Sheriff's Office releases names of deputies involved in shooting at actor Ron Ely's home
(FOX 11)
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday released the names of the deputies involved in a deadly shooting at 'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's home in Hope Ranch near Santa Barbara on Oct. 15.
RELATED: 'Tarzan' actor's wife found dead at their Santa Barbara home; son killed by deputies
The four deputies involved are:
• Sheriff’s Sergeant Desiree Thome - 12 years, 10 months of service
• Sheriff’s Deputy Special Duty Jeremy Rogers - 13 years, 10 months of service
• Sheriff’s Deputy Phillip Farley - 13 years, 5 months of service
• Sheriff’s Deputy John Gruttadaurio - 2 years of service
On Oct. 15 at about 8:15 p.m., deputies responded to a 911 call at Ely's home in the 4100 block of Mariposa Drive. They found the actor who received a medical evaluation. However, deputies also discovered Ely's wife, 62-year-old Valerie Lundeen Ely, dead with multiple stab wounds.
Authorities quickly identified the suspect as Ely's son, 30-year-old Cameron Ely. During the search, deputies confronted the suspect outside of the home, and according to the Sheriff's Office, the suspect told deputies he had a gun and "advanced toward the deputies, and motioned with his hands as if he were drawing a weapon."
The four deputies mentioned above fired their weapons for a total of 24 rounds killing the suspect, according to investigators. Once they were able to safely approach the suspect, deputies discovered the suspect had lied about being armed and did not have a weapon.
None of the deputies were injured.
Ely starred on the 1966 'Tarzan' television series.