You’ve probably seen the clips. Maybe you caught the episode of the show I Survived on a late-night binge or heard a snippet of her story on a true crime podcast. It’s one of those tales that sticks in your craw because it feels too horrific to be real. But for Mary Vincent, it was a Tuesday in September 1978.
It was more than just a brush with death. It was a 15-year-old girl vs. a 50-year-old monster in a blue van. Honestly, when people talk about Mary Vincent I Survived, they usually focus on the gore. The hatchet. The 30-foot drop into a concrete culvert. But the real story? That’s about what happened after she climbed out of that hole.
The Night Everything Changed on I-5
Mary was a runaway. Her parents were going through a nasty divorce in Las Vegas, and she was just trying to get to her grandfather’s place in Berkeley. Hitchhiking was normal back then. Sorta like Uber, but with way more risk and zero background checks. On September 28, 1978, she flagged down Lawrence Singleton.
He seemed okay at first. Just an older guy. But then he started drinking from gallon milk jugs filled with booze. He took a "shortcut" toward Nevada. When Mary tried to jump out of the van while he was "relieving himself," Singleton didn't just grab her. He hit her with a sledgehammer.
What followed was a nightmare that lasted through the night.
Survival by Mud and Will
The next morning, Singleton decided he was done. He didn't just want to kill her; he wanted to make sure she couldn't be identified. He used a hatchet to sever both of her arms at the forearms. He then tossed her off a cliff near Modesto, California, into a drainage culvert.
Most people would have gone into shock and died right there. Not Mary. She stayed awake. She remembers screaming at God to let her sleep, but something told her to keep moving. She used dirt and mud to pack the stumps of her arms, effectively cauterizing the wounds to slow the bleeding.
She climbed back up that 30-foot ravine. Naked. Maimed. Covered in blood. She walked nearly three miles along Interstate 5 before a couple finally stopped to help.
The I Survived Legacy: Why Mary Vincent Still Matters
When the world hears about Mary Vincent I Survived, they’re often shocked by the legal failure that followed. Singleton was sentenced to only 14 years. That was the maximum allowed at the time. He actually got out in eight for "good behavior."
People were livid. There were protests. He was essentially run out of every town he tried to settle in. But the system failed again. In 1997, Singleton murdered a mother of three named Roxanne Hayes in Florida.
Mary didn't hide. She flew to Florida and testified against him again. She looked him right in the eye. That’s the "survivor" part people forget. It wasn't just surviving the hatchet; it was surviving the fear that he would "finish the job" like he whispered to her in the courtroom years earlier.
Life as an Artist and "Tinkerer"
Mary Vincent, now Mary McGriff, didn't let the lack of hands stop her. She's kinda a genius with mechanics. She didn't like the "Barbie doll" look of modern prosthetics because they couldn't lift anything.
So, she built her own.
- The ballpoint pen trick: She used parts from a clicking pen to create a locking mechanism for her prosthetic "claws."
- Dishwasher parts: She used a disk from a dishwasher to allow her prosthetic hands to rotate.
- Slot machines: Growing up in Vegas, she even used parts from old slot machines to help with the lever action of her arms.
She became a prolific artist, creating over 4,000 pieces of art. She says the prosthetics actually give her a smoother stroke when drawing with pastels. She draws "powerfully upbeat women"—basically female action figures. It was her way of processing the trauma.
Where is Mary Vincent in 2026?
Today, Mary lives a relatively quiet life in Vaughn, Washington. She’s in her 60s now. She’s married to a man named Tony McGriff and has two adult sons.
Interestingly, she hasn't drawn much in the last 15 years. She says it’s because she’s actually happy now. She used to draw to escape the "pit of hell" that was her PTSD and depression. Now, she spends her time gardening and cooking ethnic foods. She’s living life instead of drawing it.
Lawrence Singleton is long gone. He died of cancer on death row in 2001. Mary, however, is still here. She’s a living reminder of why the "Singleton Bill" exists in California, which now ensures that crimes involving torture carry much heavier sentences.
How to Support Victims of Violent Crime
If Mary's story moves you, the best thing you can do isn't just to watch the documentary. It's to support the systems that help survivors.
- Advocate for sentencing reform: Stay informed about local laws regarding violent offenders and parole eligibility.
- Support victim services: Organizations like the National Center for Victims of Crime provide actual resources for people navigating the aftermath of trauma.
- Learn the "Mary Vincent" mindset: She didn't just survive; she became her own advocate. If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, reaching out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233) is a solid first step.
Mary Vincent's story is proof that the human spirit is way tougher than any metal hatchet. She took a horrific hand of cards and played them with absolute grit.
To learn more about the legal changes sparked by this case, you can research the history of California's Singleton Bill and its impact on mandatory minimum sentencing for aggravated mayhem and torture.