A convicted murderer who sexually assaulted and killed an elderly woman in her home has died while serving time in prison. Fred Singleton, aged 81, passed away due to natural causes in the prison hospital after spending 42 years on death row for the brutal murder of Elizabeth Lominick.
Singleton had been deemed incompetent for execution by the state Supreme Court, as he did not fully comprehend the consequences of his actions. Despite this, his death sentence remained in place, with the possibility of reconsideration in the future based on advancements in psychological understanding.
The incident occurred in 1983 when Singleton, then 38, broke into Ms. Lominick’s home, committing the heinous acts that led to her death. Subsequently, stolen items from the victim were found in Singleton’s possession, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.
With Singleton’s passing, there are now 24 individuals remaining on death row in South Carolina, a significant decrease from the previous count. Among them is Jamie Wilson, the current longest-serving inmate on death row in the state, who was involved in a tragic school shooting in the 1980s.
Wilson, like Singleton, is facing legal complexities due to mental health considerations. Despite a competency hearing in 2011, a final ruling on Wilson’s case is still pending, leaving the matter unresolved after three decades on death row.