What Happened to Todd Chrisley’s Oldest Son? Arrests, Custody, Lawsuit

Todd Chrisley’s oldest son, Kyle Chrisley, has spent most of his adult life cycling through addiction, mental health crises, and arrests, and in June 2026 a Tennessee grand jury indicted him on nine counts tied to a violent confrontation with sheriff’s deputies. He lost custody of his daughter to his father and stepmother more than a decade ago, has been in and out of rehab more than 40 times, survived a 2019 suicide attempt, and remains largely estranged from Todd even after Todd’s May 2025 presidential pardon.

Where Kyle Stands Right Now

On June 2, 2026, a Rutherford County, Tennessee grand jury indicted Kyle on nine counts: three counts of assault on law enforcement, three counts of retaliation for past action, and one count each of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication. Court documents allege he “unlawfully and knowingly” struck an officer with his fist and threatened to kill an officer. The original misdemeanor domestic assault charge from the underlying December 2025 incident was dismissed when the indictment came down.¹

His arraignment was continued and rescheduled for late July 2026.² No plea has been entered and no trial date has been set. A separate aggravated assault case from September 2024 is also still pending.³

What Led to the December 2025 Arrest

On the evening of December 20, 2025, Rutherford County deputies responded to a call from Kyle’s wife reporting that he was behaving belligerently and walking in the middle of the road.⁴ According to the arrest affidavit, Kyle had been drinking at a restaurant with the victim and made suicidal and homicidal threats after jumping out of a vehicle.⁵

When officers tried to detain him for his own safety, Kyle reportedly punched several deputies in the face and head and threatened to kill them. Three deputies were injured. He was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on ten charges and later released on an $88,500 bond.⁵

A Long Record of Arrests

The 2025 incident is the latest in a pattern stretching back more than a decade.

April 2013, Alpharetta, Georgia. Arrested on simple battery charges after a physical altercation with his sister Lindsie. The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor after he completed a domestic violence class, and the arrest triggered Todd and Julie’s move to take custody of his daughter.⁶
January 2019, Georgia. Charged with sending threatening text messages to his ex-wife Alexus Whilby, including writing that he would “end” her. The DeKalb County DA dropped the charges in May 2023, citing Whilby’s lack of cooperation.⁷
May 2019, Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. A traffic stop for a broken headlight turned up methamphetamine in a cup in the center console. Prosecutors declined to file charges the following month, saying they could not prove possession because the drugs were not on his person.⁸
March 2023, Smyrna, Tennessee. Charged with felony aggravated assault after an alleged altercation with a supervisor at a trucking company, who claimed Kyle threatened him with a fixed blade. Kyle turned himself in the next day and was released on a $3,000 bond.⁶
September 2024, Rutherford County, Tennessee. Arrested for aggravated assault after a dispute with a mechanic at his home. The mechanic alleged Kyle stabbed him with a knife; Kyle denied it and said the mechanic had arrived uninvited, rammed the family SUV, and attacked him. The case is still pending.³

Addiction and Mental Health

Kyle has spoken openly about the depth of his addiction. On a 2019 episode of the family podcast Chrisley Confessions, he said he had been to rehab more than 40 times, and Todd said on the same episode that Kyle had been diagnosed as bipolar years earlier.⁹

In August 2019, Kyle attempted suicide. He attributed the attempt to an adverse reaction to a medication whose known side effects included suicidal tendencies, telling podcast listeners that it had triggered “crazy thinking.” The hospitalization came two weeks after Todd and Julie were indicted on federal fraud and tax evasion charges, though both Kyle and Todd said the two events were unrelated.¹⁰ He later credited new medication and family support with putting him in a better place, but the arrest record in the years since shows that stability did not hold.¹¹

Losing Custody of His Daughter

Kyle has a daughter, Chloe, born in November 2012 to Kyle and his former partner Angela Johnson.¹² Todd and Julie were granted custody in 2014 after Kyle’s arrests and substance use left him unable to care for her, and they legally adopted her in 2016.¹³ When Todd and Julie reported to federal prison in January 2023, their daughter Savannah took over as Chloe’s guardian.¹⁴

The Break With Todd Chrisley

Kyle appeared in the first season of Chrisley Knows Best in 2014 but was largely absent from later seasons as his relationship with Todd deteriorated.¹³ After the 2014 custody fight he publicly accused the family of exploiting Chloe for ratings, then recanted in a Facebook post: “I haven’t been the best dad to Chloe. I’ve had a problem with drugs; I’ve acted completely ridiculous, and through all that, they have stood by my side.”¹⁵

Once Todd began serving his federal sentence, he eventually removed Kyle from his approved contact list. By mid-2024, Kyle said he had not spoken to his father in more than a year. Savannah Chrisley defended the cutoff on her podcast, saying Todd does not have to “accept abuse,” “manipulation,” or “hate” simply because Kyle is his child.¹⁶ Kyle visited Todd in prison and apologized, but Todd said he was “not ready to forgive and forget.”¹⁵

In May 2025, President Donald Trump granted Todd and Julie Chrisley full pardons, and the couple was released from federal custody on May 28, 2025.¹⁷ Kyle said he was “ecstatic” and hopeful the relationship could be repaired.¹⁶ His December 2025 arrest came just months after his parents came home.

The Civil Suit Against Rutherford County

In August 2025, Kyle and his wife Ashleigh sued Rutherford County and two sheriff’s deputies over the September 2024 arrest, alleging false arrest, excessive force, and retaliation. The complaint says deputies threw Kyle to the ground and pinned him with a knee, and threatened to arrest Ashleigh when she tried to record the encounter.¹⁸ It further claims deputies were motivated by “animus” toward Kyle because of his family’s celebrity, and it seeks $1.7 million in damages plus attorney fees.³ The civil case has been placed on hold until Kyle’s criminal charges are resolved.¹⁹

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WKRN. Kyle Chrisley Rutherford County Indictment
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WGNS Radio. Kyle Chrisley Indicted in Rutherford County Following Alleged Tussle With Deputies
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People. Kyle Chrisley Sues Tennessee Sheriff and Deputies Over Aggravated Assault Arrest
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KATV. Kyle Chrisley Arrested in Rutherford County, Tennessee
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WSMV. Son of Chrisley Knows Best Stars Arrested Again in Rutherford County
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Yahoo Entertainment. Chrisley Knows Best Alum Kyle Chrisley Arrested
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Page Six. Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle Has Death Threat Charges Dropped
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TMZ. Kyle Chrisley No Charges Drug Meth Arrest Oklahoma
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ABC News. Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle Opens Up About Addiction and Mental Health
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People. Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle Says Attempted Suicide Led to Hospitalization
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E! Online. Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle Says a Suicide Attempt Led to His Recent Hospitalization
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E! Online. Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley on Parenting Chloe Criticism
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People. All About Todd Chrisley’s Kids
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TV Insider. Todd and Julie Chrisley’s Adopted Daughter Chloe Opens Up About Family Life
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Yahoo Entertainment. Todd Chrisley’s Son Kyle
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E! Online. Kyle Chrisley on Todd and Julie Chrisley Pardon
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CNN. Todd Chrisley Pardon and Prison Release
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WSB-TV. Kyle Chrisley, Son of Todd Chrisley, Sues Deputies for Excessive Force
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US Magazine. Kyle Chrisley Indicted for Assault and Public Intoxication