The most famous bounty hunters (2024)

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The most famous bounty hunters

Sep 14, 2022 | 08:02 am 9562 2

Speaking of bounty hunters, what associations do you have? How could you describe the image of this person? Maybe it’s a chubby man under a mask who rides a cool car, is hung with weapons instead of jewelry, and shoots when he wants to. Is it the other way around–an inconspicuous and quiet person whom no one notices but at some point will give you the law, girding you somewhere in the alley on the city streets, throwing you in the trunk? Maybe this is the first time you’ve heard of this activity, seen only in Hollywood movies about the Wild West of past centuries, and did not know that bounty hunters walk in the middle of you?

Quick Facts

Agree that such a profession is easy to imagine in retrospect of the past, and the cinema has worked well to make it accurate. One of the most striking examples of this theory and drawing before us rude picky men, who are always on guard with a stock of weapons on their belts, is «Disgusting Eight» by Quentin Tarantino. In the middle of a cold winter, two bounty hunters meet on the road in front of a storm. Their difference is not only in their appearance but also in their work. One has several corpses of claimed whips, which must be taken to Redrock and received a reward for them; another in the carriage goes there, but his slave is alive. Why? Because his nickname is «Hanger.» He catches criminals, takes them to the sheriff, and then hangs them. Each of them has its manner, its earnings. But here’s the question. How did this «profession» appear? Previously, the laws were harsher, and there was more chaos around. When the sheriffs could not cope with catching the next pagan in the course of the following system. Portraits were painted under the picture of the instruction (live or dead) and the amount that would be paid as work performed. Money wasn’t small at that time, and at the expense of hazardous people, more precisely for their heads, after catching them, it was possible not to think for a long time about earnings. Since then, it has continued for quite some time.

The main thing is that this activity has survived to this day. However, it looks slightly different; conditions and money are deducted differently. To the question, is this case legal? The answer is–yes. Provided that he is a trained professional, he has an appropriate license, which gives him the right to arrest a person hiding from the law (time bounty hunters have more authority to arrest than local police). However, this profession has severe limitations in some states, such as Kentucky, Illinois, and Oregon. To stop them, it is not enough to document a license that confirms their activities and gives them the above powers. It is necessary to have a judge’s decision with you. However, the stereotype developed over the years in American culture about bounty hunters is now an integral part of the US justice system. Why? The answer is on the surface. It is very effective. Now, let’s try to understand how this system works and the principle by which the reward for this person's work is calculated.

The guarantor pays this amount for a percentage of (usually 10% of the total pledge). This loan should be a guarantor for the defendant to appear at the court hearing. But, according to statistics, 20% of those accused do not follow these rules and go outside the city. The guarantor must pay the pledge (according to the rules, the guarantor also insures himself and pledges the right of ownership of the defendant or the request of the car). At this point, the guarantor can and usually turns to bounty hunters, giving them, as a rule, 10-20% of the amount of collateral. Bail agents (bounty hunters) have a good yearly income if you count for each such criminal. But it also means that work is dangerous and unpleasant; you must spend time in hazardous areas, talk to bad people, and do many other complex manipulations. It is also important to emphasize that, despite a licensed hunter's wide range of actions, his rights end as soon as he wants to cross the country’s border.

If a person runs away, he doesn’t want to be found. So it will be in hard-to-reach places, roughly speaking. And when the bounty hunter goes «hunting,» he won’t hear from his wife, « Have a good day at the office! Dinner at eight », and he is unlikely to respond with consent, as there is no guarantee that he will return home tonight or all of the following week. So, in two words, we can describe this work as «profitable, but dangerous.» Given this, it is interesting what a person should look like and what should happen in life to lead to this kind of activity and to be in extreme conditions every day.

List of Famous Bounty Hunters

Bounty hunters have faithfully carried out their difficult and dangerous work for several centuries. Some of them achieved serious success and became famous far beyond the borders of their city. All these people have their own life stories and unique achievements that must be told to younger generations.

