Police say the deaths of a well-known couple found unresponsive in their SUV along a Northern California highway appear to be related to a medical emergency.
Judith “Judy” Wyler Sheldon, 84, and her husband, Wylie Sheldon, 86, were found Monday inside their Jeep Compass on Interstate 5 near Lake Shasta.
California Highway Patrol officers discovered the couple shortly before 6 p.m. with the vehicle’s engine still running.
Investigators said there are no signs of foul play. However, authorities are examining whether the day’s extreme heat — which reached 107 degrees — may have been a contributing factor as they wait for autopsy findings.
“It was the hottest day of the year so far, or second hottest. I’m sure there’s always a possibility that excessive heat played a role,” California Highway Patrol Lt. Josh Smith told SFGate. “But I can’t confirm that without a medical exam.”
Judy Sheldon was the daughter of acclaimed filmmaker William Wyler, the Army veteran and director whose career included collaborations with some of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars, among them Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Barbra Streisand and Laurence Olivier.
According to the CHP, Judy Sheldon was behind the wheel while her husband was seated in the passenger seat. The vehicle’s engine was still running when the officer approached.
A second officer and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but both were pronounced dead.
CHP investigators say they do not suspect foul play in the deaths of Judy Wyler Sheldon, 84, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, who were found unresponsive inside their SUV. The pair are pictured in 2019
Judy Sheldon was behind the wheel while her husband Wylie was seated in the passenger seat when they were found, according to CHP
The couple were discovered on a remote stretch of Interstate 5, one of California’s busiest transportation corridors. Pictured a view of Mt. Shasta in Northern California
‘We don’t have a lot of information now,’ Smith said. ‘An autopsy has not been performed yet. We’re waiting to hear when they’ll schedule that.’
Smith said investigators are contacting relatives and friends while also retracing the couple’s journey from the Bay Area to identify where they may have stopped before reaching the area where they were found.
Authorities said the couple had been traveling to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon.
Redding and surrounding areas were under an extreme heat warning on the day the couple died.
The deaths have stunned members of California’s arts and film communities, where Judy Sheldon had long been a respected figure.
‘We are reeling from this news,’ Anita Monga, artistic director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said in a statement. ‘Judy and Wylie were very dear to us, supportive and a positive presence at all our events.’
For many in San Francisco’s cultural circles, the Sheldons were known as much for their hospitality as their philanthropy.
William Wyler, Judy Sheldon’s father, directed Hollywood classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, Mrs. Miniver and The Best Years of Our Lives, winning three Academy Awards
Judy Wyler Sheldon, 84, daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler, was found dead inside a running SUV near Redding, California. She is pictured here in her youth
Their home frequently served as a gathering place for visiting film archivists, musicians and cinema enthusiasts attending festival events.
Judy Sheldon spent decades championing silent-film preservation and played a central role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
After serving as president of the organization’s board, she later became its longtime chair.
‘I used to joke with her that she was our Frank Sinatra – Chairman of the Board,’ Monga recalled.
Monga said the Sheldons regularly opened their home to festival guests and supporters.
‘Judy would allow, actually encourage, our visiting film archivists and musicians to pose for pictures with her father William Wyler’s Oscars,’ she said. ‘The perfect hosts.’
The loss was still difficult to process, Monga added.
‘I’m sorry to not be more articulate; this loss is so devastating.’
William Wyler was one of the most acclaimed directors in Hollywood history, winning three Academy Awards for Best Director during a career that spanned more than four decades
Stacey Wisnia, executive director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, said Sheldon was a familiar face at virtually every event she could remember over more than two decades.
‘Completely unassuming, she could always be found in the theater lobby engaged in lively conversations with festival musicians, special guests, and audience members,’ Wisnia said.
She added that she would miss Sheldon’s ‘warmth, curiosity, and charming stories about her travel adventures and her father, the great director William Wyler.’
‘She was a San Francisco treasure,’ Wisnia said.
Born Judith Wyler in Los Angeles, she spent much of her life preserving and celebrating cinema history.
Although she briefly appeared on screen during the 1950s, earning credits in productions including The Errol Flynn Theatre, The Buccaneers and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, her lasting legacy came through her work behind the scenes as an advocate for film preservation.
She became especially devoted to protecting silent-film history and played a major role in promoting awareness of early cinema.
The San Francisco Silent Film Festival lists her as chair of its board, reflecting years of involvement with the organization.
In a 2007 interview, Sheldon explained that her passion for the festival grew after she attended a retrospective dedicated to her father’s silent-era films in Pordenone, Italy.
The experience helped deepen her commitment to preserving a vital chapter of film history.
Film director William Wyler is seen talking to a cast member on the set of his western ‘The Big Country’ in 1957. Wyler died in 1981 at the age of 79
American actress and singer Barbra Streisand on the set of the movie Funny Girl with director William Wyler in 1968
Her influence extended well beyond the world of silent cinema. She also served in leadership roles supporting San Francisco’s cultural institutions and was listed as a co-chair for a gala hosted by San Francisco Performances during its 43rd season.
The loss carries an added historical resonance because of her family’s place in Hollywood history.
Her father, William Wyler, an Army vet who served in the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in World War II, remains one of the most acclaimed directors ever to work in American film.
Across a legendary career, he directed classics including Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur,
The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver and Wuthering Heights.
He won three Academy Awards for Best Director, a feat achieved by only a handful of filmmakers.
