Oscar-Winning Director's Daughter & Her Husband Found Dead in Car
Judith "Judy" Sheldon, daughter of Roman Holiday director William Wyler, and her husband Wylie Sheldon were found dead inside their running vehicle on a highway in California, authorities confirmed.
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The Sheldon family is in mourning.
Judith "Judy" Sheldon, 84, the daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler and Margaret "Talli" Tallichet, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, were found dead inside a car in northern California June 15.
The California Highway Patrol stopped to investigate a Jeep Compass parked on the shoulder of a highway in Redding, approximately 160 miles north of Sacramento, at 5:45 p.m. local time, according to the CHP's collision report news release obtained by E! News.
"The CHP officer observed the vehicle was running and the driver and passenger were unresponsive inside the vehicle," the report said. "A second CHP officer arrived on scene and both officers rendered medical aid to the parties along with medical personnel."
However, the document noted that both Judy and Wylie were pronounced dead at the scene "in what appears to be medically related."
The couple's cause of death and the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation. CHP Lieutenant Josh Smith told SFGate that he does not suspect foul play, though his office is waiting for confirmation on when an autopsy will be performed.
"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," Smith explained, but emphasized, "I can't confirm that without a medical exam."
Judy—whose father directed films like Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Ben-Hur—was a beloved supporter of the arts, serving as a chairman of the board of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival for nearly 30 years.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Following the news, the festival's artistic director Anita Monga reflected on the couple's legacy.
"They were so dear and devoted to one another," she told the outlet in an email. "I know that being part of San Francisco was very important for them. They were in a position to be supportive of the arts. They raised their family here, and they were such integral parts of the community."
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