Deputies with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office shot and killed a homicide suspect in the home of Tarzan actor Ron Ely on Tuesday night.
Authorities received a call for help after 10 p.m. in the 4100 block of Mariposa Drive in Hope Ranch, according to Lt. Erik Raney, spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
When they arrived, deputies located an elderly woman who had been stabbed to death, Raney said.
On Wednesday, authorities identified the homicide suspect as Ely’s 30-year-old son, Cameron Ely, and the victim as the actor’s wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, who was 62.
Neighbors were told to stay in their homes and lock doors while authorities searched for Cameron Ely.
Shortly thereafter, he was found hiding in the same home as the victim. When deputies approached Cameron, he allegedly threatened them with a weapon and was fatally shot, Raney said.
Ron Ely, who played the lead character in the 1960s television series Tarzan, was not injured, Raney noted.
The investigation is ongoing.
Oct. 16, 4:00 p.m. Updated to include details of homicide investigation.
