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Beth Chapman, ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ Star, Dies at 51

Beth Chapman, who was a staple of the TV show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” along with her husband, died Wednesday at a Honolulu hospital after being in a medically induced coma. She was 51.

Her husband Duane Chapman confirmed the news on Twitter. “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.”

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The coma came after a fight with cancer, which became public knowledge in 2017 when the reality star announced she’d been diagnosed with Stage II throat cancer. While she noted she had become cancer-free by that December, the cancer returned last November after which she went through aggressive chemo to fight the disease.

Before being in the spotlight from “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” Chapman broke the record in Colorado for becoming the youngest bail bondsman at the age of 29. When she was 19, Chapman met Dog, who was 35 at the time, and the two dated before eventually marrying in 2006. It was in 2003 when the two were catapulted into fame with their starring role in the popular reality series “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” in which Dog pursued fugitives across Hawaii to Colorado alongside Chapman, his business partner Beth, and his sons Leland and Duane Lee. The series eventually came to an end in 2012 before the two starred in a spin-off, “Dog and Beth: On the Hunt,” until 2015.

After taking a break from TV, Chapman became president of the Professional Bail Agents of the United States, and most recently her and her husband began filming a new show “Dogs Most Wanted” in February, which was set to air next year on WGN America. While a key storyline of the series was Chapman’s health struggles, it’s unclear if the show will still make it to broadcast in the light of her death.

In a statement obtained by Variety, WGN America wrote, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news that Beth Chapman lost her battle with cancer today. 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.”

Chapman is survived by her four kids, Dominic, Cecily, Bonnie Jo and Garry, the latter two she had with Dog, as well as 14 grandchildren, one of which she gained custody over after Dog’s daughter died in a car crash.

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