Thomas Tate Tobin

This profession has not existed since the first century. So it would be unfair among the best not to single out the figures of the last century. We do not want to say that this profession is more accessible now, but our era is making some tasks more manageable. There is an accurate photo of the desired. He could light up by credit card or get on video surveillance cameras. And before, your ears and eyes were only people and your abilities. One such legend was the hunter Thomas Tate Tobin. He was born into a family of Irish immigrants in 1823 in Missouri. This person had many valuable skills; during his life, he visited many places and, most importantly, gained an excellent reputation as a reliable person. He was a hunter, a follower, a border guard, and a spy in the US Army. At 14, he and his brother moved to Taos, beginning a completely independent life. In New Mexico, he worked as a beast at the Arroyo Hondo store and later started his career as a spy. In 1846, he married Pasquale Bernal, and they settled in Arroyo Hondo, near Taos, New Mexico. During the Taoist Pueblo uprising in January 1847, he miraculously escaped death. For many years he continued to work as a guide and spy, meeting other border guards such as Keith Carson, Uncle Dick Wootton, Ceran St. Vrain, Charles Bent, John C. Fremont, Wild Bill Hickok, and William F. Cody. By 1853, his horticultural talents were so highly valued that he led the Billa expedition from the Gunnison River to California.

Of course, such living conditions hardened a person and endowed him with valuable skills, which he later used in activities as a bounty hunter. There is no information about the number of pagans in his account. We know he played a vital role in avenging the deaths of Americans killed in the Taos massacre. But there is one story that deserves attention. And it’s about the bandit Philip Espinoza, who once became a curse of the mountain valley. He robbed, killed, destroyed, intimidated, and abducted people. He spent these atrocities for ten years from his headquarters in the mountains of Sangre de Cristo. It is unknown how much was to be paid for living Espinoza, but Tobin understood perfectly well that it was not worth saving his life, and better and safer for himself would lead him to the sheriff's only head (which he did). Thomas tracked down this bastard and his accomplice for a long time and finally got into their privacy in the mountains. A little endurance and eventually, the rest of the bandits were on the ground. But. Then there were no phones or cameras, and to get the promised reward, you had to prove that you hunted the wanted people and those who were wanted. So without thinking long, Thomas decides to cut off their heads, put them in a bag, and take Fort Garland, Colorado. Tobin himself died as an elder in 1904, and it is said that everyone who knew him told stories about this man with great respect.

The Dunn Brothers

The list of legendary bounty hunters should include the five Dunn brothers, who were born and worked in Pawnee (Oklahoma). They led an ordinary life for a long time, running their own boarding house and opening a meat market popular with residents. However, in the 80s of the 19th century, they began bounty hunting. The brothers made this decision not only to earn good money but also to correct a bad reputation. They were repeatedly seen robbing and were considered the main cattle rustlers in Pawnee.

The Dunn brothers' leader was the family's oldest member, Bill. He supervised the actions of relatives and distributed the rewards received. The brothers' main achievement was the murder of famous Wild Bunch gang members Charley Pierce and George Newcomb. This happened in May 1895 and became an essential event for all of Oklahoma. The Dunn brothers received about $10,000 for their work, which was a lot of money then.

In 1896, Heck Thomas, who served as a deputy US marshal, was killed. Most Pawnee residents attributed his death to the Dunn brothers, but there is no official evidence of this even today. In subsequent years, bounty hunters were caught stealing several more times, causing their reputation to worsen. At the end of 1896, Bill Dunn attempted to kill the local sheriff. The assassination attempt not only failed but also turned into a tragedy for the leader of the Dunn brothers. He was shot and killed by the sheriff, who explained his actions as an attempt to save his own life. After the commander's death, the remaining members of the bounty hunters group ceased their activities.

Jim Miller Killer

Garrett is the figure in our list of “the most famous bounty hunters.” He was born in Alabama and served in Texas at 17, where he became a cowboy and bison hunter. The skills gained during this period, namely the ability to shoot aptly, helped him become a deputy sheriff in New Mexico, and in 1880, as the sheriff resigned, he took his place. This is where the exciting story about Pete begins. At that moment, there was news that twenty-year-old Henry McCartney had escaped prison. By the way, he was a longtime acquaintance of our Garrett. Historical chronicles suggest that McCartney, better known as Billy Kid, killed everyone on his way and had at least 20 lives on his account. Therefore, the governor of those mis-lines determined a reward for his head of $500.

So Patrick Floyd stepped on Bill’s heels, leaving behind only the corpses of his gang from his gang until he got to himself. And finally, the rest, Pat ambushed Billy and knocked him out of his rifle. However, the bounty hunter did not receive the award because of the condition that the $500 would be paid to a living bandit.

