The stepson of longtime reality TV figure Duane "Dog" Chapman has been taken into custody months after a tragic shooting that killed a child in his family. Gregory Zecca, 39, was arrested in Naples, Florida, nearly six months after authorities said he unintentionally shot and killed his 13‑year‑old son, Anthony, in July 2025. Prosecutors have charged him with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence, charges that could carry a life sentence if he's convicted.
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Law enforcement sources say the deadly incident occurred July 19, 2025, during a UFC fight watch party at a friend's apartment in Collier County. Investigators allege Zecca had been drinking alcohol throughout the day and also used marijuana that evening. Police say he repeatedly handled a handgun in front of his son, at one point drawing and dry‑firing it with the magazine removed. Later, after the magazine was reinserted and a round chambered, a single shot was discharged that struck Anthony, killing him. Responding deputies reported the smell of alcohol on Zecca and marijuana in plain sight when they arrived, and toxicology results later estimated his blood‑alcohol concentration at about 0.116, above Florida's legal limit of 0.08.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office said detectives conducted a thorough inquiry, securing search warrants, witness statements and forensic evidence before seeking charges. "This was a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy," Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a statement shared during the announcement of Zecca's arrest.
At the time of the shooting last year, authorities initially treated the incident as an accidental death, and Zecca was placed on a psychiatric hold amid concerns for his mental health in the aftermath. According to court filings and law enforcement statements, concerns about his welfare were tied to the family's fear he might harm himself after the incident.
Family representatives at the time of Anthony's death said Zecca's actions were a devastating accident, and both Chapman and his wife, Francie Frane, asked for privacy and prayers as they mourned the teenager's loss. "We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible, tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony," they said.
The case has reignited conversation about the risks associated with mixing firearms and substance use, especially in homes with children. Zecca's arraignment is pending in Collier County, where prosecutors will decide whether to pursue trial.
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Tags: Murder
