Ron Ely and Valerie Lundeen are in the news for the wrong reasons this morning. Tragedy has struck the family, as Lundeen has reportedly been the victim of a homicide at their home.
Details about the case, which is unfolding at their Hope Ranch property in Santa Barbara, California, are still coming out. What has been officially confirmed is that an elderly woman was killed and that the suspect was shot by police at the scene.
However several media outlets, including TMZ, are reporting that sources have told them the victim is Lundeen. Dispatch audio they received reveals a first responder describing an “elderly gentleman” claiming that his son was in some way involved in the incident.
Authorities are investigating a fatal stabbing at the home of actor Ron Ely, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. Ely, 81, is an actor and novelist best known for playing the lead character in the 1960s television series "Tarzan" https://t.co/E1LSBXsYmX
— CNN (@CNN) October 16, 2019
How many children does Ron Ely have?
Born Ronald Pierce Ely, the actor was best known for his portrayal of Tarzan, which aired original episodes on television from 1966-1968. Lundeen had been known as Miss Florida earlier in her life.
Ely was married to Cathy Ely from 1959-1961. Ely then married Lundeen in 1984. The couple remained married until the time of her death.
Ron Ely and Valerie Lundeen had three children, and their names were Cameron, Kaitland, and Kirsten. In the image for this article, the three kids are depicted when they were much younger. The picture was taken in 1992 and showed the family during much happier times.
According to a report by The Daily Express, Ely took a long break from Hollywood from 2001-2013 to spend more time with his family. He spoke about how he felt at the time and why he decided to make that choice.
Late in life I had a young family. I decided to stop acting and work at home, as an author, that way I could be with the kids all through school and be able to attend their sports games and things.
Ely would return to work in 2014 with the made-for-television movie Expecting Amish. In the film, he played Elder Miller.
In addition to is work on Expecting Amish and on the Tarzan television show, Ely also appeared on several episodes of The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. He also popped up in an episode of Wonder Woman and was the star of Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.