Latest news with #BountyHunter
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I saw real side of Dog the Bounty Hunter who howled with grief over late daughter – why grandson's death will haunt him
HOWLING towards the sky, Dog the Bounty Hunter's tough guy exterior melted away before my eyes as he recalled the tragic death of his late daughter, Barbara Katy. The unimaginable agony was etched on his face. I was witnessing a rare glimpse of the soft and tender side to Dog that very few people will ever see. Advertisement 12 Sun reporter Jessica says Dog the Bounty Hunter's tough guy exterior melted away before her eyes as he recalled the tragic death of his late daughter, Barbara Katy Credit: John Chapple 12 Jessica spoke to Dog in an exclusive interview in Florida on October 7, 2021 Credit: John Chapple 12 Dog's 13-year-old step-grandson Anthony, centre, has been shot and killed by his father Gregory Zecca, pictured right alongside his mum Francie Credit: Instagram 12 Greg Zecca shot and killed his 13-year-old son Anthony in what is believed to be a tragic accident Credit: Instagram And my heart broke too as the father-of-12 choked back tears, reliving the terrible day Barbara was killed, and sharing the grief no parent should ever have to endure. Advertisement Despite his gruff appearance, what quickly became clear to me that day was that the iconic 72-year-old reality star is actually a tenderhearted family man - a secret he keeps well hidden beneath his hard-as-nails exterior. I saw that nothing is more important to him than the people he loves. That is why I know that Dog, whose real name is Duane Chapman, will be utterly devastated beyond words about the horrific death of his beloved step-grandson in a tragic gun accident last weekend. His entire family was left reeling when Dog's stepson, Gregory Zecca, shot and killed his own son, Anthony, 13, in a tragic accident at their Florida apartment - near the home where I had visited Dog and his wife Francie, who is Gregory's mother, four years ago. At that time America was gripped by the bizarre disappearance of Brian Laundrie, who had returned from a road trip without his girlfriend Advertisement It was a chilling reminder for Dog how his daughter had died at the same age in a devastating car crash in Alaska in 2006 - the day before her dad's wedding to his fifth wife Beth Smith - when the stolen SUV she was travelling in rolled and smashed into a tree. Dog quietly confided to me during our hours' long emotionally charged chat how Barbara's early death inspired him to join the nationwide manhunt for the missing murder suspect. He has snared more than 6,000 criminals in his dangerous but lucrative job as a bondsman - tracking down wanted criminals for cash. Dog is a familiar face on American TV, his public persona is hugely entertaining, and he knows how to put on a great show when the cameras are on him. Heartbreaking videos show Dog the Bounty Hunter dancing with grandson, 13, just months before dad 'shot dead teen' And yet behind the scenes, Dog wept as he told me how fans reached out to him four years ago, urging him to join the Advertisement "They are Dog buddies in the sky," the bounty hunter sobbed. After Gabby's body was discovered in Coincidentally Dog and Francie also happened to be in Florida at the same time, as his new wife had told him she wanted to go back to her home state to "put her feet in the sand, and put her feet in the ocean". Again I watched as Dog's hard man act melted further away as he told me fondly how Francie had reignited his passion for bringing wanted fugitives to justice following his late wife Beth's death. He told me softly: "I had lost my bounty hunting enthusiasm after Beth, and then I looked at Francine and she said 'I'll love you forever,' and I said I'll love you too. Advertisement "I knew in my heart there was someone that was going to pray for me and say, 'Be good, Dog.' "And all of a sudden, I felt like Dog again." Close-knit family 12 Dog with his wife Francie Credit: John Chapple 12 Dog became emotional as he told how Francie had reignited his passion for bringing wanted fugitives to justice following his late wife Beth's death Credit: John Chapple 12 Dog's daughter Barbara died the day before his wedding to Beth in a car accident Credit: Instagram Advertisement 12 Dog was inspired to help in the case of missing Gabby Petito, because she had been around the same age as Barbara when she went missing (pictured: Gabby with fiancé Brian Christopher Laundrie, who killed her) Credit: Netflix The enduring tenderness he has for his sixth wife Francie was clear to me that day, and the couple will be struggling to cope with the agonising tragedy that has now