Millard Gardner

Among the many bounty hunters, one of the most famous was Millard Gardner, known to everyone by his nickname "Dry Wolf". He was born in 1903 in Dallas into the family of a sheriff's deputy and, from an early age, showed an interest in his father's activities. Growing up, Gardner did not change his passion and wanted to become one of the law enforcement officers. However, his lack of age did not allow him to start an early career. Instead, he began to earn extra money wherever he could and even managed to become the head of a thresher in the Panhandle. He also worked in the company of his father, who by that time had become an independent contractor. However, the desire to serve the law still prevailed, and at 22, Gardner became a police officer.

Between 1925 and 1927, Millard became a bounty hunter. He prayed primarily on bootleggers, which is how he got his nickname "Dry Wolf". Gardner did his job so well that for the criminals who clandestinely produced and sold alcohol during the Prohibition period, his name became synonymous with death. His short career as a bounty hunter ended due to health problems. After that, he became an ordinary police officer in Highland Park, where by age 36, he had risen to the position of chief. Gardner ended this part of his career in 1950. The legendary "Dry Wolf" died in 1989 from a severe illness.

John Riley Duncan

Another bounty hunter died not because of old age and quiet life but because of an accident. He gained fame because he was involved in the operation to detain John Hardin. It was a very dangerous criminal and murderer who, at 23 (in 1877), had already been sentenced to 24 years in prison. But he did not sit down for the entire term, and in 1894, justice as death for all his crimes caught up with him. The biography of John Duncan himself tells us that he grew up with the right good boy, who later started working for the Dallas Police Department, then received the rank of sheriff and tried to perform his duties honestly by catching criminals. However, as Duncan said, the desire to acquire real money was later taken up. He began a new career while retaining his business. Later, after growing interest in his activities in society, he provided a list of criminals with whom he dealt during his years as a bounty hunter. The above Hardin topped this list of 21 people. The total remuneration for their heads exceeded $ 12,000$, which in those years was a substantial amount.

However, because of changes in Texas law, he has left this activity and practiced in other areas. According to official data, at 61, he died in a car accident when he could not cope with driving. However, there is a theory that he died at the hands of a prostitute who shot him. He was buried in a historic cemetery in Texas. The epitaph on his tombstone reads: “Dallas police officer, Texas Ranger, and Dallas Detective, Got Wes Hardin, August 23, 1877”. The hunter’s photos of the head did not survive because he believed it could jeopardize his career. Later, after his death, his activities as a Texas lawyer were described in a book by Rick Miller. In the 1920s, it released a silent black and white film that told how to catch a bastard and a Hardin killer («Man and his horse»).

Balthasar Gérard

Among all the prominent bounty hunters, Balthasar Gérard can boast of one of the most famous achievements. He was born in 1557. Almost nothing is known about his childhood, but in his youth, the young Frenchman was known to everyone as a fanatical Catholic who worshiped Felipe II (King of Spain from 1556 to 1598). After his idol announced a large reward for the murder of his political opponent, William the Silent, Gérard became a bounty hunter.

In a new business for himself, Balthasar Gérard showed himself at his best. He carefully designed the operation to eliminate the enemy and calmly carried out his plans. This process is described differently in historical publications, but each emphasizes the bounty hunter's scrupulousness. After killing William the Silent, Gérard tries to escape but cannot cope with this job. He was captured by the prince's guards, after which the legendary bounty hunter was sentenced to death. In 1584, he was quartered after several days of excruciating torture. When Felipe II found out about this, he ordered the previously promised reward to be given to the Balthasar Gérard family.

Ralph Thorson

One of the most famous bounty hunters was the legendary Ralph “Papa” Thorson.

Ralph Edgar “Papa” Thorson, Jr. (July 11, 1926 - November 17, 1991) was an American by nationality, born July 11, 1926, in Anaconda, Montana, Deer Lodge County, to an immigrant family. Mother Margaret Hayford and her family immigrated to the United States from England in 1635, while Father Ralph Edgar Tolson Sr.’s family came from Norway in 1886.

Edgar’s fate came during World War II. At this time, he served in the U.S. Navy, first undergoing flight training, but his flying career did not pan out, and his further service was on the destroyer USS Ingersoll (DD-652). After the war ended, he returned home to his native Anaconda, but after his father died, he and his mother moved to St. Raphel, California, Marin County. At age 22, he married a girl from a wealthy family named Samantha. He was simultaneously working for the city of Berkeley as a juvenile counselor and building a house.

