The killings of two Bakersfield bail bondsman has attracted the attention of plenty in the bail bonds industry.
In fact, one of the world’s most famous bondsmen turned bounty hunter says he’s coming to Bakersfield to be with the family of the victims of Thursday night's shooting and help find the suspected killer, 26-year-old Stephen Michael Stewart. That man is Duane “Dog” Chapman, otherwise known as “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”
“This is what we do for a living,” said Dog. “And, especially when someone guns down two bail enforcement agents, two bounty hunters. I’ve done this 30 years and, you know, we’re coming.”
Dog says he has a special connection to the Sims family, especially the father of the Sims brothers who were shot to death outside a southwest Bakersfield home.
“I knew these kids and their father, and he’s a great guy, and he’s distraught,” said Dog. “In fact, I just talked to [the brothers] about wearing bulletproof vests."
According to the brothers’ father, the two were wearing bulletproof vests at the time they were shot. But, even that wasn’t enough to save their lives, highlighting the danger bondsmen face on the job.
“We make it look easy on television because, I think, we’re very good,” said Dog. “But, it is a very dangerous job.”
Dog says in addition to knowing the family of the victims, he says there are other reasons he plans to try to track down Stewart. That includes a duty he says he has to fellow bondsmen.
“I’m the bounty hunter, bro. I feel obligated to come there. I have to come there,” he said. “I just want to cry when I think about if it happened to my [children] like this.
Dog says that he, like the Sims family, is in the bail bonds and bounty business with relatives. Yet another reason he feels compelled to come to town.
“You know, my blood don’t run. Bail bonds is a family-oriented business,” he said. “It’s a matter of life and death. You know, this is not a game.”
Dog is also looking for information to help him in his search for Stewart.
