Actor Ron Ely, best known for being the star of the 1960s Tarzan TV series, has died at the age of 86. His final years were shrouded in tragedy, coming five years after the death of his second wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, under tragic circumstances at the couple’s home in California.
Valerie, a former flight attendant, was fatally stabbed by their son, Cameron Ely, in the family home in Santa Barbara at the age of 62. Cameron was then fatally shot at the scene by authorities with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
Ron Ely, who retired from acting in 2001—apart from a brief appearance in the TV movie Expecting Amish in 2014—and his wife Valerie were married for 35 years before her death. The couple had three children together: Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron.
Who was Ron Ely’s wife, Valerie Lundeen?
Valerie Lundeen was a devoted mother and former flight attendant who won Miss Airline International, a beauty pageant for flight attendants, in 1980. A year later, she was crowned Miss Florida, USA in 1981 and later competed for the title of Miss USA.
Valerie was often seen supporting Ron at public events, such as sitting on his lap at the Third Annual Cathy’s Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic. Ron and Valerie got married in 1984, and the couple became grandparents in 2018 when their daughter Kaitland gave birth to her first child, a baby boy. Valerie was 62 years old at the time of her death.
What happened with Ron and Valerie’s son, Cameron Ely?
Valerie was killed on October 15, 2019, when Cameron, 30 at the time, stabbed her to death at their home. Officers responding to a 911 call found Valerie deceased with multiple stab wounds inside the home. Cameron was later located outside the house. Deemed a threat after deputies were unable to gain verbal control of him, he was fatally shot by four deputies at the scene. No officers were injured during the confrontation.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office conducted criminal, coroner, and administrative investigations into the incident. Autopsies for both Valerie and Cameron were pending, and the names of the deputies involved were to be released later.
In October 2020, Ron filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, claiming Cameron was surrendering when officers shot him more than 20 times. Lawyers for Ron described the deputies’ conduct as “egregious, entirely unreasonable, and, accordingly, unconstitutional.”
In October 2022, a federal jury in California’s Central District rejected the lawsuit. Sheriff Bill Brown said, “Although we recognize that this was a tragic situation, and have great sympathy for the Ely family, the use of deadly force against Cameron Ely was justified and lawful under the circumstances.”
Ron Ely, who wore the iconic loincloth as Tarzan in the 1960s, will be remembered for his legendary role on television as well as his devotion to family, despite the heartbreaking tragedies that marked his later years.