The turning point in his life occurred in 1948; at the time, Edgar was working as an MD for the city of Berkeley, but during his summer vacation, he worked as a bartender at Hoberg’s Resort hotels in Lake County, California. There, he met a San Francisco bail bondsman named Boyd “Pooch” Puccinelli, after which life took another turn. Edgar changed his major to criminology while studying at UCLA, after which he moved to Los Angeles in 1958, where he took a job on Richie Blumenthal’s bail. In 1965, Papa’s girlfriend, Dottie Barras, and her son Kenny moved in. It was Kenny who gave him the name Papa Encyclopedia. In 1968, he purchased two rooms in North Hollywood.

From 1969 to 1976, at various times, over a hundred people lived in Pope’s house. “They consisted mostly of men, Pope picked up and sent to prison. Not only did he set them up in their homes and find them jobs wherever he could, but he also counseled them, loaned them money, sometimes bailed them out, and rarely expelled them when they took extraordinary advantage.” The Pope also served the Temple of Inspired Life as bishop, which allowed him to perform marriages and negotiate civil and religious matters on behalf of the Temple. Until 1976, Pope had registered 5,000 cases, of which the most famous are that of Lynette Alice, nicknamed Squeaky Fromme, and that of the Manson family at the Spahn Ranch. Pope usually took 20 percent of his bail, but in 1969, his rate dropped to 10 percent, leading to a three-year hiatus in his professional diatribe. Pope’s habits included recording most of his telephone conversations, “and instead of writing letters, he recorded his voice and sent the message tapes. Dottie had been helping Pope with the breaking of affairs since the beginning of their relationship. Their joint daughter Brandi was born in 1973. In 1980, the movie Hunter, starring Steve McQueen, was released into the world and was based on the novel by Christopher Kane, the main character of which is Pope. Ralph Edgar “Papa” Torson Jr. died of a car explosion on November 17, 1991. A mother and daughter took over the case after Pope’s death.

David Schultz

Born impoverished in West Tennessee, Schultz came under the wing of famous former wrestler Herb Welch, where his development in the sport began. Although Welch was already considered an old-school teacher at the time, he helped Schultz develop his abilities, expanding his capabilities by teaching him various legitimate moves in the ring. Hardened by such a teacher and education, his first competition occurred in 1974.

Most importantly, David established himself and opened the door to the Canadian arena of Stampede Wrestling. He competed against famous wrestlers, including Stu Hart, Bret Hart, and Dynamite Kid. And at the end of that run, he would earn the title of a three-time Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion.

Schultz gained a reputation in the arena as a brash rebel. Later, he played havoc with him, forcing him to put his career on hold. And we are talking about the “legendary backstage slap.”

The incident that tarnished David occurred in late 1984 when reporter John Stossel decided to shoot a story that would open the curtain on the life of professional wrestlers. Such revelations were like bread and butter for a journalist. He interviewed our hero and had the indiscretion to say to Schultz’s face between the phrases that his career was fake. We are not excusing the athlete, but this behavior seemed like a brazen, open display of disrespect. It takes great courage or recklessness to say such words to a man three times your size when the specifics of his profession are to put people on their backs. So the result is obvious. Schultz slapped Stossel twice without thinking, causing him to fall to the ground. This accident, of course, was recorded by cameras, and as a result, the reporter above sued the wrestler. This situation can be considered a line that crossed out his future achievements in this field. However, it may have given him the impetus for the activity in question today. This profession allowed him to use the skills he had learned to benefit justice in the United States of America. He soon opened his own bail bond office, taking part in TV shows where he talked about his activities. Japan’s Fuji TV even shot footage of Schultz working as a bounty hunter for a documentary.

Many of the wrestlers have written and given away books about their careers. David Schultz didn’t stand idly by. So in January 2018, he released a book called “Do Not Call Me Fake: The Real Story of ‘Dr. D “David Schultz.” However, the stories described there tell not only about his athletic career but also about a mishap backstage in 1984. But also, what happened after that? Those who have already had time to get acquainted with the book's contents commented that the chapters where he catches criminals are more attractive. But buying the book to draw your conclusions and learn more about catching criminals firsthand is better.

Michelle Gomez

Michelle Gomez is considered one of the most unique bounty hunters. This petite Texas girl is a successful businesswoman and a well-rounded person. She helps search for dangerous criminals in her free time and takes on only the most complex cases. The ideal case for this is when neither the police nor detective agencies can find the person who has broken the law.

Michelle Gomez has no desire to open her own bounty-hunting business, so she often provides services for free. She searches for criminals using a regular home computer. Michelle carefully studies the case and then searches the Internet for traces of the required person. To do this, she uses special databases and unique programs and also simply looks at pages on social networks. Michelle Gomez copes with most tasks “excellently,” so for many, she is a folk hero and role model.

