Woman drowns in hot tub on Dustin Hoffman's estate

ROXBURY, Conn. (UPI) The death of a woman found in a hot tub inthe caretaker's house on actor Dustin Hoffman's estate has been ruledan accidental drowning, authorities said yesterday.

State police identified the victim as Sheilah Fionda, 43, ateacher of French and Latin at the Wykeham Rise School, a women'sboarding school in the nearby town of Washington.

The caretaker found her body in the house early Saturday andnotified state police. There was no explanation for the woman beingon Hoffman's property.

Albion Dudley, caretaker of Hoffman's 92-acre estate andcolonial-style home, who also had been appointed a special townconstable specifically to guard the actor's property, was questionedby state police.

"I'd rather not talk about it - no comment, sir," Dudley said byphone.

Wykeham Rise Headmaster Hugh Silk said Fionda had completed herfirst year teaching at the exclusive prep school. She previouslytaught high school in New Milford and was once an airline flightattendant, he said.

An autopsy Sunday determined she drowned in the hot tub and thatno foul play was suspected.