Wife of Tarzan actor Ron Ely, 81, is killed at their Santa Barbara home and the murder suspect shot dead by police who were called to a ‘family disturbance’
- Former Miss Florida, Valerie Lundeen, was killed on Tuesday, sources say
- Ron Ely, 81, has been reported as safe by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s department
- It is not known if Ely was home at the time of the shooting, but authorities reported a disabled elderly man at the property
- Authorities are yet to confirm a connection between Ely, Valerie and the suspect
- The actor is best known for playing the lead role in the 1966 Tarzan TV series
The wife of Tarzan actor Ron Ely was killed at their Santa Barbara home on Tuesday and the murder suspect was shot dead by police who were called to reports of a ‘family disturbance’.
Former Miss Florida Valerie Lundeen was found stabbed to death at the couple’s exclusive Hope Ranch property, according to sources. Actor Ely, 81, has been reported as safe by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s department.
The man suspected of murdering Valerie was killed by a deputy at the scene. Police are yet to confirm the connection between him and his victim.
It is not known if Ely was home at the time of the shooting, but authorities reported a disabled elderly man at the property.
Valerie and Ron had been married for 35 years and have three children together.
Lt. Erik Raney of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office told CNN Ely told police a relative was involved in the death.
Ron, second left, and Valerie, second from right, pictured with their son Cameron, left, son-in-law Jason, third from left, and daughters Kaitland, third from right, and Kirsten in 2016
Santa Barbara police said that an elderly woman has been killed at the house of 1960s Tarzan actor Ron Ely on Tuesday. The victim was later confirmed by sources to be his wife Valerie. The couple are pictured left in a recent Facebook photo and right in 1977
Ely, who is now 81, featured in a number of TV appearances during the 1960s but found his break playing the lead role in the 1966 NBC series Tarzan, pictured
Ely, 81, has been has been reported as safe by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s department. The man suspected of murdering Valerie was shot and killed by a deputy at the scene at the exclusive Hope Ranch residential community along the Santa Barbara coast, where the couple lived
Video courtesy of KEYT
Police said the suspect was armed and presented as a threat. Video from the scene captured the moment police fired shots.
Raney said: ‘We wanted to make sure all the residents were safe while we searched the area.
‘We had initially called in the air support unit and neighboring law enforcement agencies to come help in the search and when we were able to locate the suspect on the property of the homicide, and after the confrontation, we lifted the shelter in place. We don’t believe there is any further threat to the public.’
Police found the suspect hiding during a search of the home.
Raney added: ‘We don’t know exactly how many shots were fired. We did have several deputies that were involved in the shooting. Fortunately all of our deputies are OK.’
Ely featured in a number of TV appearances during the 1960s but found his break playing the lead role in the 1966 NBC series Tarzan.
He also played the title role in 1975 movie Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.
As well as a career studded with occasional parts on TV, Ely hosted the Miss America pageant between 1979 and 1981.
He retired from acting in 2001 but did return for a part in a TV movie called Expecting Amish in 2014.
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for the Ely family and Santa Barbara police for comment.
Actor Ron Ely and family attend Second Annual Toys for Tots Benefit on December 19, 1992 at Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California
Ely’s wife Valerie pictured with daughters Kirsten and Kaitland. Deputies responded to a family disturbance call to discover the body of an older woman at around 8.15 pm on Tuesday
Authorities are yet to confirm the connection between Ely, his wife Valerie and the dead suspect. It is not known if Ely was home at the time at the time of the shooting, but authorities reported a disabled elderly man at the property
The couple’s home in Hope Ranch. The suspect was found hiding during a search of the house
Profile of Ron Ely
- Ronald Pierce Ely is an American actor and novelist born in Hereford, Texas, and raised in Amarillo.
- Best known for playing the lead role in 1966 NBC series Tarzan
- He also played the title role in 1975 movie Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
- When not acting, Ely hosted the Miss America pageant between 1979 and 1981.
- He retired from the profession in 2001 but did return for a part in a TV movie called Expecting Amish in 2014
- Ely was married to first wife Cathy Ely between 1959 and 1961
- He has been married to former Miss Florida, Valerie Lundeen, for 35 years
- The couple have three children together called Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron
- Ely embarked on novel writing career during the 90s and wrote two mystery books involving the fictional private eye, Jake Sands
- Night Shadows was released in 1994 and East Beach one year later