Julian Sands, the prolific British actor who went missing in January hiking on a Southern California mountain, has died. He was 65.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department said Tuesday it had ID’d human remains discovered Saturday as Sands — capping an extensive search for the “Arachnophobia” star.
The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results, the department said in a statement, adding, “We would like to extend our gratitude to all the volunteers that worked tirelessly to locate Mr. Sands.”
On Saturday, civilian hikers contacted the Fontana Sheriff’s Station after they discovered human remains in the Mt. Baldy wilderness. Fontana Station deputies, along with the Sheriff’s Department’s Emergency Operations Division, responded to the scene.
Sands’ wife reported him missing on Jan. 13, as he was last seen in the Mt. Baldy area.
Authorities blamed severe weather, including high winds, poor visibility, and icy conditions, for a difficult search.
At the time, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced that another missing hiker of the same mountain, Jim Chung, 75, was found alive. The department said it was still using “ground and air search efforts” to find Sands.
“As of this time, Mr. Sands has not been found and no evidence of his current location has been discovered. The search will continue, weather and ground conditions permitting,” a spokesperson said in January.
Before his death, Sands’ older brother, Nick, told the Craven Herald & Pioneer in the UK that he believed his brother was “gone.”
“He has not yet been declared missing, presumed dead, but I know in my heart that he has gone.”
“However sibling rivalry being what it is, it would be just like him to walk out of there and prove me wrong,” Nick added.
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On Jan. 30, a silver Volvo seemingly belonging to Sands was found in a car park, where he was believed to have left it before setting out on his hike.
Sands’ son, Henry, 37, who is also an experienced hiker, even flew home from London to help retrace his father’s footsteps, but he, too, had to stop due to harsh weather.
The department noted on Facebook in January that it had responded to 14 rescue missions on Mt. Baldy and the surrounding area over four weeks.
“These rescue missions have been for lost, stranded and/or injured hikers. Unfortunately, during these past 4 weeks, two hikers did not survive after falling and injuring themselves,” the department noted.
“Please know the current conditions on Mt. Baldy are adverse and extremely dangerous. Due to the high winds, the snow has turned to ice making hiking extremely dangerous.”
Born on Jan. 4, 1958, in West Yorkshire, Sands started his acting career in the 1980s. He is known for his work in such films as “Arachnophobia,” “A Room with a View,” “Warlock” and “Leaving Las Vegas.”
He appeared on “24” in 2006 and on Season 8 of “Dexter” in 2013. He also voiced DeFalco in the “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” video game the prior year.
Sands was nominated for “Outstanding Solo Performance” at the 2013 Drama Desk Awards for his theatrical performance in “A Celebration of Harold Pinter.”
“The Ghosts of Monday,” which appears to be his last film, dropped in November.
Sands married British journalist Sarah Harvey in 1984. They had Henry before divorcing in 1987. He married another writer, Evgenia Citkowitz, in 1990. They share two daughters, Imogen and Natalya.
