THE daughter of a legendary Hollywood director and her husband have been mysteriously found dead inside a running car parked on a highway.
Judith “Judy” Wyler Sheldon, 84, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, were discovered unresponsive in a Jeep Compass on Interstate 5 near Redding, California.
A California Highway Patrol officer made the grim discovery on the shoulder of the northbound carriageway, just north of Fawndale Road, at approximately 5.46pm on Monday.
Judy, a prominent San Francisco arts patron, is the daughter of famous filmmaker William Wyler.
She was found behind the wheel, while her husband was in the passenger seat.
Despite emergency medical personnel attempting life-saving measures, both were declared dead at the scene.
The circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain unclear, and investigators are working to determine what happened inside the vehicle.
The California Highway Patrol’s Northern Division Investigative Services Unit has taken over the case.
While authorities have not publicly disclosed any indication of foul play or a medical emergency, the deaths occurred during a period of extreme heat.
The National Weather Service had issued a warning for the Redding area, where temperatures soared to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43C) on the day the couple were found, though investigators have not confirmed if the weather played a role.
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The news has stunned California’s arts and film communities, where Judy spent decades championing silent-film preservation.
She was the long-time chair and former president of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
Anita Monga, the festival’s artistic director, said the community was “reeling” from the devastating loss.
“Judy and Wylie were very dear to us, supportive and a positive presence at all our events,” she said, recalling how the couple regularly opened their home to visiting film archivists and musicians.
“Judy would allow, actually encourage, our visiting guests to pose for pictures with her father William Wyler’s Oscars.
The perfect hosts.”
Born Judith Wyler in Los Angeles, she briefly appeared on screen during the 1950s with credits in The Errol Flynn Theatre, The Buccaneers, and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre.
However, her lasting legacy was behind the scenes.
Judy’s passion for film preservation intensified after attending a 2007 retrospective of her father’s silent-era films in Pordenone, Italy.
Her cultural influence also extended to other institutions, including serving as a gala co-chair for San Francisco Performances.
The tragedy carries a deep resonance due to Judy’s family’s monumental place in cinema history.
Her father, William Wyler, remains one of the most acclaimed directors in American film, directing classics such as Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver, and Wuthering Heights.
William won three Academy Awards for Best Director, a feat achieved by only a handful of filmmakers.