'Tarzan' Actor's Wife Stabbed to Death by Son, Who's Later Shot Dead by Police Inside Family Home

Ron Ely and Valerie together in 1977.
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The woman was killed by her son, who was shot dead by police.

Police raced into action at the home of actor Ron Ely Tuesday night. 

Cops found the 81-year-old “Tarzan” actor's wife, Valerie, stabbed to death inside their home. Officers confronted the killer, who was identified late Wednesday as the couple's 30-year-old son, Cameron. He was shot to death by police, officers said.  

The drama unfolded when police were called to a domestic dispute at the family's $5 million estate in Santa Barbara, California. Ron, whose speech was impeded because of a medical condition, said that his son had just left the house, according to police.   

“Unknown if armed. Method was stabbing,” an officer responding to the scene told dispatch. 

Police said that after discovering the body of 62-year-old Valerie inside her home, they sealed off the whole neighborhood of multimillion-dollar estates, told residents to shelter in place and began searching for the suspect. They discovered him still at the Ely home and shot him dead. The gunshots could be heard out in the street, according to witnesses.

Ron and Valerie, a former Miss Florida, were married for 35 years and have two other children, daughters, Kaitland and Kirtsen. 

The sprawling 14-room ranch-style home where the deadly shooting took place was put on the market last month for $4.8 million. 

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