Tarzan star Ron Ely’s tragic final years after son stabbed wife Valerie to death

Actor Ron Ely, who is 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, and his death comes five years after his second wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, was killed in tragic circumstances at the couple’s home in California.

The former flight attendant was fatally stabbed by their son, Cameron Ely, in the family’s home in Santa Barbara, at the age of 62.

Cameron was fatally shot at the scene by authorities with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Ron, who retired from acting in 2001 (apart from a brief appearance in 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?

Ron Ely’s wife was Valerie Lundeen, a devoted mother who once worked as a flight attendant and won Miss Airline International, a beauty pageant for flight attendants, in 1980.

A year later, Valerie was crowned Miss FloridaUSA in a beauty pageant in 1981, and she would later compete for the title of Miss USA.

Valerie Lundeen sat on Ron Ely's lap at the Third Annual Cathy's Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic.

Her future husband, Ron, also had associations with the world of pageants, having hosted the Miss America competition for two years in a row in 1980 and 1981.

Ron and Valerie got married in 1984 and had three children. The couple became grandparents for the first time in 2018 when their daughter Kaitland gave birth to her first child, a little boy.

Valerie was 62 years old when she was killed.

Related Posts

HT10. MARRIED IN SECRET! Fans are in shock as a top celebrity duo quietly escapes to Italy for a private wedding under the Tuscan sun

Far from studio lots and step-and-repeat backdrops, their ceremony unfolded inside a centuries‑old villa, wrapped in cypress trees and late‑afternoon sun. Guests arrived in staggered cars, phones…

What we know about the 2 National Guard members shot near White House

They raised their right hands just a day earlier, promising to protect the nation’s capital. Hours later, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe lay gravely wounded…

What is that little hole at the bottom of a padlock for? This clever design feature prevents rust, lets water drain, allows lubrication when locks jam, and reveals how everyday objects often hide smart engineering details that make life safer and easier.

That small hole at the bottom of a padlock is a survival feature. Exposed to rain, snow, and humidity, metal locks would quickly rust solid if water…

Don’t look if you can’t handle lt (20 Photos)

Every woman carries a whole biography in the way she dresses: the line of a skirt, the sharpness of a blazer, the softness of lace, the shock…

For 27 Years, I Raised My Brother’s Ab…an..don…ed Son as My Own — Now He’s Back With Demands That Left Me Speechless

Rory’s silence after Vance’s accusations felt like a lifetime stretched across a few trembling heartbeats. I watched the boy I’d raised—the man he’d become—measure every memory, every…

A Farmer’s Snowy Masterpiece Brings Holiday Cheer to Unexpected Places

Across the snowy fields of South Dakota, a heartfelt holiday message has captured the attention of viewers everywhere. Carved with precision into fresh snow, the design serves…