Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman Thanks Daughter Bonnie for Support in Wake of Francie Frane Engagement

The Chapman family knows how to stick together. Shortly after Duane “Dog” Chapman announced his engagement to Francie Frane, he was met with criticism from some fans who took issue with how fast he is moving on following the death of his wife Beth Chapman almost one year ago. But, in the face of that criticism, Chapman’s daughter, Bonnie Chapman, took to Instagram in order to defend her father, and it was a move that was greatly appreciated by the Dog the Bounty Hunter star himself.

In her message, Bonnie wrote that she was grateful to those who have been supportive amidst the news about her father’s engagement. But, she couldn’t help but also address the fact that her dad’s decision to move on with Frane has been met with criticism. She wrote, “please let my father live in peace.” She continued to note that her late mother, Beth, would be happy to see that Chapman has found love and peace within his new relationship. Bonnie went on to write, “Please keep your comments to yourself, and if you can’t then it reflects more on you than him.” Her message ended by welcoming Frane into their “pack.”

Chapman posted a screenshot of his daughter’s message on his own Instagram account. In response to her lengthy note to the haters, the bounty hunter wrote, “thank you Bonnie” along with a red heart emoji. Chapman has reportedly had the support of his family as he’s developed this new relationship with Frane. The couple first went public with their relationship in March. At the time, Chapman’s daughter Lyssa Chapman told The Sun that her father is “head over heels” for Frane and that she “couldn’t be happier” for the pair.

It was also reported that the two had been dating for months at that point. They originally met after Chapman called to ask whether Frane’s husband could do yard work on his house in Colorado. But, Frane told Chapman that her husband had actually passed away several months before Beth died. The two then began to chat on the phone regularly, comforting each other regarding their respective losses.

On Monday, it was reported that the pair had taken a major step in their relationship. In an interview with The Sun, the couple related that they were engaged. As Frane recalled, she had just come in after picking up some food to find that Chapman had created a romantic set-up in order to pop the question. She said, “So I put all the food in the kitchen and I came in and he said, ‘I know that God brought you into my life and I don’t want to spend one moment of it without you.’ And he got down on one knee and he opened the ring box and he said, ‘Will you marry me and spend the rest of our lives together?’ Who can say no to that? It was wonderful.”