Duane Chapman is the former American bail bondsman and a bounty hunter. He came to limelight with the weekly TV reality show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” the series started in 2004 and lasted for eight seasons.
He starred another reality series with the name “Dog and Beth: on the Hunt,” which came in the air in 21st April 2013 and went for more than two years. Chapman earned quite handsomely for his work which helped him to gather an incredible amount of net worth, which comes around to $6 million.
Early life
Chapman was born in Denver, Colorado, the United States of America on 2nd February 1953. The 64-year-old Chapman has the American Nationality with White-American ethnicity. He was born to Wesley Chapman and Barbera Chapman, who is his father and mother. Chapman considers everyone to be his brother but as far as the family member is concerned Chapman have one more brother and two younger sisters. Among the four siblings, Chapman is the eldest one. Chapman got a German influence from his mother and had grown with the English attitude because of his father. His mother tried to influence her son with the Christine morals. In the Assemblies of God, she was a pastor.
Chapman was convicted of a first-degree murder case in 1976 and faced the ruling for five years imprisonment in Texas. He was waiting in a car while his friend while the argument for cannabis with Jerry Oliver, shot and killed her. For 18 months Chapman served in Huntsville at Texas State Penitentiary. While in custody he worked in the field and as a barber to the warden.
His life had a turn when he tackled a prisoner from being killed as he was trying to escape. This had made the Correction Officer acknowledge Chapmen’s effort and the officer inspired Chapman to get away from such surroundings and try something better. This has made him think to become a gifted hunter later. On pledge, Chapman was pardoned and was released early in January 1979 for good conduct.
Career
It was not that easy as seems. At first, he was denied any firearm as he had already convicted of a felony. His entry in the United Kingdom is also refused because he is already convicted of a murder case and had been imprisoned. But with the capturing of Andrew Luster in 2003, who during his trail fled America was convicted for drug and rape cases, Chapman man had a change in his life. It became international news. In this capturing Chapman got assistance from Leland and Tim Chapman. Chapman with his two assistant captured Andrew from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where Andrew was living with another name.
The story had a turn as Mexican police captured all four and put them in jail while they were on their way back California. Later on, police released only Andrew to face the trail of life imprisonment precisely 125 years. But the Chapmans were still in jail. This time his wife Alice took effort and media was on the move, and the public opinion aroused heavily in America. The bail was granted, and on their attorney’s suggestion they fled and became international bail-jumpers.
To have a further turn in the story in September 2006, the Marshal of America arrested the trio for the Mexican authority at Honolulu. Chapman along with his two assistant was charged on the ground of “liberty deprivation” involving the arrest of Andrew earlier as bounty hunting is not permissible in Mexico. The Mexican authority declared the trio as fugitive and wanted to them back for sentencing.
Three appeared in the crowded Honolulu court and were released on bail. Chapman’s attorney, Brook Hart wanted to fight the case for his client but was not heard by the court. Chapman realized that their arrest might have come because of the prisoner exchange between the American and Mexican authority. He thought that the federal negotiator had sold him in return for the convicted drug lord of Mexico.
In September 2006 an open letter was sent on behalf of Chapman by Republican Congress to U.S. Secretary. In the letter, extradition was opposed, and the request from the Mexican authority was denied. Subsequently, Mexican law has initiated a halt on the case until proper evidence and witnesses were gathered.
On further confirming their felony by the Mexican federal, stating that there is no reason to believe the convicted are innocent. In response to this, the Hawaii State Representative brought a ‘House Concurrent Resolution 50’. President of Mexico and the District Court was requested to drop the case against Bounty Hunted of television.
During this period Chapman along with William C.Bollard, the attorney was seen in various media shows. To name some “Larry King Live,” “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet,” “Fox 6 News San Diago”, “Great Van Susteren,” “The 9 on Yahoo!” and some more. KHNL, the Honolulu news network, issues a report expressing the warrant might not be valid anymore because the time had expired. In September 2006 Chapman was allowed to remove the electronic chain and travel to the East Coast. On 2nd August 2007, all criminal charges against Chapman were dismissed. The Magistrate Judge of U.S. dismissed expatriation stating the trio is no longer related to any crime for which a case was lodged.
Chapman was seen in “Take This Job” covering unusual jobs of the people. The first series of “Dog the Bounty Hunter” came out in August 2004. The show was canceled in 2012. Chapman has given the effort to bring out his autobiography “You Can Run But You Can Not Hide.” He also published “Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given.”
Personal life
When Chapman was serving the imprisonment for a murder case, his first wife La Fonda divorced him and married his best friend. He married La Fonda Sue Honeycut in 1972 and ended while he was in prison in 1977.
He had actually married as a man will load magazines in his pistol. Returning back from the jail he was engaged with Anne M. Tagnell and got married in 1979 and got off from the relation in 1982. Again as the man cannot live without a lady got into the life of Lyssa Rae Brittain and married her in 1982 and again separated in 1991. He can leave, but he cannot live without someone in his life. Again its Tawny Marie’s turn to enter his life in 1991 and get away from the man in 2003.
Now probably he is staying with his last wife Alice “Beth” Elizabeth Smith but one repeated is always prone to the same. Let’s hope that he is fulfilled by Alice in his wonderland. The man has given birth to twelve children from different wives at a different time. Let us call them one by one Duane Lee Chapman, Christopher Michael Hecht, Zebediah Duane Chapman, Leland Chapman, Barbara, Katie “B.K” Chapman, Wesley Chapman J.R. “James” Chapman, Tucker Dee Chapman, Bonnie Joanne Chapman, Garry Chapman and Lyssa Rae Chapman.
Quick summary:
Full Name: Duane Lee Chapman
Date of Birth: 2nd February 1953
Birth Place: Denver, Colorado, United States of America
Age: 64 years
Profession: Television Personality, former Bail Bondsman, and a Bounty Hunter
Height: 5 Feet 7 Inch
Weight: 82 Kg
Net worth: $6 million
