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Half a Century On, Justice is Served for a Murdered California Woman
Mary Scott’s death had so much stigma attached that she was barely talked about, but DNA finally spoke up to catch her killer.
A man has been convicted of a murder that took place in San Diego more than 50 years ago, making the case the longest between crime and conviction in the county’s history.
Mary Scott was killed in November 1969, but it took until April 2022 for John Sipos, now 76, to be brought to trial and finally put behind bars. This is the story of what happened to her — and how her reputation was reclaimed by her grieving family.
Working through tough times
Mary was 23 in 1969, and she was admirably powering through what was undoubtedly a tough time. She had married a Navy sailor from Louisiana after a whirlwind romance at the age of 17, with the couple swiftly having two daughters.
However, the marriage was on the rocks and the pair had separated several times before finally splitting for good. Mary was finding it difficult to work to support herself and find childcare, so she made the heart-wrenching decision to leave their two daughters in the care of her husband and his parents while she moved back to her…
