Dance Friends Take Lead for Slain Woman

Friends of Mildred C. Wilson, who authorities say died in an apparent carjacking Saturday in the parking lot of a Ventura mall, have started raising money to help catch the person or people responsible for her death.

The group is calling itself the Millie Wilson Dance Family, and includes 16 students from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Ventura where Wilson, 65, was more than a familiar face.

“Our sense of safety has been shattered by this,” said Janice Moon, a dance student who knew Wilson for almost two years. “My way of dealing with my grief is taking action.”

In this case, that means setting up a reward fund, she said.

Wilson was shot about 2:20 p.m. Saturday, and died a short time later, authorities said. Her car was found abandoned on Telephone Road in front of the Poinsettia Shopping Center, just north of the parking lot where she was killed.

No arrests have been made and Ventura police are asking for the public’s assistance in finding those involved, Sgt. Gary McGaskill said. Investigators on Monday circulated a composite drawing of the gunman, described by witnesses as a Latino man, from 18 to 24 years old, with very short dark hair and wearing a white shirt.

The “dance family” has collected about $1,500 and hopes to raise even more, Moon said. At some point, she said, people with information will begin coming forward.

Wilson had been a student at Arthur Murray for almost two years, Moon said. She took lessons and attended dance parties every week, usually spending six days a week at the studio on Ralston Street, she said.

“She was there more than anyone else, and I was there second most,” Moon said. Moon and Wilson were also Monopoly partners.

Two days before her death, Wilson danced in the late session, which ended about 8:30 p.m., Moon said. “She left her glasses at the studio,” Moon said.

On Friday, Wilson did not go to the studio, missing both her class and that evening’s dance party, Moon said. Saturday morning came and went with no sign of Wilson.

“All of these things were strange for her,” Moon said.

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Some of the students were not aware of Wilson’s death until they read about it Sunday morning, and even then could not believe it was their friend who had died.

“We didn’t know her as Mildred. We all called her Millie,” Moon said.

“Family” member Merv Dirkse first met Wilson when she loaned her car to a group of dancers traveling to Santa Barbara for a practice dance and party.

“She was one of the gals, even though she was a student, who was always trying to help me,” Dirkse said. “And whenever I had missed a couple of sessions, she was always the first one to let me know I was missed.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the reward fund should call Dirkse at 647-5712.