'American Hoggers' Is Mourning the Loss of the Family Patriarch — Where's Everyone Else?

It's never easy to hear that one of your favorite stars passed away.

Alex West - Author
By

Published June 23 2024, 8:00 a.m. ET

'American Hoggers' cast poses in promotional photo
Source: FACEBOOK/AmericanHoggersAETV

There's nothing better than some realistic reality television. American Hoggers gave a glimpse into the life of a very real Texas family: the Campbells. They showed off their animal control and game-hunting skills as professionals who focus on tying down feral hogs.

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The show first aired on A&E on Oct. 19, 2011 and lasted four seasons before it was time for the family to move onto something new. Where did they end up going?

Jerry Dean Campbell

Jerry Dean Campbell sports a hat and long beard
Source: TWITTER/@AHBossHog

Patriarch of the family, Jerry Dean Campbell, died in 2021 at the age of 74. The cause of his death was not revealed as the family mourned relatively in private.

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In life, he was known for his passionate spirit and dedication to his trade. He was active on social media, interacting with friends and fans alike as he educated the masses about his work.

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His falling out with his daughter on-screen never saw a resolution for fans. It's unclear how that panned out later on and if they ever reconciled fully.

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Robert 'Hunter' Campbell

Hunter is all grown up and still doing what he loves. He's still surrounded by animals as he works as a tamer. A native Texan, Hunter lives in Fredericksburg where he lives with his wife, Arah.

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They got married in 2014 and welcomed their baby girl together in Aug. 2017. He's not as active on social media as he once was, but still pops by for occasional updates. Hunter was really passionate during the Texas wildfires, working on raising awareness and gathering funds to help.

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Krystal 'Pistol' Campbell

After the show, Krystal stayed away from the limelight. On the show, she had a falling out with her father which prompted her to start her own company, Wild Woman Hoggers, rather than inherit the family business.

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According to The Cinemaholic, Krystal calls herself a "CDH Mom" which refers to congenital diaphragmatic hernia. According to Johns Hopkins, CDH "occurs when there is an opening in the diaphragm which allows the bowel, stomach, and liver to move upward into the chest cavity as the fetus develops."

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This is something that Krystal is very passionate about and her child seems to have overcome this. Now, she's reportedly devoted to raising awareness about the rare birth defect.

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Krystal has stayed away from social media and there haven't been many updates about how her relationship with her father panned out prior to his death. She did get married in late 2013.

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Lea Penick

Clearly, Lea isn't technically a Campbell, but that didn't stop John from loving her like one. She was as much a part of the family as anyone else. However, Krystal's split shook up her place in the group.

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She ended up going with Krystal to form Wild Women Hoggers, putting distance between herself and the family. Once the show came to an end, she tried a different part of the enteratinment industry — Hollywood. She starred in a movie called Nail 32.

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Katie Ball

Katie Ball smiles next to Jerry Campbell
Source: FACEBOOK/Katie Ball

Fans met Katie after Krystal and Lea left the family business. She was a key member of the new business and brought the added bonus that she was already a reality star to a degree.

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She worked in The Essence of Irwin and Cashback. However, once the show ended, she fizzled away from the limelight, too. In fact, she's not even really active on social media, either.

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