Judith Sheldon, daughter of the acclaimed Oscar-winning director William Wyler, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, were discovered deceased in their parked Jeep on California’s Interstate 5 near Redding on June 15.

The couple, aged 84 and 86 respectively, were found on a day marked by an extreme heat warning, with temperatures soaring to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (almost 43C).

The California Highway Patrol confirmed both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigations revealed the car's engine was running and the fan was set to high, but the air conditioning was reportedly not working.

Additionally, no water was found inside the vehicle.

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Tim Mapes, stated that an autopsy would determine if the heat was the cause of death.

Judith and Wylie Sheldon were en route to Oregon to meet their friend David Smith for the Ashland Shakespeare Festival.

Smith expressed his shock to The New York Times, noting, “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 Sheldon was one of five children from William Wyler’s marriage to Margaret Tallichet.

She had minor roles in two of her father's films, *The Best Years of Our Lives* and *Roman Holiday*, appearing alongside Gregory Peck in a scene by Rome's Trevi Fountain.

Her father, William Wyler, holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a director, having won three Academy Awards for *Mrs Miniver* (1942), *The Best Years of Our Lives* (1946), and *Ben-Hur*.

He also directed 14 actors to Oscar wins during his career, which included films like *Roman Holiday* and *The Big Country*.

Wyler, a versatile filmmaker, passed away in 1981 at the age of 79.

Judith, who chaired the board of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, was known to bring her father's Oscar trophies to parties for attendees to pose with.

She and her husband, a former lawyer, are survived by their sons.

This development is significant as it marks the passing of a direct descendant of one of Hollywood's most celebrated directors, who also had a personal connection to his cinematic legacy.