Judith Sheldon, the daughter of legendary Oscar-winning director William Wyler, has been found dead alongside her husband, Wylie Sheldon, in their parked Jeep on a California highway. The couple, aged 84 and 86 respectively, were discovered on 15 June on Interstate 5 near Redding, the same day an extreme heat warning was issued, with temperatures reaching almost 43°C.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed both were pronounced dead at the scene. Their car's engine was running, the fan was on high, but the air conditioning was not functioning, and no water was found inside the vehicle. Authorities have not confirmed the cause of death, pending autopsy results. Shasta County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tim Mapes stated: 'We'll just have to wait and see.'
Judith and Wylie, who met at Stanford University, were en route to meet their friend David Smith in Oregon to attend the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. Smith described the incident as 'bizarre', telling The New York Times: 'They didn't crash. They stopped. They both just died there. The entire thing is so bizarre. We're still in a state of shock.'
Judith was one of five children from Wyler's marriage to actress Margaret Tallichet. She had small roles in her father's films, including The Best Years of Our Lives and Roman Holiday, where she appeared alongside Gregory Peck. She later chaired the board of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival and was known for bringing her father's Oscar trophies to parties.
William Wyler, who died in 1981, remains the most nominated director in Oscar history, with three wins for Mrs Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives, and Ben-Hur, and nine other nominations. He directed 14 actors to Oscar wins, including Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and Barbra Streisand.
