# 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀(*𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬)



## X10E8 (Apr 28, 2021)

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀(*𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬) 

















*Lawrence Singleton*

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*Lawrence Bernard "Larry" Singleton* (July 28, 1927 – December 28, 2001), nicknamed the *"Mad Chopper"* in media accounts, was an American criminal known for perpetrating an infamous rape and mutilation of adolescent hitchhiker Mary Vincent in California in 1978, and then perpetrating a second attack on a woman shortly after being released from prison eight years later.

He raped Vincent and cut off her arms, then left her to die in a culvert off of Interstate 5 in Del Puerto Canyon. Vincent managed to crawl up to safety and later acted as a key witness against the rapist. Released from prison on good behavior after serving eight years of his fourteen-year sentence, Singleton later murdered Roxanne Hayes, a mother of three. On February 19, 1997, police found him covered in blood after stabbing her in his new home.

Lawrence Bernard Singleton
Prison mugshotBornJuly 28, 1927
Tampa, Florida, U.S.[1]DiedDecember 28, 2001 (aged 74)
Starke, Florida, U.S.[2]OccupationFormer merchant seamanCriminal statusDeadConviction(s)Murder (Florida), rape, kidnapping, mayhem, attempted murder, sex crimes, theft (California)Criminal penalty14 years, 8 years served (California), death sentence (Florida)

*Biography*
Lawrence Singleton was born in Tampa, Florida.[2] He worked as a merchant seaman.[3]

*First conviction*
On September 29, 1978, Singleton picked up 15-year-old Mary Vincent of Las Vegas, Nevada, while she was hitchhiking from her grandfather’s house in Berkeley, California back home to Las Vegas. He picked her up outside of Modesto, California, after which he knocked her unconscious with a sledgehammer, spent the whole night raping her, and tortured her by severing both her forearms with a hatchet. Singleton figured she was dead or near death and he threw her off of a 30-foot cliff on Interstate-5 near Del Puerto Canyon, leaving her naked and bleeding out.

She mitigated the bleeding from her forearms by shoving them into mud, and the mud suppressed her bleeding while she managed to pull herself back up the cliff. She walked for three miles, naked, covered in blood, and armless, before finding and alerting a passing couple, who took her to a hospital. By the time of Singleton's arrest, Vincent wore prosthetic arms.[4]

Six months after the assault, Vincent faced Singleton at his trial, where her testimony helped to convict him.[5] Singleton was sentenced to fourteen years in prison, the maximum allowed by law in California at that time.[5] The presiding judge remarked: "If I had the power, I would send him to prison for the rest of his natural life."[6]

While Vincent won a $2.56 million civil judgment against Singleton, she was unable to collect it when Singleton revealed that he was unemployed, in poor health, and had only $200 in savings.[7]

Along with the particularly gruesome and callous aspects of the crime, the case became even more notorious after Singleton was paroled after serving only eight years in prison.

He was able to reduce his time through good behavior and working as a teaching assistant in a prison classroom.[6] Singleton was paroled to Contra Costa County, California, but no town would accept his presence, so he had to live in a trailer on the grounds of San Quentin prison until his parole ended a year later.[2]

According to _Time_ magazine, "as authorities attempted to settle him in one Bay Area town after another, angry crowds and Tampa's chapter of Guardian Angels led protests, screamed, picketed and eventually prevailed."[8] In Rodeo, about 25 miles northeast of San Francisco, a crowd of approximately 500 local protestors were up in arms and forced officers to move him under armed guard from a hotel room.

Authorities tried housing him across the street from Concord's City Hall, but that was met with protests and failed too.[9] He was removed from one apartment in Contra Costa County in a bullet-proof vest after 400 residents surrounded the building to protest a decision to place him there permanently.[10] Governor George Deukmejian ordered that Singleton be placed in a trailer on the grounds of San Quentin for the duration of his one-year parole.

The outrage at this sentence resulted in legislation, supported by Mary Vincent, which prevents the early release of offenders who have committed a crime in which torture is used: in 1987 Singleton's parole led to passage of California's "Singleton bill", which carries a 25-years-to-life sentence. (Harrower, 1998).

