British actor Julian Sands confirmed dead, months after vanishing in California mountains
- An investigation confirmed that it was Sands whose remains hikers found Saturday in wilderness near Mount Baldy
- Sands’ breakout role was in the Oscar-winning 1985 film A Room With a View. He also appeared in The Killing Fields
British-born actor Julian Sands, best known for his role in the Oscar-celebrated film A Room with a View, was confirmed dead on Tuesday, five months after he went missing while out for a hike in snow-covered mountains of Southern California. He was 65.
Mostly skeletal human remains discovered by hikers on June 25, in the vicinity where Sands had vanished, were positively identified by the San Bernardino County coroner as belonging to the actor, the county sheriff’s department said.
The manner of his death remained under investigation, awaiting further test results, the department said in an statement.
The large, slopping area below the crest of Mount Baldy is a popular destination for skiers, climbers and backpackers. But authorities warned then that heavy snow from weeks of winter storms had made the area treacherous for outdoor recreation.
Overnight temperatures were dipping into the 4 to minus 4 Celsius (mid-20s Fahrenheit) that week.