in Leo, Marcia had a magnetic personality suited to working with the public.

Her ethereal beauty of face and lithe figure attracted her fourth husband, anesthesiologist, Dr. Howard Alltounian. Before her disappearance, the couple had been experimenting with ketamine, a hallucinogenic drug. They published their research in a book, Journeys into the Bright World which came out January 1, 1978.

The rugged six foot physician was a charmer. His Sun in Gemini bestowed intelligence of a quick mind combined with Moon in Leo which gave him a sense of charisma — and entitlement. His Pisces ascendant added compassion. Even though he could be moody, people still liked the considerate doctor. However, Alltounian’s Sun square Neptune would indicate extreme sensitivity — especially to rejection.

He did have a temper shown by an exact square of Moon in Leo to Mars in Scorpio. The passionate physician insisted on an open arrangement in his first marriage to Tina who experienced Howard’s s short temper on more than one occasion. In addition, with Mars was opposite the midpoint between Mercury and Uranus, he was quick to react to any betrayal — real or imagined.

When Howard Alltourian first saw Marcia Moore on Good Morning Seattle, there was an immediate attraction, indicated by his Mars in Scorpio exactly opposite her Venus in Taurus. Soon they were inseparable — and married. However, the relationship was in trouble by the end of 1978. Alltounian was the last one to see Marcia alive. Usually police look to the husband is the first suspect in murder cases. Was Howard Alltounian was culpable in Marcia’s death?

We cannot know for sure her time of death. She was last seen alive at 2:30 p.m. on January 14, 1979 when she dropped plants off at her neighbor’s home. As she continued making plans to leave for an early-morning trip alone, she may well have told her husband later in the afternoon or early evening. Transits that day reveal Moore was going through a lot turmoil. Uranus, the planet of sudden change, was opposite her Venus. She wanted out of the marriage—fast. With her natal Mars in square aspect to the Moon, Marcia was never still—she was always making plans. She could also be unpredictable. It is likely she just wanted to get out of the relationship and insisted on a solo trip.

The planet Pluto is associated with deeds of the underworld including murder. Moore had the Moon conjunct Pluto in cancer in the twelve house, the house of endings. She was passionate about her spiritual beliefs and often took risks. On the day of her disappearance Pluto was square the midpoint between her Jupiter and Mars. She definitely was on a mission and did not see her demise coming.

Marcia’s decision to leave her husband behind would not sit well with Howard Alltounian. With his Moon in Leo, he was used to being the boss. That day transiting Uranus made an exact square to his Moon at 20 Leo.

Usually police look to the husband as the first suspect in murder cases. Was Howard Alltounian was culpable in Marcia’s death? He certainly had the means and opportunity to murder his wife.as well as- the motive. Apparently the two were no longer living in the same house. Marcia had rented a side building next to their duplex as a Sai Baba center—but really it was a place for Howard to live. In their book Dematerialization, the authors quote Moore’s friend Lani Morris had made plans to meet Marcia in Pasadena California. “If we’d all gone down there for the convention I don’t think she would ever have come back. And I think she would have walked away from everything and we would’ve had to send her sterling to her.”¹

Given her friend’s remark, it seems that Marcia was planning to leave Alltounian. At fifty she still had many years left to continue her writing and lecture work. Sadly, she was never able to return to her research. She left the astrology world the gift of two books — Astrology: the Divine Science and Astrology in Action. Wise, compassion and generous Marcia Moore truly believed “The only thing you will take through those pearly gates is what you have given away.”

^1. DiSomma, Joseph; DiSomma, Marina. Dematerialized: The Mysterious Disappearance of Marcia Moore Post Hill Press, page 352.