Some 100 people turned out for a candlelight vigil Sunday evening to mourn the loss of a Winchester woman murdered on her morning walk, not far from her home.
The vigil was held Sunday at the corner of Washington Street and Brookridge Lane, where the 68-year-old Wanda McGlover was found dying in a ditch Sept. 21.
Though initial reports were of a hit-and-run accident, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced Friday it was investigating the death as a homicide.
Organizers of the vigil opened a microphone to anyone who wanted to speak of McGlover, known around the neighborhood for her walks, her friendliness, her colorful clothing and her hats.
Some people held up signs reading messages such as, "we love you sister Wanda."
McGlover's daughter, who maintained from the first that her mother was intentionally murdered -- not struck by a vehicle -- spoke to Patch about McGlover, whom she said was "just a wonderful genius."
As she has done since the slaying, the daughter refrained from giving her name.
"My mother walked every day, four to five times a week," the daughter said.
"She walked three to five miles in this particular area. Somebody saw something. I am just begging the public to please, please, please come forward."
The woman asked that people visit a website here to give any tips about the case and also to donate money, because the time might come when the family may have to launch its own investigation.
Donations would also help to gather funds for a possible reward for information leading to the killer.
"This was a brutal, brutal, brutal attack. Somebody knows something."
The daughter added that she would want her mother to know that she will not give up in her search for the killer.
"Mother, we will get justice," the woman said to Patch.
"You did not die in vain."
McGlover, who suffered grave head trauma, died at a hospital.
Her daughter contends that McGlover was speaking with her on the phone the moment she was attacked by someone because she heard her mother say, "excuse me" before the assaulted woman screamed her daughter's name.
"Someone came up to her and either grabbed her arm or grabbed her from behind or something and she said ‘excuse me' to that person, or persons," the daughter said during a news conference earlier this week.
The woman explained that investigators' initial findings about her mother being struck by a hit-and-run driver do not make sense because when a vehicle bears down on someone, “they don’t have time to say 'excuse me' to the car."
