COUPLESDog the Bounty Hunter’s Redemption Love Story: How Wife Francie Frane Helped Heal His Heart
Dog the Bounty Hunter found love again with Francie Frane after losing Beth to cancer in 2019.
June 1 2025, Published 4:52 p.m. ET
Fans were heartbroken when Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman lost his wife Beth Chapman in June 2019 after a brave two-year battle with throat cancer. But just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Francie Frane entered the picture — breathing new life into his grieving heart just months later.
The duo made their relationship public in April 2020, though the timeline raised eyebrows among fans who questioned how quickly they blossomed into a romance.
Duane Chapman was married to Beth prior to her death.
How They First Crossed Paths
Both Dog and Francie were united by a shared grief — Francie also became a widow when her husband Bob Frane died of cancer in December 2018. Their meeting was purely coincidental. After Bob's passing, Dog contacted Francie for excavation work, but neither expected that phone call to spark something deeper.
"As soon as I hung up the phone, I called my girlfriend and was like, 'Are you sitting down right now because you're not going to believe who I just talked to,'" Francie told Entertainment Tonight in 2020. "She was screaming, 'I told you!'"
Their first date was at church — something Francie saw as a sign they were meant to be.
"We understood the pain that the other one was feeling and [in] those tough days and moments, we helped each other stand up," she said. "We could cry with each other and talk about what we were feeling… It brought us together in this amazing way."
Francie Frane revealed their first date was at church.
Dog Pops the Question!
In a whirlwind romance that defied expectations, Dog proposed to Francie in May 2020 after less than a year of dating. He dropped to one knee in their Colorado home, surrounded by candles for an intimate and emotional moment.
"I wasn't expecting it at all," Francie shared with The Sun U.S. on May 4, 2020. "I think I had gone to pick up some food and then when I came back, he had all the lights turned down with just a few lights on and a bunch of candles lit… Then he said, 'Come in, sit down because I need to talk to you.'"
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A Match Made in Heaven
On September 2, 2024, Dog and Francie tied the knot at the scenic Pinery At The Hill in Colorado Springs. Surrounded by loved ones, Dog made an emotional vow: "This was a match made in heaven. Francie, I give you my word, I will love you every day until I die. I will love you, guard you, and protect you. I love you more than I do myself, Francie. I will love you more than any man ever has."
Duane Chapman proposed to Francie Frane in May 2020 during an intimate candlelit moment.
Francie's words echoed his devotion: "What I thought was the end was just the very beginning. We have walked alongside each other through one of the hardest things we could ever face in this life… I will walk alongside you to the ends of the earth and back and be your loyal wife, your best friend, and your biggest fan."
Duane Chapman told Francie Frane he would love and protect her for the rest of his life.
So, Are They Still Together?
Yes! Dog and Francie are still happily together. The couple remains active in their church community and continue to share glimpses of their journey with fans. In May 2025, Dog posted a heartfelt video on X, opening up about his emotional path forward.
"I don't owe the world an explanation. But here's one anyway: I loved Beth with everything I had. And Jesus healed what was shattered," he wrote. "Now, I love Francie with a heart made whole. That's not replacing — it's redemption."
