The most famous bounty hunters

Thomas Tate Tobin

This profession has not existed for the first century. So it will 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 move to Taos, where they begin 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 at one time became an actual curse of the mountain valley. He robbed, killed, destroyed, intimidated, and abducted people. And 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 it was you who 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.

Jim Miller Killer

Garrett is the following 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 from 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. But, the bounty hunter did not receive the award because of the condition that those $500 would be paid to a living bandit.

theory that the murder was staged and Floyd’s old friend allowed McCartney to escape simply. Patrick Floyd died in 1908. Sometime before his death, after the above events and the change of residence, Pat moved again to Texas, where he bought a stable to rent. And this later became a subject of controversy. As a result, he was mortally wounded, and he soon released the shooter Wayne Brazel from custody because he asserted self-defense. The only witness confirmed Brazel’s version. But many remained at the suggestion that his enemies, whom he had lived through during his career as sheriff, had killed specifically Gareth. This example again confirms that this activity is dangerous at any time.

John Riley Duncan

Another bounty hunter died not 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. But later, as Duncan said, the desire to acquire real money was 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 of service as a bounty hunter. The above Hardin topped this list of 21 people. The total amount of remuneration for their heads exceeded 12,000$, which in those years was a substantial amount.

But because of some changes in Texas law, he has left this activity and practiced himself 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. And 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»).

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 in West Tennessee and living in poverty, he later came under the wing of famous former wrestler Herb Welch. That’s where the guy’s 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, Dynamite Kid, and others. 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, which would later play 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. And 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 his learned skills 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.” But 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? And 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 it is better to buy the book to draw your conclusions and learn more about catching criminals firsthand.

Steve Blackman

David Schultz isn’t the only wrestler who, at the end of his fighting career, used his strength and agility 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. Additionally, he appeared in WWE: WWF Attitude, WWF WrestleMania 2000, and WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It and WWE Raw. He opened a martial arts school in Pennsylvania and is a successful trainer in the above martial arts. Works as a bail agent in the same state. There are even videos of him arresting fugitives on the internet.

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. And this is proven by the National Geographic 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 who was trying to escape. The gratitude from prison officials, he said, led him to become a bounty hunter.But 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, which 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 Text taken from News in Pictures - BigPicture.ru 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. If you’re reading this, someone took this article from BigPicture.com.

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 just 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 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 at the time 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. And it turned out that they spent far more money on 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, it’s not being 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 age 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 hunters worthy resisted this terrible ailment and survived 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 loses 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.

Domino Harvey

Beth Smith was not the only woman to join the ranks of this challenging and dangerous profession. And today, one of the most exceptional bail agents will round our list out, 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 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 differed 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 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. But that only 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, which 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.