How did Dog the Bounty Hunter’s wife Beth Chapman die?

Published on July 21, 2025 at 07:45 PM

BETH Chapman, who was married to Duane “Dog” Chapman, died in June of 2019 after battling cancer for years.

Beth starred with her husband on the A&E reality series Dog the Bounty Hunter, which ran from 2004 to 2012.

How did Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife Beth Chapman die? 9
Dog and Beth together

Who was Beth Chapman?

Beth Chapman was Dog’s wife and sidekick in Dog the Bounty Hunter, a reality series that chronicled the life of bail bondsman and bounty hunter Duane Dog Chapman. Between them, the couple had two children together, Bonnie and Garry, but their family included another . The show ended in 2012 after eight seasons and was replaced in 2013 by Dog and Beth: On The Hunt, a spin-off series starring both Duane and.

Dog the Bounty Hunter, his wife, and their grandson in a car.
Anthony, centre, with Dog and Francie

When did Beth die?

Beth was first diagnosed with stage two throat cancer in November 2017 and it later worsened to stage four. She passed away on June 26, 2019.

Dog sadly confirmed her passing on Twitter, writing “it’s 5:32 in Hawaii, this is the time she would wake up to go hike Koko Head mountain.

“Only today, she hiked the stairway to heaven. We all love you, Beth. See you on the other side.”

A rep told People that Beth died peacefully surrounded by family. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news that Beth Chapman lost her battle with cancer today,” WGN America released in a statement after her death. “She was an exceptional woman, fiercely loyal and passionate about her family and she was a true joy to work with.

“All of us at WGN America will miss her tremendously. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Duane, her family, loved ones and millions of fans.”

How did Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife Beth Chapman die? 7
Dr Oz told Dog that his heart was a ‘ticking time bomb’

Months after Beth’s death, Dog learned he was dealing with his own when he was hospitalized with chest pains. The Dog’s Most Wanted star was told he was suffering from a pulmonary embolism in the heart in which one or more arteries were blocked by blood. He was diagnosed on The Dr Oz Show , who gave the bail bondsman a stern wake-up call about his diagnosis. “You’re a ticking time bomb,” Dr Oz, who went to visit Dog at his Denver home, told him.

How long were Dog the Bounty Hunter and Beth together for?

Dog and Beth had been married since 2006 but had been dating on-and-off since meeting in 1986. Beth was the bail bondsman’s fifth wife, after his previous marriages to La Fonda Sue Honeycutt, Anne Tengell, Lyssa Rae Brittain and Tawny Marie.

How did Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife Beth Chapman die? 6
Dog and Beth pose for their Hawaiian wedding ceremony

Dog is no stranger to tragedy. His oldest daughter was killed in a car accident the day before her father’s wedding to Beth. The tragedy happened on May 19, 2006, near Fairbanks, Alaska. Barbara is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indiana.

Dog and Beth in 2014
Dog and Beth in 2014

What did the cast do to honor Beth?

The team behind the hit reality show from the series in November of 2020. The promotional photo from the series shows Dog front and center with sidekick Beth standing next to him, her shock of white blonde hair and steely glare striking terror in criminals on the run. Fans of the show were quick to post their thoughts in the comment section professing their love and admiration for the fallen star.

A classic throwback to the show
A classic throwback to the show

One wrote: “We miss you beth lots of love Hawaii is in my heart for you and your hole family [sic]” “I loved watching Beth in action, she reminded me a lot of myself,” added another.

Who is Dog the Bounty Hunter with now?

Dog began dating 52-year-old rancher Francie Frane a few months after Beth’s passing. Of how their love story began, Francie shared: “In June of last year, I was six months into my grieving and my really close girlfriend and I went to Arizona together with her mom.

“We were in the hotel room and my girlfriend was listening to some worship music on YouTube and she said to me, ‘Oh my gosh, Beth Chapman passed away two days ago. I had no idea. She had throat cancer.’

“And I said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so sucky. I hate cancer.’ We had that conversation for a minute and then I said to her, ‘Who’s Beth Chapman?’

“And she goes, ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’s wife, you don’t know who that is?’ And I was like, ‘No, I don’t know who Dog The Bounty Hunter is.'”

Francie recalled her friend saying that somehow, someway she was going to “get together” with Dog.

Through a mutual connection, the two managed to get on the phone together, where they opened up about their late spouses passing as Francie had also recently lost her husband to cancer. Eventually, that bond turned into a romance of their own.

How did Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife Beth Chapman die? 2
Dog and wife Francie

The Bounty Hunter and Frane officially tied the knot September 2, 2021.

His wedding to Frane will be his sixth marriage. “I need a partner,” Duane, 67, told People . “I’ve said it before. There will never be another Mrs. Dog. There is not. Francie couldn’t do that. “There will be a last Mrs. Chapman. If Beth was here, and saw Francie and saw how she was raised, her morality and this and that, Beth would say, ‘Big daddy, don’t lose her.’ “For a living, she’s a rancher and she recently lost her husband to cancer six months before I lost Beth Chapman so we hopped on the phone, started talking to each other, crying and consoling each other and then one thing led to another and it’s just incredible that I’ve been able to meet someone like her. “With Francie, I’m allowed to speak about Beth, we speak about her husband. We cry. We hold each other.” Fans of the show have slammed Dog for moving on too fast months after Beth’s death. Dog’s daughter, Lyssa, stepped in to defend her dad.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Lyssa saidher dadandare “really cute” and “adorable” together and the 51-year-old fits in with the family perfectly. But she admits that it is difficult for fans to see her famous father embark on a new relationship afterBeth died from cancer last June. Lyssa told The Sun: “I think that it’s really hard for people to see dad move on. “It’s hard for us, it’s hard for the world. Beth and Dog were always together for everything. “So it’s been an adjustment period.”

Prev Article

Lottery results LIVE: National Lottery Set For Life draw tonight, July 21, 2025

Next Article

Actor Guild of Nigeria suspends actress Shirley Igwe over assault

Related to this topic:

Comments (0):

Be the first to write a comment.

Post Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Search

Newsletter image

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Join 10k+ people to get notified about new posts, news and tips.

Do not worry we don't spam!