Mary Vincent, at the age of 15, survived a horrific assault in 1978 when a man mutilated her arms and abandoned her in a ravine. While hitchhiking to her grandfather’s house after leaving home, Mary encountered a seemingly friendly older man in a blue van who offered her a ride. This man turned out to be Lawrence Singleton, a 51-year-old former merchant seaman.
Singleton drove Mary to a remote area near Modesto, California, where he brutally attacked her. He rendered her unconscious, stripped her, and sexually assaulted her before ultimately severing both her arms with a hatchet. Miraculously, Mary managed to stay alive by mustering incredible strength and determination. She packed dirt into her wounds to stem the bleeding, climbed out of the ravine, and flagged down a passing car for help.
Rescued by two individuals, Mary was rushed to a hospital, and her description of the attacker led to Singleton’s arrest. He was later convicted of multiple felonies, including attempted murder and rape, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Despite public outrage over his release, Singleton served only a little over eight years before being released on parole.
In a tragic turn of events, nearly two decades later, Singleton went on to murder Roxanne Hayes in Tampa, Florida, for which he received a death sentence but died in prison from cancer in 2001. Mary Vincent, deeply affected by the repeat offense, expressed dismay that it took another tragedy for the system to acknowledge Singleton’s danger.
Mary Vincent, determined to advocate for change, shared her story with other trauma victims and testified before legislative bodies to push for sentencing reforms. Her efforts led California to pass the “Singleton bill,” which increased penalties for similar crimes. Mary’s resilience and activism continue to inspire others to seek justice and support for victims of violent crimes.