A husband and wife well regarded within the San Francisco arts community were found dead inside their running vehicle this week.
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The California Highway Patrol confirmed to The Los Angeles Times that an officer spotted a Jeep Compass pulled over on the right shoulder of Interstate 5, north of Fawndale Road in the city of Redding, California, on Monday, June 15, around 5:46 p.m.
Inside the vehicle were the bodies of Judith Sheldon, 84, and Wylie Sheldon, 86.
“A second CHP officer arrived on scene, and both officers rendered medical aid to the parties along with medical personnel,” the agency said in a statement.
The couple were pronounced dead at the scene. While a cause of death has yet to be revealed, authorities said it “appears to be medically related.”
The temperatures in Redding that day were above normal, with a high of 109 degrees. A representative from the National Weather Service told The Los Angeles Times that this was “near record-breaking heat,” but couldn’t confirm if that was related to the couple’s death.
A spokesman for the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office revealed to Us Weekly that postmortem examinations are in the process of being scheduled. (Us has also reached out to CHP for additional comment.)
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Investigators do not suspect foul play, and the vehicle, which had plenty of gas, showed no signs of mechanical failure, The New York Times reported.
The couple – who were longtime patrons of San Francisco’s film and arts scenes – were driving to Ashland, Oregon, to attend the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
One of the friends who had been waiting for the couple to arrive in Oregon told The New York Times, “They didn’t crash. They stopped. They both just died there. The entire thing is so bizarre. We’re still in a state of shock.”
Judith was the daughter of Oscar-winning director William Wyler, who helmed classic films such as Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday, Mrs. Miniver and The Best Years of Our Lives.
The California resident and her husband are being remembered for their passion for the artists and desire to always pay it forward.
“They were so dear and devoted to one another,” Anita Monga, the artistic director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival – of which Judith served as its board chairman – told SFGate. “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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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 2:46 PM.