Steve Blackman

David Schultz isn’t the only wrestler who used his strength and agility at the end of his fighting career to try to catch criminals. And we’re talking about Steve Blackman. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1997 to 2002, where he was a frequent challenger for the promotion’s mid-card titles. He held the WWF Hardcore Championship six times and has the record for most combined days as champion, totaling 172 days. Of course, after he left the ring, his development in martial arts didn’t stop there. He tried his hand at karate, developed the Setakan style, and got his black belt.

Leonard Padilla

It is said that if a bounty hunter wears a cowboy hat, he is especially feared. And Leonard Padilla is just that hunter with a cap on his head. Born in California in 1939, he graduated from Tulelake High School, then went to work in the Air Force, and four years later, in 1961, he was mobilized and was coordinator of the Lorenzo Patiño Law School Board. He opened his firm in Sacramento and tried to tramp his way into politics afterward. He ran for public office seven times: four times for mayor of Sacramento and once for state governor, once for Congress, and once for county supervisor. After such a life journey, with his years of service behind him and his character as a warrior, it is not surprising that Padilla found his calling precisely in catching fugitives from justice. In which, of course, he succeeded. The National Geographic proves this reports he appeared in (National Geographic Inside: Cat & Mouse (2008), National Geographic Inside: On the Run (2008), and National Geographic Inside: Manhunt (2008).

But here’s a curiosity: although this man was trying so hard to get a significant position in the state, catching criminals trying so hard to escape the law, he was arrested for non-payment of taxes. Not without reason. In 2010, the Sacramento News & Review named him one of the most exciting people in the state.

Duane Chapman

No list of the most famous bounty hunters is without the name of Duane Chapman, nicknamed “The Dog.” And that’s not surprising, considering he’s created a family empire that tracks down criminals. Chapman has about 10,000 fugitives from American justice to his credit, whom he has found, apprehended, and turned over to the law. The backstory of his career, though, has a sad beginning. In 1976, Chapman was convicted of first-degree murder. He was involved in a drug deal that turned ugly and was sentenced to five years in prison in Texas. But 18 months later, he was released. This did not happen by accident, for he had the opportunity to assist the law by catching a prisoner trying to escape. The gratitude from prison officials, he said, led him to become a bounty hunter.

However, upon his return home, he was not given a warm welcome, for his first wife divorced him while serving time and married his best friend. But these were not the last blows of fate. His biography includes the death of loved ones (his wife and two children) and betrayals, and he was on the verge of death more than once. In the United States, “The Dog” is known to all. Larry King interviewed him, he was drawn as a parody character for The Simpsons and South Park, and the show Dog the Bounty Hunter, dedicated to his life and work, can boast dizzying ratings. For eight seasons, from 2004 to 2012, Chapman, his oldest son Leland, brother Tim, wife Beth, and nephew Justin caught thieves, drug dealers, murderers, and rapists and turned them over to the police for a reward.

The show’s chase and apprehension scenes were interspersed with domestic scenes: quarrels and reconciliations, sentimental moments, and philosophical monologues. If you’re reading this caption, someone who took this article from BigPicture.ru doesn’t know Chapman well, convinced that he’s just an entertainer who created his incredibly successful show. But that’s not true - Chapman is a bounty hunter and has been catching criminals, risking his life, long before the first season of Dog the Bounty Hunter was released. Hunting for Chapman and his family is, first and foremost, a real danger to life and then a show for television. One of the most high-profile cases he accomplished was the capture of Andrew Lasseter, the heir to the Max Factor company.

These events took place in 2003. Chapman’s family, who rarely left their homeland and worked in Colorado or Hawaii, was forced to break their habits and go to Mexico. The great-grandson of the cosmetics above brand founder had committed brutal rapes in the United States and tried to escape justice in Mexico. The rapist had at least three victims on his account, whom he raped by drugging and videotaping his actions. Laster’s arrest was cuffed but released on a hefty bail, after which he fled to Mexico and hid in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, in the west of the country. U.S. authorities were willing to pay $1 million to catch the criminal, which was a tidbit for Chapman and his family. Lester was followed to Mexico by Dog, his brother Tim, and his son Leland. The operation was the subject of a 40-minute episode of the fourth season of the television show “The Dog is a Bounty Hunter.” The Chapmans pulled it off with dignity - after a spectacular car chase and a massive street fight, Lasseter was caught, handcuffed, and part in a van.

