Missing Actor Julian Sands' Body Found Near Mount Baldy

LOS ANGELES, CA — Authorities confirmed Tuesday that human remains discovered near Mount Baldy over the weekend were Julian Sands, the actor who never returned to his North Hollywood home in January following a hike in the mountains.

The confirmation ends a painstaking, six-month search amid record snowpack in the San Gabriel Mountains. The 65-year-old actor known for his roles in "Arachnophobia" and "Leaving Las Vegas" was found by a group of hikers Saturday.

According to the San Bernardino County coroner, a cause of death for the is still pending the results of further tests.

Sands, was a married father of three originally from the United Kingdom. He went for a hike on Jan. 13, the same weekend a surprisingly powerful storm dropped several inches of snow on the mountain. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said a June search was conducted by more than 80 search-and-rescue volunteers and deputies, two helicopters and drone crews.

Search teams were flown into remote areas and drones were used to search areas inaccessible to ground crews, the department said in a statement.

“Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions,” the department said. “Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10-plus feet (3 meters) of ice and snow.”

Sands is one of several hikers to get lost in perilous conditions on Mount Baldy this year. In January, alone, two people died and 15 hikers were rescued.

Sands starred opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 British romance “A Room With a View.” He also had major roles in 1989's “Warlock,” 1991′s “Naked Lunch,” 1993′s and “Boxing Helena.”

Sands, 65, is known for his work in films and shows such as 1989's “Warlock,” "The Killing Fields," "A Room with a View," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," 1991′s “Naked Lunch,” 1993′s “Boxing Helena,” 1995's “Leaving Las Vegas," "24," and "Smallville."

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.