Dog The Bounty Hunter Opened Up About Family Secret On The Anniversary Of His Ex-Wife's Passing

Nov 01, 2023

Duane Chapman, who is better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has lived an eventful life. He gained international notoriety after he captured Andrew Luster in 2003 and was given his own reality television series in 2004. The show was called “Dog the Bounty Hunter” and it aired until 2012. Following that series, Duane appeared in “Dog and Beth: On the Hunt” which featured his late wife, Beth Chapman.

Duane has been married six times and Beth was his fifth wife. They were first married in 2006 and were together until Beth’s passing from throat cancer in 2019. A few months after Beth’s death, Duane announced that he would be getting remarried to Francie Frane. Duane and Beth’s daughter, Bonnie Chapman, initially spoke in defense of her father’s engagement but was not invited to their wedding due to allegations that she made against her dad on social media after he was fired from a new series that was to be called “Dog Unleashed.” 

Bonnie claimed that her father betrayed her late mother prior to her passing and also accused him of being racist and homophobic. Duane has spoken out against these accusations and denied everything Bonnie said. Duane and Frane were married in September 2021 without Bonnie being present at the event. 

Duane has since made it a point to celebrate the death anniversary of his wife, Beth. In his commemorative post last Jun. 26, 2023, Duane also marked the day as an important one where he revealed to the world a huge family secret that was only revealed to him days before his post. Keep on reading to learn more about Duane’s shocking revelation. 

Duane, Beth’s loving husband, spoke with Hawaii News Now and other members of the press outside of their home in Hawaii shortly after Beth's death. The front gate and Beth's car were already covered in flowers and leis from well-wishers.

He recounted the last few months of the cancer journey and described how he stood by her, saying, "When she had an attack I didn't know anything to do but to say 'in Jesus' name' and hold her and when I said 'in Jesus' name' she said, 'Say it again, say it more'."

Duane then said that she was always thinking of others, and her final words were about her family. "And then she told the girls and everybody, with her mouth — she came out of it a couple times — 'I love you' and 'Are you guys all okay? Don't worry,'" he said.

The faithful family found solace in religion. "I loved her so much," Dog told reporters. "As Lazarus lay, Jesus said he's not dead, he's sleepeth. My final words are Beth isn't dead, she's sleeping."

"I hope to god there is a God. I trained myself (to think) 'What would Jesus do?' and I hope I'm not just talking to myself," Dog continued. "I hope there is a God and if there is, I'm gonna see my honey again. That's all we can do is hope."

Sadly, Duane had stated that Beth had told him in advance that she was going to die from the cancer. As reported by The Sun, he explained, "She woke me up one night and told me 'Daddy, I'm going to die,' and I said, 'No you're not.' So she had accepted it and I would not."

Known for their hit TV show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” Duane and Beth built an entire franchise for both themselves and their family through bounty hunting. Along with his wife Beth, Dog was able to catch many criminals who were out on bail and receive money for it. 

With a wide viewership, the show took place mainly in Hawaii or Dog's home state of Colorado and provided a mix of everything: thrill, action, romance and conflict. The series ran for eight seasons in total until it was canceled. The power couple then received their own spin-off, "Dog and Beth: On the Hunt.”

However, the passing of Beth affected the reality star and his family deeply. The death of a spouse or lifelong companion always has a devastating impact on the partner left behind. The partner is left to grieve, heal and find a way forward alone.

Following her death, the public showed their love for Beth and gave their support to Duane and Cecily Chapman. A memorial service was held for Beth in Colorado, her home, and was flooded with thousands of people, most of whom were fans who loved her as well. 

While many fans weren't able to physically attend either due to the pandemic, the family urged their followers to keep Beth's memory alive in other creative ways. For example, they suggested fans remember Beth by going for a walk or hike and posting a picture to social media with the hashtags #ForTheLoveOfBeth and #ThisOnesForBeth. It's an incredibly sweet and creative idea that honors Beth's memory and helps to keep her fans connected — even when they can't be there in person.

On Duane’s Instagram post on June 26, 2023, he honored his wife once again – but this time it came with a shocking revelation. 

“For the last four years, this day was a terrible reminder of one of the greatest losses of my life. But God redeemed this day when I discovered my son Jon, who I just met recently, was born on this day. So now instead of sorrow, this day has a new meaning. This is my son Jon and his wife Jodi,” Duan wrote on the social media platform. 

However, Duane did not mention anything about who Jon’s mother was. 

“The whole story of Jon is told in my new book, Nine Lives and Counting, coming SOON. For anyone who has suffered a terrible loss please know God restores and redeems. Happy birthday son, love you both,” he continued to say on the 

At one glance, one would be confused looking at the picture as Jon is the spitting image of his father, Duane. Fans have also taken notice of the chilling similarities between them. 

“Wow! He looks just like you! So happy you two finally found each other! God Bless you and yours! ❤️❤️❤️,” a fan greeted. 

“Just goes to show when one door closes another opens,much love and respect Dog🙏,” another commented. 

“God has a knack for turning something painful into beautiful blessings… happy birthday to your son!” a fan of him greeted. 

“I was so happy to be there with yall on Thanksgiving. Jon is a wonderful person and we can see where he gets it from!! ❤️” a fourth person chimed in. 

Are you a fan of Dog the Bounty Hunter? What can you say about his new revelation about his secret son? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Dog the Bounty Hunter fans out there!