But the Mexican police intervened, promptly arriving at the fight scene and arresting everyone involved in the action. As a result, Lasseter was extradited to the U.S., and the trio of bounty hunters ended up in an inhospitable Mexican prison on kidnapping charges. It’s worth mentioning right off the bat that the “illegally kidnapped” received 124 years in prison back home, and the reward for the Dog’s team was never paid. But that was not his biggest problem, as the trio of hunters was still behind bars in Mexico. And thanks to his wife Beth's efforts, who stayed home, they still managed to cross the border. The woman alerted everyone through the media, and the Mexican authorities rushed to release Dwayne, Tim, and Leland on bail. Coincidentally, they broke the law, as did the criminal they were looking for, ending up in the middle of a major scandal. In 2006, just days before the statute of limitations expired on the case, U.S. Marshals swooped into the Dog’s office in Honolulu and arrested Dwayne, Leland, and Tim. As it turned out, federal agents had “turned in” the bounty hunters in exchange for some drug lord. The trials continued until 2007, and the Americans could only avoid being sent back to a Mexican prison thanks to a letter Chapman wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The fame of the Dog family had a very unfavorable effect. Many haters and detractors stood beside the fans of his activities who came to the office in Honolulu. In 2019, Chapman received another brutal blow of fate. His wife Beth, who had supported his work and himself over the years, dies of cancer. The last months of her life were captured on camera and covered in the new TV show “Most Wanted Dog.” But viewers were still comfortable with scenes from the detective world; they didn’t want to see a display of his feelings. The project did not gain popularity, so viewers did not see a continuation of this story. In an interview that Dwayne Chapman gave to The New York Times in January 2020, he admitted that he had poorly fallen since his death from elastic. That didn't stop him from remarrying in 2021, however. His fifth wife was 52-year-old Francie Frane.

In 2024, this bounty hunter turned 71 years old. Despite such a respectable age, he will not retire yet and firmly believes he intends to continue his business.

Charlie Siringo

This famous lawyer and private detective was one of the best bounty hunters at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. He was born in Texas to a simple immigrant family and worked hard from a very early age. After the American Civil War outbreak, Charlie Siringo dropped out of school and made money by driving cattle from one pasture to another. The future bounty hunter did not leave the ranch until almost 30. However, in 1884, he opened a tobacco store in Kansas. Things were going quite well, but Siringo quickly got tired of trading activities. After two years, he moved to Chicago, where he became a member of the National Detective Agency. From this moment, he began his activities as a bounty hunter.

Siringo chased various famous gangs, so he traveled almost all of North America. Most of his cases ended in success, which earned him the nickname “Cowboy Detective”. It was this that Siringo took as the title of his book, in which he talked about the difficulties of childhood and the challenges of working as a bounty hunter. In one of his pursuits of criminals, he was even able to infiltrate the gang of the legendary Butch Cassidy, who was engaged in train robberies. He did this under a personally invented pseudonym and a story that left no doubt among the robbers about Siringo’s intentions to become a loyal member of the famous gang. After completing his career, he devoted himself entirely to literature. Siringo wrote primarily on cowboy themes and often retold events from his life. He died in 1928 in California.

Leland Blain Chapman

We have already mentioned that Dwayne could create an empire of bounty hunters. One member of his team was his son Leland. Looking at the photos, it’s easy to see their similarities. And it’s not just about looks. After all, the son was following in his father’s footsteps. They say he was a restless young man and got himself into trouble. Leland left home as a teenager, became a gang member, and rarely went to school. His mother eventually tired of his antics and placed him in foster care. He was placed in an orphanage for boys at the age of 13. At this time, Dwayne Sr. returned to his sons’ lives and took custody of him and his second son, Dwayne Jr. Leland, who spent the rest of his youth with his father in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Still, he becomes a hero and joins his father’s business. Leland Chapman began his career as an assassin and a bail bondsman. He was his father’s most trusted subordinate. Other family members working for the company then were Beth, his stepmother, and Lissa, his half-sister.

The most high-profile case in which he was involved was the one we described earlier. We’re talking about Andrew Lasseter. After their family turned him over to justice, they got into a mess that lasted for years. It turned out that they spent far more money in the courts than they could have called for the case in Mexico. After the case was dropped, Leland moved to Alabama, where he still lives with his wife. As far as we know, he is continuing the business his father started and is still working as a bail bonds agent. Only now is it not given the publicity it used to be during their talk show days.

