Dog the Bounty Hunter

Duane Lee "Dog" Chapman was born on February 2, 1953. He is an American bounty hunter and bail bondsman who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. He stars in Dog the Bounty Hunter, a weekly reality television program which is broadcast on the A&E Network.

Duane Lee Chapman was born to Wesley and Barbara Chapman; he grew up with three younger siblings in Denver, Colorado and was abused as a child. Before becoming a bounty hunter, Chapman had frequent run-ins with the law while serving as sergeant at arms for a motorcycle gang, including 18 arrests for armed robbery. In 1977, Chapman was convicted of murder and was sentenced to 5 years of hard labor. He attained parole in 1979, and maintains that he is innocent of the original charges, as it was a fellow gang member who actually committed the murder.

On June 18, 2003, Chapman made news with his hunt and capture of Max Factor cosmetics heir Andrew Luster, who at the time was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Luster had fled the United States in the middle of his trial for poisoning and rape, and was convicted in absentia on 86 counts including multiple rape charges connected to assaults in 1996, 1997 and 2000. Chapman was assisted by his "hunt team", consisting of Tim Chapman and son Leland.

2006 arrest and extradition proceedings
On September 14, 2006, just days prior to the statute of limitations, Chapman, along with his son Leland Chapman and associate Tim Chapman, were arrested by United States Marshals and jailed in Honolulu on behalf of the Mexican government. All three were charged with felony restraint involving the 2003 apprehension of Andrew Luster. After spending one night in the federal detention center, Chapman told reporters: "The federal marshals treated us with great respect. But let me tell you, you never want to go to a federal prison, because it's terrible."

On September 15, 2006, Chapman appeared in a packed Honolulu courtroom with his ankles shackled.[5] Although the judge agreed that the men were not a flight risk, he ordered that they each wear an electronic monitoring device around their ankle. The three men were released on bail ($300,000 for Duane Chapman, $100,000 each for Leland Chapman and Tim Chapman). They were also ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for house arrest.

Beth Chapman was detained and had a hearing after she was caught wearing an A&E body microphone when entering the courthouse for their bond hearing; electronic recording devices are prohibited by law from being carried into federal courthouses. She was released after explaining that she "didn't know they had the mic and transmitter"; the judge (after speaking to the A&E crew) was satisfied that no recording was done.

As of September 2006, Chapman was fighting extradition. His lead attorney Brook Hart reportedly planned to argue that although the charge Chapman faces is a felony in Mexico, it may be only a misdemeanor under American law. An extradition hearing was set for November 16, 2006, where both sides were to present evidence and witnesses. Chapman has speculated that his arrest was due in part to a possible prisoner exchange agreement between the Mexican and American authorities. According to Chapman, the federal agents 'sold him out', by trading him in for a convicted Mexican drug lord.

Sometime in October 2006, Duane, Leland, & Tim had their ankle bracelets removed so they could work.

On October 11, 2006, news reports surfaced of an open letter dated September 26, 2006, sent on Chapman's behalf by 29 Republican Congressmen to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The letter stated the authors' opposition to Chapman's extradition and requested that Rice deny Mexico's request for same.

On October 20, 2006, lawyers for Chapman said that the Mexican federal court had granted them an order that halted the criminal case against the bounty hunter until further evidence and witness testimony were gathered.

A court hearing was held on December 22, 2006. The original hearing was postponed because a report from a lower court was not yet received. The court heard both sides of the story, and then decided to recess and continue the hearing on January 16, 2007. The court had up to Tuesday February 6, 2007 but the deadline was extended.

On February 16, 2007, a Mexican Federal court cleared the way for Duane Chapman to be extradited, ruling there was no reason not to try him with the charge of deprivation of liberty in Mexico.

On February 23, 2007, Hawaii State Representatives Gene Ward, Karen Awana, Rida Cabanilla, Lynn Finnegan, Barbara Marumoto, Colleen Meyer, Kymberly Pine, Joe Bertram, Ken Ito, Marylin Lee, and John Mizuno introduced HCR50, "Requesting the President of Mexico and the Second District Court of Guadalajara to drop extradition charges against TV Bounty Hunter, Duane 'Dog' Chapman".

On March 7, 2007, legislators in the International Affairs Committee of the Hawaii State House passed a resolution that asks the Mexican government to drop the extradition proceedings against Duane, Leland and Tim Chapman.

Dog has been married five times, and is the biological father of fourteen children, two of whom are deceased, and one adopted child. His oldest son, Christopher Chapman, was born in 1969. Duane Chapman was not married to the mother and Christopher was put up for adoption.

Chapman married La Fonda Sue Honeycutt April 1, 1972 in Texas; they divorced in 1977 while he was in prison.

They had two children, Duane Lee Chapman and Leland Chapman. Duane Lee II was born January 21, 1973 and was a financial and retirement counselor before going back to his first job, bounty hunting. He lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado, until moving to O'ahu to work with his father and brother. His wife and four children -- Jodi, Jasmine, Jennifer and Dylan -- still live in Colorado, but will be following Duane Lee to Hawaii soon. Leland was born December 14, 1976 in Groom, Texas. He also works with his father and trains in mixed martial arts. He has two sons, Dakota, born March 24, 1995, and Cobie, born December 7, 2000. He is divorced from their mother.
Chapman married Anne M. Tegnell August 22, 1979 in Colorado. This marriage also ended in divorce. They had three children, one, Zebediah Duane Chapman, died as an infant on January 31, 1980 at home. Zebediah Duane was born prematurely on January 1, 1980 in University, Colorado. His next son, Wesley Chapman was born November 14,1980, he has one daughter born in 2005.Their 3rd son James was born March 2, 1982. Both were raised by their maternal grandmother.

Chapman married Lyssa Rae Brittain June 22, 1982. They were divorced November 20, 1991. They had three children, one being Barbara-Katie "B.K." Chapman, born June 8, 1982 in Denver, Colorado. The day before Duane's wedding to Beth Smith, she tragically died at age 23 in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 19, 2006, during a high speed car accident involving drugs. She had been in and out of drug rehabilitation and allegedly used the money her father gave her, to buy cocaine on a regular basis. Barbara was survived by her son, Travis Drake-Lee Chapman, born 2002. Travis lives with Dog and his wife Beth. Tucker Dee Chapman, born September 8, 1984, was serving a 20-year prison term on a kidnaping charge in 2002 and was released spring 2006; he now lives in Hawaii. "Baby" Lyssa Chapman, born June 10, 1987, currently works as a bounty hunter with her dad, step-mom and half-brothers. She has one daughter, Abbie Mae Chapman, born 2002

Official, Mexico has dropped it's extradition order for Dog and co. They are now free to track down even more prolific offenders and bring them to justice!!
Well done and may God stay with you guys.

OK I have no excuses, I just found this fabulous Dog photo and had to add it for your viewing pleasure-I am sure Beth would approve-Growlll!!

Duane Chapman has just had the 7,000th, (yes that's right, seven thousand)perp brought to justice, Onwards and upwards-Dog, We think you are great!!

There is rumour and speculation all over the net that Beth and Dog Chapman are now separated and Divorce is on the Cards, I am frankly Shocked - Who is going to look after him now? I can see the line of eligible Girlies stretching for miles, but will anyone be able to fill Dog's requirements - Tough Call.
I am going to await developments with baited breath