Judith Wyler Sheldon, the daughter of Oscar winning iconic director William Wyler, and her husband Wylie Sheldon have been found dead in a car in Northern California.
The couple, who were aged 84 and 86, were found on Monday evening inside a Jeep parked on the side of Interstate 5 near Redding.
Police said that an officer spotted the vehicle and found both of them inside lifeless.
Emergency teams were called to the scene and tried to help, but both were later declared dead there.
At this stage, officials have not confirmed what caused their deaths. However, police share that the investigation is still ongoing and many possibilities are under observation.
Authorities have not said if it was a medical problem, the extreme heat, or something else. The area was very hot at the time, with temperatures reaching about 109 degrees, which now raised more questions.
Judith was known for her work in silent film preservation and played important role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Her death, moreover, has left the film community in shock.
People who worked with her said she was kind, warm and always supportive at events.
Officials say they are still working to understand what exactly happened at the scene.
2026-06-18 17:46:00
