Santa Barbara Sheriffs Department (SBSD) Investigating Murder At Actor Ron Ely’s Home
An elderly woman was found dead at the home of ‘Tarzan’ actor Ron Ely,81. It was confirmed by the SBSD that the woman was Ely’s second wife. The former Valerie Lundeen, once a Ms Florida, was found dead inside the couple’s Santa Barbara mansion.
Lundeen was Ely’s second wife, they were married for 35 years and had three children together. The police who responded to the scene were called there for a family disturbance.
The call was made by the couple’s son Cameron Ely, he claimed that his father was attacking his mother. According to authorities, Cameron was crying and out of breath. SBSD confirmed that Lundeen was stabbed to death by Cameron.
The responding deputies, shot and killed Cameron, because he was deemed a threat. There was a second 911 call made reportedly by Ron Ely who said his son killed his wife, and ‘he is out of control’.
When deputies arrived they found Valerie with several stab wounds, and declared her dead at the scene. The ‘Tarzan’ actor was home and not harmed in the incident.
Valerie Lundeen Ely Was 61, Was Married To The ‘Tarzan’ Actor Since 1984 & Together They Had 3 Children
The home in Santa Barbara is in the 4000 block of Mariposa Dr. in the ‘Hope Ranch’ area of Santa Barbara. The home interestingly has been on the market for the last 27 days and is listed at nearly 5 million dollars.
Their home has an Olympic sized swimming pool, a tennis court, and a separate guest cottage. There are five bedrooms, with each bedroom having it’s own bathroom. Ely and his wife Valerie have owned the home for the last 30 years.
It’s unclear why deputies who responded to the scene opened fire on Cameron who was 30. The official reason the SBSD is giving, is that Cameron was ‘a threat’ to the seven officers who were at the home.
Ron Ely who has a long career as an actor on TV and in movies, was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The home has been sealed off as a crime scene.
Neighbors Said They Heard Multiple Shots At Least Eight Or Nine Shots
Neighbors said the family was ‘very quiet and kept to themselves’. One neighbor said she was aware that Ely was a ‘famous actor’. The neighbor said “they were the best neighbors, the best you could ever ask for”.
Ely is a native of Hereford, Texas, he starred in the 1966 NBC series ‘Tarzan’ and did all of his own stunts. The actor suffered several serious injuries in the course of his role as ‘Tarzan’ Twice he broke his shoulder, and also was bitten several times by tigers and monkeys.
Ely has paid the price for doing all of his own stunts, he has been wheel chair bound for several years, due to all of his injuries. He retired from acting in 2001, but returned for a ‘special appearance’ of ‘Expecting Amish’ in 2014.