engulfed their close-knit family. By the time I met them Dog had already grown very close to Francie's family in Florida, especially her son Greg and grandson Anthony. Which is why today I can imagine him howling at the sky in sorrow once again. Throughout his life Dog has been blighted by a Advertisement As a child growing up in Denver, Colorado, Dog endured regular beatings with a wooden paddle from his dad - a deeply religious and battle-hardened US army officer. If the idea was to toughen the boy up, it worked. I had lost my bounty hunting enthusiasm after Beth, and then I looked at Francine and she said 'I'll love you forever,' and I said I'll love you too. I knew in my heart there was someone that was going to pray for me and say, 'Be good, Dog.' And all of a sudden, I felt like Dog again Dog the Bounty Hunter By the time he was 13, Dog had dropped out of school and joined a dangerous motorbike gang called the Disciples. He spent years in and out of jail for a string of offences including armed robbery, and fathered a child with his girlfriend Debbie White while they were still in their teens. But she hid her pregnancy from Dog and later took her own life. Advertisement Looking back years later he wrote: "Because of my religious upbringing, I thought my dad was punishing me for being a terrible sinner. "Until very recently, I never understood that none of his abuse was my fault. Just thinking of the abuse I endured can make me cry.' 'I spent the first 23 years of my life on the wrong side of the law. The only thing I knew about the law was a thousand ways to break it,' he added in his 2007 book, You Can Run But You Can't Hide. Murder charge 12 In 1976, Dog was convicted of murder and was sentenced to five years in prison Credit: Getty When he was 19, Dog married first wife LaFonda Honeycutt and the couple had two sons, Duane Lee and Leland. Advertisement But in 1976, Dog was convicted of first degree murder - he was in a car when his friend accidentally shot an alleged drug dealer in a fight over a cannabis deal. His criminal record has caused ongoing problems for Dog. LaFonda left and married his best friend, and as a result of his conviction, he cannot own a gun and uses a Taser for his bounty hunting instead. He was also barred from entering the UK to appear as a Celebrity Big Brother housemate in 2012. Soon after he left jail and started his new career as a bounty hunter, Dog had a short-lived marriage to second wife Anne Tegnell. They had three children - one died shortly after birth and the other two were raised by their mother. Advertisement In 1982, Dog wed wife number three, Lyssa Britain, and had three more children - Barbara, Tucker and Lyssa. But he had an affair with Beth - a blonde bombshell with a 38F chest - after they met at a local police station, where she had been arrested for shoplifting. Shock allegation 12 Dog's daughter Lyssa said she accused him of rape so she could escape his rows with Beth Credit: Instagram His marriage to Beth was stormy from the start, and Lyssa - who was living with her dad - claims she hated their rows so much she made up a horrendous allegation. 'I [falsely] accused my father of raping me when I was 11,' Lyssa admitted later. Advertisement 'It was a horrible life that I never wanted to go back to, living with him and Beth and the fighting and the drugs. 'When I got to my mother's, although she drank, it was much more peaceful. I was willing to do anything to not go back.' Dog was devastated when Beth left and married his childhood best friend, Keith Barmore, in 1991, and had a daughter, Cecily. "He was a thief with a heroin habit," Dog wrote later. "It just about broke my heart when I heard Beth was dating him. 'When I heard they got married, I got physically sick… Friends told me he was abusing her something awful." Advertisement I [falsely] accused my father of raping me when I was 11 Lyssa Dog wed Tawny Marie in 1992 – but he and Beth continued seeing each other behind their new partners' backs. Beth and Dog got back together in 1995 and she became the youngest licensed bondsman in Colorado at 29. They couple had two more children, Bonnie and Garry, and Dog adopted Cecily. In 2004 he landed his own TV show, Dog The Bounty Hunter, and they planned to remarry. But the night before their dream Hawaiian wedding, Dog received the horrific news that Barbara had been killed. Advertisement Incredibly, he went ahead with the wedding as planned, breaking the terrible news to his friends and family at the reception. 