Duane Chapman has sadly been no stranger to tragic news across his life as a bounty hunter and sporadic TV personality. Though the past couple of years have seemingly been free from such unfortunate news, Chapman and wife Francie Frane's family are now suffering anew after the accidental shooting death of her grandson Anthony Zecca.
According to TMZ, Frane's son Gregory Zecca, whom she'd had with a ex-husband during a previous marriage, fatally shot his 13-year-old son Anthony in what was described as a "freak accident" inside the family's apartment.
Law enforcement in Naples, Florida were called to an apartment around 8:00 p.m. on the night of Saturday, July 19, with reports of a shooting taking place. After arriving on the scene, the officials dubbed the shooting death as an "isolated incident," and as of this writing, no arrests have been made. It is noted that an investigation is ongoing.
Through a representative, Duane Chapman and Francie Frane put out a shared statement that addressed the family tragedy, saying:
Dog the Bounty Hunter and Francie are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony.
The family also strongly wished for their privacy to be respected as they grieve the teen's death.
The father, Greg Zecca, is supporting part of Dog's bounty hunting squad, which the latter's daughter Lyssa Chapman is also part of. It's not immediately clear when he joined the team.
Dog and Frane met just six months after Beth Chapman's death, with Frane also having recently lost her spouse. They initially bonded over their shared grief, and five months later, in May 2020, they were engaged, and tied the knot in September 2021.
Frane featured her grandson Anthony in one of her "Fearless Friday" Instagram videos back in 2024, just prior to his 12th birthday, sparking a wave of positive and praise-filled comments.
Back in 2019, the reality TV star’s wife Beth Chapman passed away after being put into a medically induced coma tied to complications from a recurring battle with throat cancer. He suffered his own health scare a few months later (which coincided with his daughter being hospitalized).
In the ensuing years, Chapman’s relationship with some of his children became strained, and he mourned the November 2022 death of his “right hand man” David Robinson, who’d worked on Dog’s Most Wanted for WGN America and Dog & Beth: On the Hunt for CMT.
CinemaBlend sends our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Anthony Zecca during this time of mourning.
