Judith Sheldon was one of five children born to “Ben-Hur” and “Roman Holiday” director William Wyler.

Daughter of Oscar-winning director found dead with husband in car

Judith Sheldon was one of five children born to "Ben-Hur" and "Roman Holiday" director William Wyler.

By Kathleen Perricone

June 23, 2026 8:35 p.m. ET

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William Wyler with 'Roman Holiday' star Audrey Hepburn. Credit:

George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty

- Judith Sheldon, the daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler, was found dead with her husband in their car on June 15.

- The couple were seated in their Jeep Compass along Interstate 5 just north of Redding, Calif.

- Wyler won three Academy Awards for his directing and received a record 12 nominations for films including 1953's *Roman Holiday*.

The daughter of William Wyler, one of Hollywood's most decorated directors, has been found dead with her husband inside their parked car along California's Interstate 5.

Judith Sheldon, 84, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, were on their way to Ashland, Ore., on June 15 when they were discovered by California Highway Patrol just north of Redding, Calif.

The couple's Jeep Compass was still running and the fan was on high, however, the air conditioning wasn't working, according to authorities. That day in Redding, temperatures surged to 109 degrees, triggering an extreme heat warning for the area. The Sheldons, who lived in San Francisco, were not traveling with water or any other liquids.

First aid was administered to both Judith and Wylie, but “both parties were pronounced deceased at the scene in what appears to be medically related,” the CHP said in a statement.

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The cause of their deaths is under investigation, and whether the extreme heat contributed "may be determined" by an autopsy, which could take weeks to complete. "We'll just have to wait and see," said Shasta County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tim Mapes.

"They didn't crash. They stopped. They both just died there,” David Smith, a friend of the Sheldons who had been awaiting their arrival in Oregon, told the *New York Times*. "The entire thing is so bizarre. We're still in a state of shock."

Judith and Wylie, a retired lawyer, were longtime patrons of the San Francisco arts scene. The couple had been on their way to attend the annual Shakespeare Festival with friends when they suddenly died.

William Wyler (right) holding his Oscar for 'The Best Years of Our Lives' in 1946.

Bettmann Archive/Getty

Judith also chaired the board of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, inspired by her father William Wyler, who won three Academy Awards for directing *Mrs. Miniver* (1942), *The Best Years of Our Lives* (1946), and *Ben-Hur* starring Charlton Heston (1959). He also received a record 12 nominations, including two for *Roman Holiday*, which was Audrey Hepburn's breakout film in 1953.

After Wyler died in 1981, Judith inherited several of his Oscars and was known to let film fans pose with the golden statuettes at parties she hosted for the Silent Film Festival.

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Judith was one of five children born to Wyler and his second wife Margaret Tallichet. As an actress credited as Judy Wyler, she had small roles in at least two of her father's acclaimed films, including *Roman Holiday* in which she and her sister Catherine shared a scene with Gregory Peck at the Trevi Fountain.

The Sheldons, who met at Stanford University, are survived by their sons.

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