12 Dog went ahead with the wedding to Beth and broke the news to friends and family at the reception Credit: Getty 12 Beth suffered from throat cancer before her death Credit: Instagram After Barbara's death, her son went to live with his biological father, Travis Mimms. But in 2011, Dog and Beth took temporary custody after hearing a recording of Travis allegedly physically abusing the nine-year-old. Advertisement Perhaps remembering his own brutal childhood, Dog said: 'To hear the audiotape of my grandson being abused was torture.' Beth lost her battle with throat cancer in 2019 and two years after she died he tied the knot for the sixth time with Francie. An investigation into the horrific accident involving his step-grandson remains ongoing. A spokesperson for Dog and Francie told TMZ: "We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dog the Bounty Hunter's stepgrandson, 13, shot and killed by father in ‘incomprehensible' accident: report
Dog the Bounty Hunter is going though an unimaginable tragedy after his stepgrandson, Anthony Zecca, was accidentally shot and killed by his father, Gregory Zecca. Gregory — who's the son of Dog's wife, Francie Frane — accidentally shot his 13-year-old son in a 'freak accident' on Saturday night, TMZ reported Sunday. The incident occurred in their apartment in Naples, Florida, per the outlet. The Collier County Sheriff's Office tells Page Six that deputies responded to a report of a shooting at 8:08 p.m. in Naples. One person was deceased. According to police, it was an isolated incident. No arrests have been made and it's an active investigation. Dog — whose real name is Duane Chapman — and Francie confirmed the tragic loss in a statement. 'We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony,' they said in a statement to TMZ. Dog's rep didn't immediately respond to Page Six's request for comment. Dog is the father to 13 children from six different relationships. He married Francie — a rancher from Colorado — in September 2021. Their wedding took place 10 months after his wife, Beth Chapman, died following a battle with throat cancer. Dog and Francie were also brought together through tragedy after she also lost her spouse to cancer. Francie lost her husband, Bob, an excavator, to the disease just six months before Beth died. 'We understood the pain that the other one was feeling and [in] those tough days and moments, we helped each other stand up,' Francie said in a September 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight. 'We could cry with each other and talk about what we were feeling.' 'We were able to walk alongside each other through the pain and heartbreak and it brought us together in this amazing way,' she added. Dog briefly spoke about Francie's children in a September 2020 appearance on 'The Dr. Oz Show.' 'I know she's a hunter. Her and her two sons have hunted bow hunt, so they track, they look for things that the prey leaves behind,' he said. 'She just fit right in,' he added about his first bounty hunt with Francie. 'She started getting leads and writing them down, so there's more than just tracking and hunting.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Police: Woman exchanges gunfire with 2 suspects after spotting them on doorbell cam
[Watch in the player above: What to do if you witness a crime] AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — The victim in an early Sunday, July 20, break-in at a Akron home exchanged gunfire with the suspects, according to police. Police officers responded just after 3 a.m. to a home in the 800 block of Stadelman Avenue for a report of shots fired, according to a Monday news release. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' star, dies at 54: reports A 24-year-old woman told police that while away from home, her doorbell camera notified her when two unknown suspects with handguns were trying to break into her home. She drove back to confront them, according to the release. Police described one of the suspects as a light-skinned Black male, about 15 to 20 years old, who was wearing a mask, a white tank top and jeans: One suspect fired two gunshots into the air, causing the woman to flee. She then noticed she was being followed by a black Cadillac Escalade. When she returned home, people inside the SUV shot at her, and she returned fire. Someone fired more shots at her home about three hours later, according to the release. Investigators collected more than 15 shell casings from the victim's driveway. They're now working to identify the suspects involved. Dog the Bounty Hunter's step-grandson killed by father in accidental shooting: report Anyone who can offer information on the investigation is urged to call Akron detectives at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP (330-375-2847). Anonymous tips can also be provided by: Calling Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS (330-434-2677) Texting TIPSCO with your tip to 274637 Downloading the Akron Police Department app and texting Tips411 or visiting the police department's website Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
