Tragic final moments of Hollywood legend's daughter and her husband revealed before being mysteriously found dead in their running SUV

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:39, 18 June 2026 | Updated: 18:57, 18 June 2026 The daughter of Oscar-winning filmmaker William Wyler was found dead with her husband in their running SUV, as police revealed where they were heading.  Judith 'Judy' Wyler Sheldon, 84, and Wylie Sheldon, 86, were discovered unresponsive in their vehicle on Interstate 5 near Redding in San Francisco on Monday evening.  But as the community mourns the prominent arts patron, police have revealed that the couple were on their way to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.  The pair were discovered at around 5.45pm on June 15 in their Jeep Compass, which was still running while it sat on the shoulder of the roadway. Julie was found behind the wheel, with her husband in the passenger seat, authorities revealed.   While their deaths were marked as a medical incident, the California Highway Patrol told the Daily Mail that the circumstances and cause of death remain under investigation.  The couple's journey up until they pulled over on the right shoulder of the northbound Interstate 5 is also being examined, including where they may have potentially stopped along the way, the agency said.  Both Judith and Wylie were pronounced dead at the scene after responding officers with the highway patrol and medical personnel attempted to revive the unresponsive couple.  The Redding area was placed under an extreme heat warning by the National Weather Service on Monday, but it remains unclear if the the temperatures that reached around 109 degrees played a role in the couple's tragic passing.  Judy Sheldon and Wiley Sheldon were discovered in their parked SUV on Interstate 5 on Monday, as its revealed they were on their way to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland While their deaths were marked as a medical incident, the California Highway Patrol told the Daily Mail that the circumstances and cause of death remain under investigation  The Daily Mail reached out to the California Highway Patrol and the San Francisco Coroner's Office for comment.  The couple's deaths stunned members of California's arts and film communities, where Judy Sheldon had long been a respected figure. Sheldon's father, former Army vet William Wyler, directed some of Hollywood's biggest stars – including Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Barbra Streisand and Laurence Olivier – during a career that produced some of cinema's most enduring classics.  '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. 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, 84, is the daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler and spent decades championing silent-film preservation and played a central role in the San Francisco Silent Film Festival '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.' 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.  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  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 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. 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. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.