Beth Smith

Alice Elizabeth Smith is the maiden name of another Chapman team member. A woman we have mentioned many times before in this article. His fourth spouse and business partner. She was born in Denver and met her future spouse, Duane, at 16. Their relationship cannot be called simple because, after a series of failed marriages on each side, they did not get married until 2006. In 2017, Elizabeth was diagnosed with grade II throat cancer. But Bounty Hunter’s Worth resisted this terrible ailment and survived the surgery, during which she had the malignant tumor removed. Only a scar remains as a reminder of this struggle.

To her great regret, several years into remission, she learns that cancer has spread to her lungs. And in 2019, she still lost that battle. And after a week spent in a coma, her heart stopped. According to the words of her family, she was cremated, and her ashes were scattered over the sea. Regardless of the challenges she faced throughout her life, it in no way negates the fact that, although she was part of a team, she was an excellent independent bounty hunter who had many merits before U.S. law.

James Kirker

One of the most dangerous bounty hunters was James Kirker. He was born in 1973 in Belfast (Northern Ireland), where he spent his childhood and received his primary education. After this, Kirker moved to the United States and, in 1812, took part in the Anglo-American War. Having learned to shoot well, he became a bounty hunter. His main target was the Indians living in Mexico, whom he killed in huge numbers. Kirker was a wrong person who felt pity or compassion. He scalped his victims in cold blood and took pleasure in it.

In the 40s of the 19th century, James Kirker gathered like-minded people around him and created a real gang. She raided Indian villages and destroyed them. For this, they were paid good money, which Kirker needed then. In 1846, he was put on the wanted list, and a good reward was offered for his head. This event forced Kirker to lie low and live the life of an ordinary man. In 1853 he died.

Domino Harvey

Beth Smith was not the only woman to join the ranks of this challenging and dangerous profession. Today, one of the most exceptional bail agents will round out our list: Domino Harvey. And she has something to surprise. After all, she did not choose the bohemian life in which the girl grew up but a life full of adventure. She was born on August 7, 1969, in Britain. Her father was Lawrence Harvey, a famous British actor who was nominated for an Academy Award three times, and her mother was a prominent British model. Pauline Stone was one symbol of the hippie ‘60s - the Vogue magazine cover girl and the fashion icon of the "free decade". Given this background, it seemed their daughter would follow in the footsteps of her famous parents. But fate or she decided otherwise.

According to relatives, the girl from childhood had a rebellious temperament and rebelled against all things maiden. She has told herself: “If they gave me a doll, I cut off their hair and pulled the head off. By the time I was 10, I was fighting with the boys. I was the instigator of all adventures and a real troublemaker. She was more attracted to toy knives or swords, preferring books and movies where good fights with evil, preferably by force. Such things created her view of the world.

In 1973, her father died, and she had to move to Los Angeles after her mother's second marriage. Getting a high school education didn’t work out for Domino. She was consistently kicked out of four boarding schools “for the rich.” As recalled by Annabelle Nielsen, the only school friend Harvey, with whom she was close for the rest of his life, the first thing she asked 11-year-old Domino when they settled in a dorm room for girls - whether her new acquaintance would sign up for the judo section with her.

After being kicked out of another school, Domino tries her hand at the profession her mother used to practice. She and her parents’ reputation gave the girl 15 minutes of fame on the covers of glossy magazines while keeping her punk style. But soon, she got bored with it, too, and found herself in a unique area. She learned to be a sound engineer, worked in clubs, and even became a manager in one of them. However, that strengthened her conviction that creative work was not for her. So she worked at a ranch, later tried to get a job with the Los Angeles Volunteer Fire Department, and tried to become a real firefighter, but could not pass the necessary standards. Yes, stubborn character is not the best trait for the profession and requires unconditional obedience to senior rank.

For this reason, at age 22, she returned to her mother, who accepted her, but not without the condition that her daughter would find a regular job. And that’s when an article in the Los Angeles Times about recruiting bounty hunters catches Domino’s eye. And two years after she returns home, an article appears in The Mail on Sunday that draws public attention to her persona. The news that the daughter of the legendary ‘60s actor and iconic Vogue model was chasing thugs in Los Angeles had a powerful effect on readers. But most importantly, Domino finally felt at ease and found what she had been looking for for so long. All the heroic stories that delighted her as a child became a reality.

