Cameron Ely: How Did Ron Ely’s Son Die?

Cameron Ely is the late son of American actor and novelist Ron Ely. The father of Cameron is best known for his role as Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series Tarzan. He has authored two published mystery novels featuring private eye Jake Sands: Night Shadows (1994) and East Beach (1995). He had served as the host of the Miss America pageant telecast (1980 and 1981).

Cameron Ely: Bio Summary

Who Was Ron Ely’s Son, Cameron Ely?

Cameron Pierce Ely was born on October 28, 1988, in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. Ronald Pierce Ely (Ron Ely) and Valerie Anne Lundeen Ely are his parents. His father is an actor and novelist while his mother was a former Miss Florida USA. Cameron is the only son of his parents but he is not the only child.

Cameron Ely has two sisters Kirsten Ely and Kaitland Ely. Cameron’s paternal grandparents were Vernon Howard Ely and Sybil Iantha Stephen. His maternal grandparents were Arthur Lundeen and Isabelle Margaret Maggie Gomzy. Cameron attended San Marcos High School and Phillips Exeter Academy.

Cameron Ely also attended Harvard University and graduated with a Bachelor Of Arts in psychology. He was a budding footballer. He was a former quarterback on the Harvard University football team. He signed as the Ivy League’s quarterback in 2007 according to his Harvard profile. He is listed on the 2007 football team’s roster as a freshman quarterback from Phillips Exeter Academy.

Per a 2007 Harvard Crimson article on that year’s football recruiting class, Cameron Ely, “a California native from Exeter who sports the conventional Harvard-recruited stats: a GPA above 4.0, questionable arm strength and supreme intelligence to go along with his ability to make “good decisions,” according to prominent recruiting Web site Scout.com.” Cameron was a licensed security guard, per The Los Angeles Times.

How Did Ron Ely’s Son Die?

Cameron Ely died on October 15, 2019, in Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara Co., CA, at age 30. He was shot and killed by officers after he killed his mother Valerie Lundeen and tried to pin the crime on his father Ron Ely. He stabbed Valerie to death at home on October 15, 2019, in Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. Officers found Valerie dead with “multiple stab wounds”.

ALSO, READ: Valerie Lundeen: What Happened To Ron Ely’s Wife?

According to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s statement: “At 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call at the home of actor Ron Ely. Upon arrival, deputies contacted Ron Ely and discovered his wife, Valerie Lundeen Ely, 62, deceased with multiple stab wounds inside the home. While on scene, deputies identified the murder suspect as the Elys’ son, 30-year-old Cameron Ely.”

The statement added: “Deputies searched the residence and surrounding area for Cameron Ely. During the search, the suspect was located outside the home. He posed a threat and in response 4 deputies fired their service weapons at the suspect, fatally wounding him. No deputies were injured during the confrontation with the suspect.”

Cameron’s father Ron Ely who was home at the time of the incident had difficulties communicating with officers because of a medical condition that impeded his speech, authorities said. However, Ron identified his son Cameron as the suspect to authorities. Cameron was reportedly shot 22 times and died on the scene, with gunshot wounds to his torso, neck, back, buttocks, and arms.

Cameron told “deputies that he had a gun, advanced towards the deputies, and motioned with his hands as if he were drawing a weapon,” per a police press release. “In response, four deputies fired a total of 24 rounds from their service weapons, fatally wounding the suspect,” the press release continued. “When deputies were able to safely approach Cameron using a ballistic shield, they found that he had feigned being armed and did not have a weapon.”

Ron Ely went ahead to file a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for its alleged role in the deaths of both his wife, Valerie Lundeen, and son, Cameron Ely. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the lawsuit claims that Cameron was trying to surrender to police before they shot him more than 20 times.

The suit alleged that the five officers on the scene neglected to give timely medical assistance to Valerie, whom Cameron had stabbed. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. “The reprehensible conduct of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department Deputies was egregious, entirely unreasonable, and, accordingly, unconstitutional,” the claim said.

ALSO, READ: Cathy Ely: Where Is Ron Ely’s Ex-wife Now?

“The shooting occurred less than 20 seconds after Defendant Deputies saw Cameron walk around the corner with his hands up, the universal act of surrender,” the lawsuit alleges. “Suddenly, and without any warning or legal justification, multiple Defendant Deputies opened fire on Cameron, striking him a total of 22 times with bullets from several department issued weapons.”