Gregory Zecca has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence in connection to the July 19 incident.

Dog the Bounty Hunter’s stepson arrested over the fatal shooting of his 13-year-old son

Gregory Zecca has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence in connection to the July 19 incident.

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and *NME*.

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February 4, 2026 1:08 p.m. ET

Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman; Anthony Zecca. Credit:

Frazer Harrison/Getty; Francie Chapman/Instagram

Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman’s stepson Gregory Zecca has been arrested over the fatal shooting of his 13-year-old son Anthony last summer. **

Collier County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that Gregory had been taken into custody and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence in connection to the July 19 incident. The development comes after an investigation by conducted by the sheriff’s office determined that Gregory had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the shooting. **

“This was a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a press release. “Our detectives conducted an exhaustive and thorough investigation, examining every element of what happened through witness statements, forensic testing, subpoenas, search warrants, and more.”

Gregory Anthony Zecca's mugshot.

Collier County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

He continued, “I commend their hard work and professionalism in uncovering the facts in an incredibly difficult case.” **

During the investigation, the sheriff’s office determined that Gregory had “consumed alcohol over several hours at a local establishment, purchased additional alcohol, and later used both alcohol and marijuana at a friends’ residence” prior to the incident, per the release. Gregory and Anthony had visited the home together to watch a televised UFC fight.

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While there, authorities claimed that Gregory began practicing drawing his firearm from his waistband and “dry-firing” it. Although the weapon had initially been “rendered safe” with no magazine or round chambered, the police alleged that “at some point, the magazine was reinserted and a round chambered, and Zecca discharged a single shot, fatally striking the child.” **

The release also stated that deputies who responded to the incident detected "the odor of alcohol on Zecca and observed marijuana in plain view," prompting detectives to obtain two separate search warrants for Gregory’s medical records as well as a blood draw. **

“A toxicology expert independently extrapolated both samples and estimated Zecca’s blood-alcohol concentration to be approximately 0.116 at the time of the shooting. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08,” the release stated. “The toxicologist concluded Zecca was impaired by alcohol.”

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Rambosk noted that the case underscores the "devastating tragedy that can result from mixing firearms, alcohol and drugs," adding, “Our hearts are with everyone affected by this loss.”

Duane 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman and Anthony Zecca.

Francie Chapman/Instagram

Gregory is the son of Duane’s wife Francie Chapman, whom he married in 2021. Days after the incident, a representative for the family told TMZ that he had been placed on psychiatric hold due to his immense grief.

In the wake of the shooting, a Chapman family rep told TMZ, "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."

If convicted for aggravated manslaughter, Gregory faces a potential life sentence.

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