Born Duane Lee Chapman I. on the 2nd February 1953 in Denver, Colorado USA, he is a professional bounty hunter and bail bondsman, best known to the world for appearing in the reality TV series “Dog the Bounty Hunter” (2003-2012), in which he is filmed catching real-life fugitives in the state of the Hawaiian Islands.
Have you ever wondered how rich Duane Chapman is, as of late 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Chapman’s wealth is as high as $6 million, an amount earned through his successful bounty-hunting and related reality TV career, active since the ‘80s.
Duane Chapman Net Worth $6 Million
Duane is the first child born to Barbara and Wesley Chapman, of part-German and English ancestry; he has two younger sisters and a brother. His mother Barbara was a rather devoted woman and a pastor in Assembly of God. She raised him with Christian rules and morals.
However, Duane strained his adult life when he was arrested in 1976 on a count of first-degree murder, after he and his friend apparently accidentally killed Jerry Oliver an alleged pimp and drug dealer. He was sentenced five years in prison, but spent only 18 months at Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. During his prison time, Duane was involved in an accident in which he saved the life of an inmate who was about to be shot during an escape attempt. He received praise from the warden and Corrections Officer, which helped reduce his incarceration and inspired him to become a bounty hunter after his release.
However, due to his conviction, he can’t own a fire weapon, and can’t enter the United Kingdom.
Duane slowly started developing his business in the Hawaiian Islands, but also throughout North America, catching wanted criminals, then in 2003 first gained attention when he caught Andrew Luster, who was facing multiple charges of assault and rape from 1996 until 2000, after he fled the US during the trial. Duane had numerous problems to extradite Luster, as he caught him in Mexico, and on the way to California they were held up by Mexican police since bounty hunting was illegal in Mexico. Luckily, Luster was eventually sent to California, but Duane and his hunting team remained captives in a Mexican prison. Doug was released with a bail of $300,000, and after leaving prison left Mexico, but the trial still awaited him. After several years of problems with the Mexican government, Duane and his team were finally freed from all charges.
Thanks to his success Duane became a subject of A&E’s new reality series “Dog the Bounty Hunter” (2003-2012), which certainly increased his wealth and popularity as well. While the show lasted, Duane and his team that consisted of his son Leland, and wife Beth, and Tim Chapman (not related), have caught a number of fugitives.
Unfortunately, the show was canceled after an internal fight between Duane and his son in 2012. However, the new show was recreated, aired on CMT, and entitled “Dog and Beth: On the Hunt”. His son rejoined him, and alongside his wife, the trio has been visiting failing bail bonds agencies across the country, advising them how to turn around the business. This has also contributed to Duane’s wealth.
Regarding his personal life, Duane has been married five times and divorced for times. Since 2006 he has been married to Beth Chapman, with whom he has two children.
His first wife was LaFonda Sue Honeycutt from 1972 until 1977 with whom he hastwo children; while he was imprisoned, LaFonda divorced him and married his best friend. In 1979 he married Anne M.Tegnell with whom he had three children, before they divorced in 1982. The same year he married his third wife, Lyssa Rae Worthington and the couple was married until 1991; Lyssa gave him three more children. Following his divorce with Lyssa, he married Tawny Marie Gillespie; the couple didn’t have children, and divorced in 2003.
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