Mary Vincent, a 15-year-old runaway en route to visit her grandfather in California, accepted a ride from Lawrence Singleton in September 1978—an encounter that would forever alter her life.
Initially appearing friendly, Singleton's demeanor quickly shifted. Shortly after picking up Vincent, he assaulted her multiple times and then severed her arms before abandoning her in Del Puerto Canyon.
Despite the severity of her injuries, Vincent managed to stumble three miles to the nearest road, where she was discovered and transported to the hospital.
Her survival marked the beginning of an incredible journey.
Lawrence Singleton's Violent Attack On Mary Vincent
Mary Vincent, raised in Las Vegas, chose to leave home at 15. She relocated to California with her boyfriend, where they resorted to living out of a car. However, her boyfriend's arrest for raping another teenage girl left Vincent alone.
On September 29, 1978, she opted to hitchhike nearly 400 miles to Corona, California, where her grandfather resided. When Lawrence Singleton, a 50-year-old man, offered her a ride, she accepted, perceiving him as a friendly older gentleman.
Shortly after entering Singleton's van, Mary Vincent realized she might have erred. He inquired about her health after she sneezed and then checked her temperature by placing his hand on her neck. However, Vincent interpreted his actions as kindness and soon drifted off to sleep.
Upon awakening, Mary Vincent realized they were traveling in the wrong direction, causing her to feel uneasy. Sensing danger, she grabbed a sharp stick from the vehicle and pointed it at Singleton, demanding he turn around. Singleton attempted to reassure her, claiming he was "just an honest man who made a mistake," and began driving back in the right direction. However, he soon stopped for a bathroom break.
While Vincent stepped out to stretch her legs and tie her shoe, Singleton brutally attacked her, striking her in the head and dragging her into the back of the van. He raped her, threatening her life if she made any noise.
Despite her pleas, Singleton callously uttered, "You want to be free? I'll set you free," before using a hatchet to sever both of Vincent's arms below the elbow, proclaiming, "Okay, now you're free."
Singleton shoved Mary Vincent down an embankment, abandoning her in a concrete pipe, seemingly left for dead. However, against all odds, she miraculously managed to survive.
Mary Vincent's Miraculous Story Of Survival
Naked and drifting in and out of consciousness, Mary Vincent summoned remarkable resilience, crawling out of the canyon and embarking on a three-mile journey back to Interstate 5. Despite her dire condition, she held what remained of her arms aloft to minimize blood loss.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the first vehicle that encountered Vincent initially recoiled in fear at the sight of her, speeding away. However, a second car stopped, offering her a lifeline by transporting her to a nearby hospital.
Following extensive surgery to preserve her life, Vincent underwent the arduous process of adapting to prosthetic arms, a journey that required years of dedicated physical therapy. Additionally, she underwent intensive psychotherapy to help her navigate and heal from the profound trauma she had endured.
Reflecting on her journey in 1997, Vincent remarked, "I'd have been lead dancer at the Lido de Paris in Las Vegas," Vincent said in 1997. "Then Hawaii and Australia. I'm serious. I was really good on my feet… but when this happened, they had to take some parts out of my leg just to save my right arm."
Fortunately, Mary Vincent's detailed description of Lawrence Singleton enabled authorities to swiftly identify him from the police sketch and make an arrest.
Vincent bravely testified against her assailant in court. As she left the stand, Singleton reportedly menacingly whispered, "I'll finish this job if it takes me the rest of my life."
Despite Vincent's courageous testimony, Singleton was convicted of rape, kidnapping, and attempted murder. Shockingly, he served only a little over eight years in prison and was granted parole for good behavior. This outcome left Vincent living in constant fear, haunted by the possibility that Singleton would one day fulfill his chilling threat. Tragically, he did—but Vincent wasn't the target this time.
The Murder Of Roxanne Hayes
By the late 1990s, Lawrence Singleton had relocated to Florida after facing rejection from communities in California unwilling to accept him. Tragically, on February 19, 1997, Singleton committed another heinous act when he lured sex worker Roxanne Hayes into his home and brutally murdered her.
Neighbors, disturbed by Hayes' screams, promptly notified the police. However, their swift action proved futile as officers arrived to discover her lifeless body sprawled on the floor, bearing multiple stab wounds and drenched in blood.
According to Criminally Intrigued, Mary Vincent traveled from California to Florida upon learning of Singleton's arrest to testify on behalf of Roxanne Hayes. In court, she bravely recounted her own harrowing ordeal, underscoring the depths of Lawrence Singleton's depravity and advocating for his death sentence.
"I was raped," she asserted to the jury. "I had my arms cut off. He used a hatchet. He left me to die."
Singleton received a death sentence on April 14, 1998. Despite spending three years in prison awaiting execution, he passed away from cancer at the age of 74 while still on death row. Mary Vincent could finally find peace after enduring decades of turmoil.
Mary Vincent's Life After The Attack
In the aftermath of the attack, Mary Vincent grappled with uncertainty about ever reclaiming a semblance of normalcy in her life. Through trials and tribulations, including marriage, divorce, and raising two children, she persevered. Eventually, Vincent found purpose in founding the Mary Vincent Foundation, dedicated to aiding fellow survivors of violent crimes.
"He destroyed everything about me," she lamented of Singleton's impact. "My way of thinking. My way of life. Holding onto innocence… and I'm still doing everything I can to hold on."
Reflecting on her ongoing struggles in a 2003 interview with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Vincent revealed the toll taken by her nightmares: "I've broken bones thanks to my nightmares. I've jumped up and dislocated my shoulder, just trying to get out of bed. I've cracked ribs and smashed my nose."
Over time, Mary Vincent found solace in art, using it as a means to navigate and cope with the trauma she endured. Unable to afford expensive prosthetic arms, she ingeniously crafted her own using components salvaged from refrigerators and stereo systems. Through experimentation and perseverance, Vincent taught herself to draw and paint using her homemade prosthetics.
Reflecting on her journey, Vincent shared with the Ventura County Star, "I couldn't draw a straight line. Even with a ruler, I would mess it up. This is something that woke up after the attack, and my artwork has inspired me and given me self-esteem."