The leniency of the legal system shocked and outraged many. One journalist who interviewed him remarked, "What was most surprising to me, however, was not his sentence. It was that Larry Singleton had worked his crimes around in his mind so completely that they did not warrant punishment at all."[11]

Right before Singleton's parole ended, Donald Stahl, the Stanislaus County prosecutor at Singleton's trial, said, "I think, if anything, he's worse now. He has not taken responsibility. He lives in a bizarre fantasy land and acquits himself each day. He doesn't accept his guilt and won't resolve never to do it again."[12]

*Move to Florida*
Singleton returned to his native Florida after his release. In 1990, he was twice convicted of theft. He served a 60-day sentence for stealing a $10 disposable camera in spring 1990 and in the winter received a two-year prison term for stealing a $3 hat. Before his sentencing for the latter crime, he described himself to the judge as "a confused, muddleheaded old man".[13]

In the spring of 1997, a neighbor called police to report Singleton assaulting a woman in his home in Sulphur Springs, Florida. When police responded, they found the dead body of Roxanne Hayes; she had been stabbed multiple times in the upper body.[14] Hayes was a mother of three.[15]

Mary Vincent traveled from California to Tampa to appear at Singleton's sentencing.[16] During her testimony, she described Singleton's attack and the toll the ordeal had taken on her.[17] The judge sentenced Singleton to death.[18] Singleton died in 2001 of cancer in a prison hospital at the North Florida Reception Center in Starke, Florida.[2][19]

*References*

Last edited 2 months ago by 2603:7081:1340:8E00:A401:BF94:A5F5:B516
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*The Case of Lawrence Singleton*

MAY 25, 2019 IN HOMICIDE, TORTURE
September 29th, 1978. Berkeley, California. A 15-year-old girl, Mary Vincent, stood alongside a few others hoping for a ride.

Hitchhiking was more common at the time, and many wouldn’t think twice getting a ride from a stranger. Her plan was to go to her grandfather’s home in Corona, CA. After waiting for sometime a blue van approached the young girl and beckoned her over.

An older man with a smile asked where to and she told him she was trying to make it to Los Angeles. He agreed to take her even though it was out of the way and motioned her into his van.

Some of the other women waiting with Mary asked her to stay, the man gave off some odd vibes but she felt confident in her ability to take care of herself. The man seemed nice enough.

The man was Lawrence Bernard Singleton, in his early 50s, and former merchant seaman. Mary got into the car and the two were off to Southern California. Knowing just how long the trip could be, and sensing no immediate danger, Mary soon found herself falling asleep.

It’s not clear how long she drifted off to sleep for but when she awoke she quickly realized that Larry was not going the route they agreed upon, he had missed an important turn off.

She became angry and insisted Larry turn the car around immediately. Larry seemed to shrug it off and claimed it to be an honest mistake, as he started to look for a way to turn the car around.









Larry Singleton.

Once on the right path again, Larry decided to pull the car over, claiming he had to urinate. Once the van rolled to a stop, the two got out to stretch their legs.

Mary noticed her shoe laces were undone and she bent down to tie them. As she did so, Larry crept up behind her and struck her over the head with a hammer. He subdued the child and forced her to drink some unknown alcohol.

He then drove further down a nearby canyon where Larry would continue his attack. Larry then tied her hands behind her back and brutally raped the girl repeatedly. Larry then decided the girl would be able to identify him and that she would have to die.

Larry laid the girl on the side of the road, took out a hatchet and began hacking away at the girl’s arms. One can only imagine the agony and blind pain felt by Mary as the sadistic maniac, removed both of her arms while she was still completely aware of her surroundings and fully conscious.

Once finished, he would send her down the canyon, stuffing her into a pipe where he would assume, she would die shortly from blood loss. Shortly after the ordeal Mary would lose consciousness and nearly die from her wounds.








Mary Vincent after her encounter with Larry.
It’s hard to tell what was going on in Larry Singleton’s mind before, during and after the attack. How much of this was premeditated compared to it being a split decision of mayhem.

Had he jumped in his van that morning and knew he would perform such despicable deeds on such a helpless victim? One thing is certain, when he had finished everything, he thought he had gotten away with murder.
Miraculously, Mary slowly began to come around.

She had been left for dead but she was strong. She was also left nude, covered in her own blood. She knew she had to get out of this situation. She was able to make her way out of the ravine, she was left in and start walking down the road with her arms raised, hoping this would help save what was left of her arms.

One car approached but started to speed off in a panic at the site of the victim. Thankfully shortly thereafter, two women were lost, and came across Mary, still staggering in the heat. They stopped, wrapped her in towels and drove her to an airport where further help was contacted.

Mary would go on to generate a detailed composite sketch and description of her attacker and which would go on to be recognized by a neighbor of Larry’s. He would be arrested and put on trial for his attack on Mary Vincent. 6 months later, Mary would be staring down her attacker in court where her testimony successfully put him behind bars.

