Ron Ely survived Hollywood, but he did not survive what came later.
In the quiet of his California home, the actor best known for playing Tarzan saw his life take a devastating turn, far removed from the role that made him famous.
For years, Ron Ely and his wife, former beauty queen and flight attendant Valerie Lundeen, appeared to represent a steady, private version of old Hollywood life. Married in 1984, they raised three children and later welcomed a grandson in 2018. In Santa Barbara, their life seemed calm and removed from public view. That sense of normalcy ended on October 15, 2019, when 62-year-old Valerie was found inside their home with multiple stab wounds, killed by their 30-year-old son, Cameron.
Deputies later encountered Cameron outside the property. Authorities said he posed a threat, and four officers opened fire, killing him at the scene. In 2020, Ron Ely filed a lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, alleging his son had been attempting to surrender when he was shot more than 20 times.
With Ron Ely’s death at 86, the family’s story closes on a deeply tragic note, marked by loss, shock, and a life forever altered in a single night.