Of course, bail agents get all kinds of criminals. But in Harvey’s case, she had little interest in small fish. She preferred a more dangerous contingent of villains and took orders from fugitive drug dealers and gangsters. And this was a case where vacation trumps money. Domino chose this world despite her impending success in the modeling world, her good looks, and the hefty fees she could receive. She received an average of 30,000 to 40,000 a year. She could quickly get that amount for one photo shoot for some glossy magazine. But that didn’t matter. The lifestyle hardened her she was living. And having a gun pointed at her only made her angry, not frightened. She was an avid gun enthusiast and had an entire collection at home. Her favorite shotgun had the name "Betsy".

Unfortunately, despite the successes that Domino extracted in this field, there was one pitfall, which she stumbled over more than once. Drugs. Their problems had arisen since her youth, and her mother had repeatedly put her daughter into treatment. But she could never overcome her addiction at the right time. Back then, bounty hunters didn’t have the same restrictions as now. And if one of them brought a drug dealer, and it was an enormous fish, the official law enforcement officials did not wonder.

Where did a few more grams go? In 1997, Domino’s got busted again. And her mother again has to send Domino to drug rehab - this time in Hawaii. There, Harvey spent two years and seemed to beat the addiction. By 2001, she had returned to her home office, which had rejected her. First, her employers didn’t believe that she had overcome her addiction, and second, times had changed a bit, and by that time, bounty hunters were more like private detectives, and the former adrenaline was gone. But a year later, she had time to participate in the filming. And not just any action film, but an action film about herself. Tony Scott, aka the film's director, was inspired by her since the release of the first one in the article. But the plot never gained a budget or supporters over the years. But in 2004, everything changed. Filming began, taking place exactly where Harvey had previously worked, and she consulted Keira Knightley (who played Domino herself).

After so many years of failure, she seemed on a white streak. But soon, she is accused of drug trafficking and possession. Which Domino denied, saying she was set up by the people she had put behind bars in the old days. As a result, she was released on bail, wearing a bracelet on her leg. On June 26, 2005, after her guests left, she went to take a bath, communicated with her handler through the door, and soon stopped answering. When he entered, he saw the girl unconscious. She was hospitalized but could not be saved. The cause of death was an overdose of a sedative that a doctor would have prescribed. However, it is still unknown whether it was an intentional overdose or if the girl had forgotten that she had already taken the medication because of her problems. After her death, adjustments were made to the film’s plot, and the release date was postponed, adding more drama to the film.

Domino Harvey left a vivid mark on history because she became one of the few high-society girls who became famous not at all for fashionable outfits and flashy photo shoots.

Pat Garrett

A sheriff, hunter, and cowboy named Pat Garrett instantly went down in history after killing the legendary outlaw Billy the Kid. This event became the apogee of his career, which began relatively late. The future bounty hunter was born in 1850. He did not experience theMexican-American War and other military conflicts, so he grew up calmly in Alabama. At 19, Pat Garrett left home and went to Texas. There, he got a job as a cowboy and, at the same time, mastered the art of buffalo hunting. After some time, he moved to New Mexico, where he married and received the position of sheriff of Lincoln.

Having assumed the position of sheriff, Pat Garrett immediately began searching for Billy the Kid, for whom he could get a good reward. In 1880, he was able to arrest the legendary bandit, but this took him a lot of time and effort. A year later, convict Billy the Kid escaped from prison. This time, Pat Garrett managed to catch him quickly. He did not send Billy the Kid to jail a second time but simply shot him. In 1882, Pat Garrett left his position and began writing a book. He traveled extensively throughout the United States and changed his place of residence several times. He eventually settled in Texas, where he was killed in 1908 over a dispute over the termination of a ranch lease.

Final Words

This is the entire list of leaders in the profession today. It is dangerous and unpredictable. However, some people still find themselves in this field of activity. You have read about different people and bounty hunters, each with his own story, fate, and end. We know more about some of them and less about others. Only one thing is sure. Thanks to them, the criminals who kept the citizens of the cities from sleeping in peace were stopped. And that deserves respect.

FAQ

Who Is the Richest Bounty Hunter of All Time?

Duane Chapman was the most affluent bounty hunter in history, earning about $6 million in his lifetime.

Do Bounty Hunters Still Exist?

Yes, bounty hunters exist in the USA nowadays. They search for people who have been put on the wanted list.

Is It Illegal to Put a Bounty on Someone?

The law does not prohibit such actions in those countries where bounty hunters operate legally.

Are Bounty Hunters Only in America?

Apart from the USA, bounty hunters are allowed only in the Philippines.

Modified: Jun 19, 2024 | 06:11 pm