Julian Sands update: John Malkovich honors missing actor

Actor Julian Sands’ whereabouts remain unknown more than a month after he was reported missing in the Mt Baldy area in January.

In a statement shared with The Times on Tuesday, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said it conducted a ground search with a crew of more than 20 people on Saturday looking for the 65-year-old actor.

The team focused its attention on an area where the California Highway Patrol’s RECCO devices — rescue technology that uses harmonic radar systems to detect clothing equipped with RECCO reflectors — indicated a possible electronic device on Jan. 25.

“Nothing has been found” leading to the actor, the statement said.

Since Sands was reported missing on January 13, search efforts have been hampered by severe weather on several occasions. With another strong storm making its way into Southern California this week, “ground searches for Mr. Sands will be delayed for some time,” the statement said.

“Our goal is to bring Mr. Sands’ family to a conclusion and if we can we will try again,” the statement added.

While “no ground searches are scheduled for today,” the department’s aviation arm “will continue air searches when they are able,” a Times spokesman said Tuesday.

The latest update comes days after Hawthorne’s Bob Gregory was confirmed dead after going missing in the San Gabriel Mountains. Gregory was reported missing the same day as Sands.

After news of Sands’ disappearance broke in January, Hollywood stars expressed their concerns and shared well wishes on social media. Actor John Malkovich reflected on his relationship with the ‘A Room With a View’ actor at the Berlin Film Festival on Monday.

“Julian and I were very, very close,” Malkovich said. “I’m godparent to his son by his first wife Sarah, who I know very well, and I introduced him to his second wife.”

“We’ve been forever close since we met on the set of ‘The Killing Fields’ in 1983,” he added. “This is a very sad event.”