Unfortunately he would only be sentenced to 14 years. The judge presiding over the court remarked: "If I had the power, I would send him to prison for the rest of his natural life.” Larry would go on to stun absolutely no one by admitting he whispered the following to Mary while in court: "I'll finish this job, if it takes me the rest of my life."

Mary would go on to win a civil judgement of $2.56 million in a civil case against Singleton but would be unable to collect because he had nothing to his name.

Mary and the public were understandably upset over the sentence, feeling it too short and unjust. This would lead to the passing of the “Singleton Bill” which ceases the early release of criminals who used torture in their crime and allowed for a 25-to-life sentences as well.

One would like to think that the story would start to wrap itself up here. Larry served his unjust but full sentence and Mary was able to make a speedy recovery and lived a happy life. Sadly this would not be the case.

Mary faced multiple challenges as a direct result of her attack and suffered from both emotional and physical problems. She had trouble maintaining relationships, finding a job and was unable to perform as a dancer which was her passion prior to the event.

She would become a devoted mother of 2 and become an accomplished artist. All of this would help her cope with the pain, but will always have a constant reminder of the monster who offered her a ride that fateful day.

Larry Singleton would go on to serve only 8 years on a 14 year sentence based on his good behavior and performing his job well as a teacher’s aide in prison. Just prior to being released, his psychiatrist stated the following: “Because he is so out of touch with his hostility and anger, he remains an elevated threat to others’ safety inside and outside prison.”

After being paroled, no town would allow the monster to live in their city, knowing what he was capable of doing to children. Crowds of people would gather and ensure there would be no place for Larry in their town. After unsuccessfully attempting to relocate him several times in different cities, Larry was finally allowed to live on the grounds of San Quentin in a trailer.

Larry would eventually be allowed to move back to his native state of Florida where he would continue to get into trouble. In 1990, he would be convicted of theft twice, serving a 60-day sentence. Both theft charges were for small, inexpensive objects.








Larry Singleton mugshot.
February 19th, 1997. Tampa, Florida. A local house painter had noticed a horrific scene unfolding inside a nearby residence. He quickly called police and described to them the disturbing details. A nude man, covered in blood was repeatedly stabbing a nude woman who lay motionless on the sofa.

He would claim to the 9-1-1 caller that he could hear the bones being crunched after each stab. The nude man who just continued on with his stabbing frenzy was none other then Larry Singleton.

The victim was 31-year-old Roxanne Hayes. She was a mother of 3 and doing what she could to support her family. She had agreed to meet with Larry for $20. Larry would go on to claim that she tried to take more than the agreed upon amount from his wallet, a struggle ensued. While he was trying to get a knife from her, she wound up being stabbed multiple times.

His story is clearly made up due to the testimony of the house painter. An unconscious victim cannot struggle with a killer. Shortly after the incident Larry would attempt to take his own life but was unsuccessful, he would be housed in a psychiatric hospital for some time before heading to jail to await trial.

Mary would fly from California to Florida to testify on behalf of Roxanne and to ensure this would never happen again. She would go into great detail what happened to her and paint a very clear picture why the ultimate punishment should be handed down to Singleton: “I was raped. I had my arms cut off.

He used a hatchet. He left me to die.” Singleton’s defense claimed that he never meant to kill Roxanne, that it was just a mistake due to too much emotion at the time. It took the jury 4 hours to come to a decision of guilty.

On April 14th, 1998, Singleton was given a death sentence for the senseless and horrific murder of Roxanne Hayes.

Singleton appeared to not care when Judge Anderson passed down the sentence on him: "This was an unprovoked, senseless killing of a human being. We are living in times worse than Sodom and Gomorrah."

December 28th, 2001. Singleton was serving his sentence, and awaiting his death when he died at the age of 74 from cancer. Many believe Mary and Roxanne were not Larry Singleton’s only victims, that he could be responsible for as many as a dozen murders.
LARRY SINGLETON, LAWRENCE, MARY VINCENT, HATCHET, ATTEMPTED MURDER, MURDER, ROXANNE HAYES, FLORIDA, NEVADA, CALIFORNIA, HITCHHIKING, EARLY RELEASE








The Case of Lawrence Singleton — Criminally Intrigued


Larry Singleton pulled up alongside teenager Mary Vincent. Larry was unassuming but hid a dark evil from his traveling companion.




www.criminallyintrigued.com


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