In Southern California, close to where detectives have been looking for missing British actor Julian Sands, human remains were discovered on Saturday, June 24.
Human remains were found by civilian hikers who notified the Fontana Sheriff's Station, according to a press statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Investigators said that positive identification of the remains is expected to be completed next week.
Human Bones Discovered in California Wilderness
Investigators centered their search on Sands, who had not been seen since he went hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles in January in the Mount Baldy region after following pings from his mobile phone there.
In a report by CNN, the active search had been essentially idle due to poor weather and tough circumstances until it resumed last week.
Two helicopter and drone crews assisted the search and rescue volunteers as they combed isolated regions of Mount Baldy and performed aerial inspections and assessments, aided by the more than 80 volunteers, deputies, and personnel that participated.
Earlier this week, deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said that, despite the recent milder weather, parts of the mountain remain inaccessible owing to high alpine conditions. Also, it was said that various search sites include steep terrain coated in 10 feet of ice and snow.
Department spokesperson Gloria Huerta told the media in January that search activities had to be put on hold due to bad weather and the possibility of an avalanche.
The Family Breaks Their Silence
Five months after actor Julian Sands vanished while hiking in California, his family finally spoke out.
"We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer," the statement reads, as reported by AP News on Saturday.
The 65-year-old British actor has been married to journalist Evgenia Citkowitz for over three decades and has three grown children.
They expressed their gratitude to the search teams and coordinators who have been so diligent in their efforts to locate Sands.
Hiker and climber Sands was reported missing on January 13 after setting out to climb the enormous peak, which towered over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) east of Los Angeles and suffered damage by harsh winter storms.
TV roles that made Sands famous include those of Vladimir Bierko, a main adversary in the fifth season of 24, and Jor-El, Superman's biological father in Smallville. His acting accomplishments include Arachnophobia and Leaving Las Vegas. Moreover, he portrayed the main character in two installments of the Warlock horror film franchise.