4 teens shot, 1 dead at unpermitted block party in Cleveland
[Watch in the player above: What happens when you call 911?] CLEVELAND (WJW) — At least four teens were shot Saturday night, one of whom died, during what police called an unpermitted block party on Cleveland's southeast side. Police just before midnight on Saturday, July 19, received reports of multiple shots fired in the 16400 block of Highview Drive, according to a Monday news release. Dog the Bounty Hunter's step-grandson killed by father in accidental shooting: report At the scene, they found a 17-year-old girl who had been grazed by a bullet and a 15-year-old boy with a gunshot wound found lying in the street. She was transported to a hospital in stable condition. The boy was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office later identified him as Darnell Haynes, 15, of Cleveland Heights. 'Her heart was rare': 2 get life in prison for shooting death of 10-year-old girl at July 4 party in Cleveland Investigators learned of two other gunshot victims: a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman, both of whom had been transported to the hospital in private vehicles. A preliminary investigation showed the shooting happened during a large gathering for 'an unpermitted block party' in the area, a Cleveland police spokesperson told FOX 8 News. The police division's Homicide Unit is now investigating. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Irish Sun
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Dog the Bounty Hunter's stepson on psychiatric hold after shooting teen son dead – as cops launch criminal investigation
DOG The Bounty Hunter's stepson has reportedly been put on a psychiatric hold after accidentally shooting and killing his teenage son. Gregory Zecca is said to be stricken with grief over the accidental 5 Dog the Bounty Hunter's stepson, Gregory Zecca, is reportedly on a psychiatric hold Credit: Instagram/franciedogchapman 5 Dog is 'grieving' the death of Anthony Credit: John Chapple - Commissioned by The Sun US digital edition Anthony, Dog's step-grandson, died after being shot in the neck in Naples, Florida, on Saturday. A family spokesperson told A 5150 hold is where an adult can be detained for 72 hours if they pose a risk to themselves or others, according to the Concerns had mounted for Gregory's mental health. read more on ents TMZ reported Gregory hasn't been able to speak to his family or investigators. Anthony was found dead at his dad's apartment and the gun used in the shooting was discovered on the kitchen island. The shooting death has been described as a "freak accident," according to TMZ. First responders desperately tried to save the boy, who had lost large amounts of blood. Most read in Celebrity Anthony was given CPR and other life-saving measures but those were unsuccessful. A police spokesperson told The U.S. Sun that a Heartbreaking videos show Dog the Bounty Hunter dancing with grandson, 13, just months before dad 'shot dead teen' Gregory is an avid gun enthusiast and pictures shared on social media In one snap, Anthony was seen beaming as he posed for a picture at the venue. He was wearing noise-blocking headphones and a gun was seen nearby. In another photo, Anthony was seen aiming at the target at a shooting board. Gregory is the son of Dog's wife, Francie. Both Dog and Francie have been left devastated by Anthony's death. 'We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony,' their rep told TMZ. Dog, whose real name is Duane Chapman, tied the knot with Francie in 2021. FAMILY'S GRIEF The TV star's ex-wife, Beth, died after a battle with cancer in June 2019. And, Francie had lost her husband six months before Beth died. Both Dog and Francie vowed to honor their ex-spouses in their wedding vows. 'We have been doing that all along. We have done that privately, and in our vows, we will be honouring them. We honour them all of the time,' she said. "And so we will continue to do that throughout their lives. "Throughout our life together, we will continue to do that. They will be a part of that always." Dog was hit by tragedy in 2006 when his daughter, Barbara, was killed in a car accident in Alaska. She died the night before Dog was due to get married to Beth. 5 Gregory is an avid firearms enthusiast and was seen with his son at a shooting range Credit: Instagram 5 Anthony was seen lining up his target Credit: Instagram 5 Anthony was seen beaming in the photos taken at the shooting range Credit: Instagram
