Dog the Bounty Hunter on witnessing 'demonic possession,' God's faithfulness during career
After spending years as a bounty hunter — exposing him to the depths of human depravity — Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, is confident of two things: spiritual warfare is real, and so are hope and redemption through Christ alone.
“I have arrested and seen men that would do terrible things to little children as young as 6 months old. That is demonic possession. That is evil at its max. It’s not, ‘He was drunk,' 'He was a bad guy.’ No, that stuff grows and grows; they keep doing worse and worse,” the 71-year-old New York Times bestselling author and TV personality told The Christian Post.
“You flip a coin on the other side, and if there is that much evil — and we all know there is, just look at the news — then there's got to be supernatural power and that much good. Even an atheist believes that. I try to explain what that supernatural power is, how to tap into it and live a happier life knowing that you're going to Heaven.
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"I say, ‘What if I'm wrong? And what if there is no God, and your soul just dies? You live and learn and die and forget it all? What if that happens?’ Then, oh, well. But what if there is a God? And what if the Bible is the Word of God? What if that's real? And you may not believe in Hell, but you'll be there five minutes, and you will. The Bible says it's written in everyone's heart that there's a God.”
Chapman's faith has caused a shift in his mission over the years, from capturing fugitives to reaching out to the marginalized and spiritually lost.
"I've arrested over 10,000 fugitives in my career, but I'm more famous for the backseat ride and the conversations that happen there," he said, referring to his efforts to turn criminals towards faith.
Chapman's desire to share Christ's hope with the lost compelled him to write his third and latest book, Nine Lives and Counting: A Bounty Hunter’s Journey to Faith, Hope, and Redemption.
Written with his wife, Francie, the book focuses not only on his escapades as a bounty hunter but also on his deep spiritual journey and the personal challenges he has faced over the years, from being in a motorcycle gang and incarcerated in the ‘70s to becoming a widely-known TV star.
Chapman starred in the reality series “Dog the Bounty Hunter” on A&E until it ended in 2012. He credits his faith for sustaining him after the 2009 death of his 23-year-old daughter, Barbara Katy, and 10 years later, the loss of his wife, Beth, who died after a lengthy cancer battle.
In September 2020, Chapman married Francie, a rancher who lost her late husband, Bob, following his death from cancer just months before Beth passed away.
"Ever since Beth went to Heaven, and I met Francie, my life has changed through my faith in God," Chapman stated. He described his book as a guide and an inspiration for others, emphasizing, "If I can do it, you can do it."
“I believe in God and the hereafter,” Chapman said. “You're not going to Heaven because you do good works. … The Bible says that he who has been forgiven the most has to give the most. I've been forgiven a lot. So I have to give more than you. … I'm required under God's law to give everything I can give more than most people.”
In his book, Chapman recounts numerous instances where he believes God intervened directly in his life — from saving him from death to preserving his reputation. He points to these experiences as evidence of his "nine lives" and the foundation for the book's title.
“The Bible says, ‘In the last days of before Jesus comes, I will pour out my spirit.’ You’re seeing it in sports, pastors and politics. … So many guys and girls are confessing their faith. God’s Spirit is pouring out on all flesh, the Bible says, and that includes me. The pouring of God's Spirit is out there. I try to explain in my words what that means.”
The bounty hunter also revisits a particularly dark chapter in his past: his 18-month stint in prison during the 1970s.
In 1976, Chapman was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to 5 years in Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Texas. He had been waiting in a car while a friend went into a house to buy marijuana. The friend shot and killed 69-year-old Jerry Oliver in a struggle.
According to Chapman, this experience is detailed more explicitly in his new book compared to previous publications.
“I was convicted of murder in the '70s,” he recalled. “I did not do that. I was there. One of my biker brothers went inside. There was a scuffle, he got shot and he passed. … They finally let me out after 18 months because they found out I didn't do it.”
"A lot of people who were around then are no longer here, so I can speak more freely about what really happened," he disclosed. “When I wrote the other two books, I couldn't say anything. … Now they're either in Heaven and Hell, so I can. … The Bible says, ‘If you will confess your sins, God will heal.’ So it is very good to say, especially to put it in a book form.”
Today, Chapman shares his story of redemption worldwide and leads the Light Up the Darkness ministry with his wife. As Nine Lives and Counting hits the shelves, he told CP his message is clear: no struggle is too great to overcome, and often, a change in perspective can be the key to seeing God's hand in one's life.
“I think that if people realize how good they've got it, you can always overcome the bad things,” he said. “You can always do that, of course, with prayer, asking God, counseling … I think there's a way out of everything through the supernatural.”
Nine Lives and Counting is now available.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
