Actor Ron Ely, best known for playing Tarzan in the 1960s TV series, has died at 86.
His final years were marked by tragedy following the 2019 death of his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, who was fatally stabbed by their son, Cameron, at their Santa Barbara home. Cameron, 30, was later shot and killed by responding deputies after being deemed a threat.
Ron, who retired from acting in 2001, had been married to Valerie for 35 years. The couple had three children: Kirsten, Kaitland, and Cameron.
Valerie, a former flight attendant and beauty queen, won Miss Airline International in 1980 and Miss Florida USA in 1981. She and Ron married in 1984 and became grandparents in 2018.
In 2020, Ron filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, claiming Cameron was attempting to surrender before being shot more than 20 times.