Is Dog the Bounty Hunter OK? Daughter Lyssa says he's leaving hunt for Brian Laundrie
Dog the Bounty Hunter is heading back home to Colorado, his daughter Lyssa confirmed on October 11. According to reports, the celebrity, whose real name is Duane Lee Chapman, injured himself while hunting for Brian Laundrie in Florida. The injury was first reported by a local reporter, before being confirmed by Lyssa. Details are scarce, but we do know it happened while he was on the ground in Florida.
Chapman made headlines in late September when he joined the hunt for Laundrie and has since made quite a few breakthroughs. On September 30, he found a fresh Monster Energy Ultra Gold can, near Fort De Soto Park where Laundrie went camping with his parents. In fact, his appearance got so much attention, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted that he trusted Dog more than the FBI to find Laundrie.
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Unfortunately, though, it's not been smooth sailing for Chapman. As we reported, on October 7, while he was on the search, Chapman was served with a $1.3 million lawsuit by Michael Donovan, the CEO and President of Unleashed Entertainment. Then on October 10, he injured himself, requiring him to temporarily halt his efforts. That doesn't mean the hunt for Laundrie is over though, as Lyssa confirmed.
Is Dog OK?
It's unclear what exactly happened to Chapman, but WFLA reporter Josh Benson tweeted, "Just got an update from Dog the Bounty Hunter’s team. They say he’s headed back to Colorado soon to meet with his doctor after injuring his ankle in the search. He’s also raising funds to continue what he calls an ‘expensive search’." Further details were not available, so it's unclear what the extent of Chapman's injury is.
DOG. Just got an update from Dog the Bounty Hunter’s team. They say he’s headed back to Colorado soon to meet with his doctor after injuring his ankle in the search. He’s also raising funds to continue what he calls an ‘expensive search’. (1/2) #BrianLaundrie @DogBountyHunter
— Josh Benson (@WFLAJosh) October 10, 2021
That said, it appears to be significant enough for Chapman to call off his efforts personally and return home to Colorado. That was confirmed by Lyssa, who tweeted, "Dad is headed back to Colorado temporarily to handle some business. ( Remember, he was in Florida on his honeymoon) We are still actively searching for #BrianLaundrie, leaving a team in place in Florida. As always, whatever I can share with you, I will."
Dad is headed back to Colorado temporarily to handle some business. ( Remember, he was in Florida on his honeymoon) We are still actively searching for #BrianLaundrie, leaving a team in place in Florida. As always, whatever I can share with you, I will ❤️
— Lyssa Chapman (@BabyLyssaC) October 10, 2021
Chapman himself has not addressed the injury and the lack of information means we have no idea how long he'll be out and if he will ever return to the ground in Florida. Even if he doesn't though, the celebrity bounty hunter has made it clear he has no intention of giving up the search for Laundrie.
The hunt continues
As both Benson and Lyssa confirmed, Chapman's departure is far from the end of the hunt for Laundrie. Benson followed up his tweet with another that said, "Team says he’s put together a talented network of local team members he calls the ‘Florida Team’ that will continue the search while he’s gone. He says he will continue to process leads in Colorado while he’s there." The FBI and North Port PD are also extensively searching for Laundrie, with drones, K-9 teams, and hundreds of volunteers.
But nearly a month after disappearing from his home, there appears to be no sign of Laundrie, much to the agony of Gabby Petito's parents. Over the past week, Brian's dad joined the search at the Carlton Reserve, but again that move failed to yield any leads. Chapman and his team have been scouring the grounds around Fort de Soto campground after the Laundrie family confirmed they had camped there shortly after Brian returned.
We'll let you know if Chapman or his team announces any updates to his health and as always will keep you posted about all major developments from the case.