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NAPLES, Fla. — In a tragic development, Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman’s stepson was taken into custody by Florida authorities on Tuesday, facing charges related to the shooting death of his teenage son.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced that 39-year-old Gregory Zecca has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm, as well as using a firearm while intoxicated, following the incident that occurred on July 19. The charge of aggravated manslaughter could result in a life sentence.
According to investigators, Zecca spent several hours consuming alcohol, followed by more drinking and marijuana use at a friend’s house, where he and his son were watching television. It is alleged that Zecca repeatedly discharged a weapon without live ammunition near the boy. However, at some point, a magazine was reinserted, loading a live round, which was then fired, tragically hitting the child.
“This was a heart-wrenching and avoidable incident,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk shared in a social media update. “Our detectives left no stone unturned, conducting a comprehensive investigation that included witness interviews, forensic analysis, subpoenas, and search warrants.”
Initially reported by TMZ in July, Chapman and his wife, Francie, issued a statement to the outlet, requesting privacy as they navigate this devastating loss.
“We 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 couple said in their statement.
Chapman became a household name when he captured Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in 2003, and was given his own series, Dog the Bounty Hunter, in 2004. In that show and a number of spin-offs, camera crews captured Chapman and his associates tracking down fugitives as bail bondsmen.