Actor Ron Ely, widely recognized for portraying Tarzan in the 1960s television series, has passed away at the age of 86. His later years were overshadowed by profound personal tragedy tied to a devastating family incident in 2019.
That year, Ely’s wife of 35 years, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was killed at their home in Santa Barbara. Authorities said the couple’s son, Cameron Ely, then 30, fatally stabbed her. When sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, Cameron was shot and killed during the confrontation.
Ron and Valerie shared three children—Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron. Valerie had previously worked as a flight attendant and achieved notable success in pageantry, earning the titles Miss Airline International in 1980 and Miss Florida USA in 1981. Ron Ely also had ties to the pageant world, having served as host of the Miss America competition in both 1980 and 1981.
In the aftermath of Valerie’s death, Ely filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. He alleged that his son was attempting to surrender at the time he was shot by deputies.
Ely stepped away from acting in 2001, largely retreating from public life. He made a brief return to the screen in 2014 with the television movie Expecting Amish, marking his final acting role.