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Duane Lee Chapman is an American bail bonding officer, bounty hunter and the lead role on Dog the Bounty Hunter.

Life[]

Chapman was raised with four younger siblings.

In 1976, Chapman was found guilty of first-degree murder while accompanying his gang partner, who shot & killed a drug dealer during a deal gone bad (he was an accessory to murder after the fact), and was sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment. Duane served 18 months at Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, where he worked as a field worker and warden's barber.

With few prospects for typical employment, Chapman pursued a career in issuing bail bonds and bounty hunting. As his career accelerated, his style became more widely known; this was further enhanced after he and sons Leland and Duane Lee captured Max Factor cosmetic empire heir Andrew Luster in Mexico on murder charges and returned him to the United States for imprisonment. This catapulted Chapman, his family and Da Kine Bail Bonds into stardom with the television show Dog the Bounty Hunter.

In 2007, in an interview with Fox News, Chapman told that while serving his punishment, he prevented an inmate who was escaping from getting shot. The guards congratulated him for his action. The incident inspired him to become a bounty hunter after his release, which occurred in January 1979. Due to his criminal record, Chapman was not allowed to own a firearm and was banned from entering the U.K.

Known Family[]

Ancestors[]

Parents
  • Wesley Duane Chapman (born May 6, 1930 in Gurley, NE - died August 8, 2000 in Commerce City, CO)
  • Barbara Darlene Cowell (born March 11, 1934 in Colorado - died September 30, 1994 in Honolulu, HI)

Descendants[]

Accounts[]

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