Wife of Ex-Cop Derek Chauvin Filing for Divorce After George Floyd’s Death
I tell you what, this story just keeps getting more complicated.
Kellie Chauvin, wife of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, announced Friday night that she is filing for divorce. This comes just hours after her husband was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
According to the divorce filing obtained by CNN, Kellie Chauvin separated from her husband on May 28 – the day before he was charged. The filing cites an “irretrievable breakdown of the marriage” that was beyond saving.
Her attorney released a statement through the Sekula Law Offices: “She is devastated by Mr. Floyd’s death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy.”
ABC News reports that Kellie requested a name change in the filing. She didn’t specify which surname she’d take, but the petition notes she was formerly known as Kellie Thao and Kellie Xiong.
The couple has been married since June 2010 – just under 10 years.
NBC News detailed her remarkable life story: Kellie was born in Laos in 1974 during a time of war. In 1977, her family fled to Thailand and lived in a refugee camp before eventually coming to America.
In 2018, she was crowned Mrs. Minnesota. Her platform involved buying groceries for police officers and military members, rescuing animals, and volunteering with a nonprofit for Hmong women who recently moved to the US.
The statement emphasized she has no children from her current marriage, though she has two children from a previous marriage. She requested safety and privacy for her children, her elderly parents, and her extended family. Cases involving institutional failures to protect vulnerable individuals – like the Brooklyn high school lawsuit over bullying – remind us how often systems meant to protect people fall short.
Listen, Ive been covering news for twenty years. You see a lot of things. But theres something about this one – the speed of it, the timing of it, the whole situation – that hits different.
Whatever happens next, you can be sure the lawyers are gonna be busy for a long time.
