A 15-year-old girl bravely fought for her life after a violent serial killer assaulted her, severed both her arms, and left her in a ravine. In 1978, Mary Vincent, who was hitchhiking in California to reach her grandfather’s house, encountered 51-year-old Lawrence Singleton. Singleton lured her off the road, incapacitated her, and subjected her to a horrific ordeal before cutting off her arms and abandoning her.
Despite her severe injuries, Mary refused to give up. She managed to stop the bleeding by packing dirt into her wounds and crawled out of the ravine to seek help. Rescued by passersby, she was rushed to a hospital where her detailed description of the attacker led to Singleton’s arrest and subsequent conviction on charges of attempted murder, mayhem, kidnapping, and sexual assault.
Singleton received a 14-year prison sentence but was released after serving only eight years, prompting public outrage and protests in California. However, two decades later, in 1997, Singleton went on to commit another heinous crime, murdering Roxanne Hayes in Florida. Despite being sentenced to death, Singleton passed away from cancer in prison in 2001, leaving Mary devastated that he was ever released.
Mary has since advocated for sentencing reforms and supported other victims by sharing her story. Her advocacy efforts led to the passing of the “Singleton bill” in California, increasing penalties for similar crimes. Now a mother of two and happily married in Washington, Mary, an accomplished artist, creates empowering artworks depicting women. She also crafts prosthetic tools for various activities using spare parts from old electronics, contributing positively to her community.