The stepson of Duane Chapman has been arrested more than six months after authorities say he accidentally shot and killed his teenage son while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
Gregory Anthony Zecca, 39, was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with aggravated manslaughter following the July 19 death of his 13-year-old son, Anthony. The shooting occurred during a UFC watch party at a friend’s apartment in Naples, according to police.
Officers with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office said their six-month investigation determined Zecca was intoxicated at the time of the shooting. Investigators allege Zecca had been drinking heavily throughout the day and later ingested marijuana while watching the UFC fight with his son.
According to a police news release, Zecca repeatedly handled his firearm near Anthony during the gathering. He allegedly practiced drawing the gun from his waistband and “dry-firing” it without a magazine inserted. At some point, police say, the magazine was reinserted.
Shortly after, Zecca “discharged a single shot, fatally striking” Anthony. When deputies arrived at the scene, they reported a strong odor of alcohol and observed marijuana laid out “in plain view.” Subsequent testing showed Zecca’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.116, nearly twice Florida’s legal limit.
“This case underscores that devastating tragedy that can result from mixing firearms, alcohol and drugs. Our hearts are with everyone affected by this loss,” said Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk.
Following the shooting, Zecca was placed on a psychiatric hold after family members expressed concern that he might attempt to harm himself if left alone. Authorities have not disclosed when he was released from the facility.
Zecca now faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence. The aggravated manslaughter charge alone carries the possibility of a life sentence if convicted. Chapman’s attorney emphasized the emotional toll the incident has taken on the family.
“The situation remains a devastating family tragedy,” attorney Joseph Lesniak told TMZ. “We believe Greg loved his son deeply, and that this was a tragic accident, one that has left many lives permanently changed, especially Anthony’s and Greg’s.”
Chapman married Zecca’s mother, Francie Frane, in 2021, after both lost their previous spouses to cancer. The blended family bonded over shared faith, grief, and Chapman’s career as a bounty hunter. Zecca later joined Chapman’s bounty team and had posted photos of himself and Anthony practicing at gun ranges.
Chapman has 13 other children with six women, four of whom were former wives.
The arrest also follows another recent controversy involving the family. In September, Chapman’s son, Garry Chapman, a police officer, was briefly fired after a high-speed chase in Alabama ended in the death of a 17-year-old boy. He was reinstated in October after filing a $10 million wrongful termination lawsuit against the Priceville Police Department.
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