The Tragic Death Of Dog The Bounty Hunter's Daughter

While it might seem like it's been an eternity since the reality star Dog the Bounty Hunter was tracking down fugitives with his wife and kids, TV's favorite bounty hunter has still been plenty busy. With a new show on WGN and a new paramour, this Dog, aka Duane Chapman, has been very much on the prowl. The famous bounty hunter recently announced a new merchandise line in honor of his late wife, fan-favorite Beth Chapman, who died from throat cancer in June 2019. And while Dog may have found love with his fiancée Francie Frane, it's clear to his fan base that Dog will always have a place in his heart for the loved ones he has lost. As many fans know, Beth isn't the first immediate family member Dog has had to mourn. His daughter, Barbara Katy Chapman, also passed away under tragic circumstances more than a decade and a half ago. Let's take a closer look at the strange circumstances surrounding her untimely passing. One of the main draws for viewers of Dog the Bounty Hunter during its heyday on A&E was the relationship between Dog and Beth Chapman. After a 16-year partnership, Dog and Beth finally decided to tie the knot in 2006, recording the wedding to air as part of the series' third season. But only a night before the couple's nuptials, the bounty hunter's oldest daughter, Barbara, was killed in a tragic car accident. According to Hawaii News Now, an SUV that Barbara and her friend were travelling in went off the road on May 19, 2006, rolling and crashing into a thicket of trees near Fairbanks, Alaska. Neither Chapman nor her friend survived the accident. According to contemporary reports, the circumstances surrounding the death of Dog's 23-year-old-daughter were somewhat checkered, with the SUV reportedly being stolen. Hawaii News Now also reported that state troopers suspected drugs and alcohol might have played a part in the devastating crash. According to Dog himself, his daughter, who lived in Alaska with her mother, had been in the process of working through some struggles in her personal life at the time of the deadly crash. The fatal accident cast a dark shadow on a day that was meant to be a celebration, and A&E's cameras and crew were there to document the whole affair. Dog the Bounty Hunter and his soon-to-be wife Beth Chapman found themselves at a crossroads. What they decided to do next would set the course for the rest of their lives together. As the show's cameras captured, both Dog and Beth decided to proceed with their wedding ceremony as planned, but only after Dog's surviving children, along with the minister presiding over the ceremonies, voted unanimously to carry on with their Hawaii beach wedding. Though the family's inner circle was aware of Barbara Chapman's unexpected death, the wedding guests reportedly weren't alerted of the news until after the official ceremony. While the years have continued to yield additional tragedy for Dog, it's clear that his prerogative to push through the pain while remembering the loved ones he's lost comes from a noble place. Despite the fact that Dog has been the subject of controversy himself, it's a trait in which his loyal fan base can find inspiration. Speaking of memorials, Dog the Bounty Hunter's latest merch line isn't the only way the former fugitive-seeker has memorialized Beth Chapman since her 2019 death. In late June 2020, the reality star coordinated a private service to honor the first anniversary of Beth's passing. The event, which took place over Father's Day weekend, was specifically intended to both honor the memory of Beth, and to thank Dog's new fiancée Francie, whom Dog said he couldn't have gone through the grieving process without. Dog stated at the time, "In a lot of religions and a lot of beliefs, they mark it as a tradition on the one year date that someone has passed away. Every Father's Day, Beth would like to come to this river and come down in the exact raft…I would always sit here, cold, wet, raining, she always went." While he's continued to move forward after experiencing the major losses in his life, it seems Dog isn't willing to let his loved ones be forgotten. Watch the video to learn about The Tragic Death Of Dog The Bounty Hunter's Daughter. #DogTheBountyHunter