Oscar-winning director’s daughter found dead with husband in car as friend speaks out: ‘It’s so bizarre’
The Independent • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Judith Sheldon, daughter of renowned director William Wyler, and her husband Wylie Sheldon were found dead in their parked Jeep on Interstate 5 near Redding, California, on June 15, amid extreme heat conditions reaching 109°F (43°C).
- Authorities reported the car’s engine was running with the fan on high but the air conditioning was not working, and there was no water in the vehicle; an autopsy will determine if heat was the cause of death.
- Judith and Wylie, both in their 80s, were traveling to Oregon to attend Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival with a friend, who confirmed they had stopped voluntarily and did not crash.
- William Wyler, Judith’s father, was a highly acclaimed director with three Oscar wins and numerous nominations, known for classics such as Mrs Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives, and Ben-Hur.
- Judith was active in film preservation as chair of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival board and is survived by her husband and their sons.
