A prominent San Francisco arts patron who was the daughter of Oscar-winning filmmaker William Wyler has been found dead alongside her husband inside a running SUV parked on a California interstate.

Judith ‘Judy’ Wyler Sheldon, 84, and Wylie Sheldon, 86, were discovered unresponsive in their vehicle on Interstate 5 near Redding on Monday.

Authorities have not released a cause of death, and investigators are working to determine what happened.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the grim discovery was made at approximately 5:46pm on June 15 when an officer came across a Jeep Compass parked on the shoulder of northbound Interstate 5, just north of Fawndale Road.

Authorities said Sheldon, 84, was behind the wheel while her husband, 86, was seated in the passenger seat.

A second CHP officer was called to assist, and emergency medical personnel attempted life-saving measures. Despite those efforts, both Judy and Wylie Sheldon were declared dead at the scene.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear.

Investigators have not publicly disclosed any indication of foul play, medical emergency, or other factors that may have contributed to the tragedy. 

Judy Sheldon and Wiley Sheldon were discovered unresponsive in a 2022 Jeep Compass parked on the shoulder of northbound Interstate 5 on June 15. The pair are pictured in 2019

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

The couple were discovered on a remote stretch of Interstate 5, one of California’s busiest  transportation corridors

The California Highway Patrol’s Northern Division Investigative Services Unit has now taken over the case and is working to determine exactly what happened inside the vehicle.

The deaths stunned members of California’s arts and film communities, where Judy Sheldon had long been a respected figure.

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.

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

 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, 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.