The Tragic Death Of Julie Chrisley's Brother

The following article includes mentions of suicide.

Since 2014, "Chrisley Knows Best" has followed the lives of real-estate developer, Todd Chrisley, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, as they raise their children Chase, Savannah, and Grayson. And while the family is extremely open and transparent on the small screen, there are some details that viewers don't know about their personal lives.

In 2017, for example, Julie sat down on an episode of "Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry" and shared that her brother, Trey Hughes, died by suicide in 2002 at the age of 25. In the episode, Henry told Julie, "He comes through very, very peaceful, but he is making a very profound connection to your dad, and the feeling is that dad never recovers or gets over this." The psychic medium continued to explain, "The reference is, 'When I died, dad ... was never able to come back.' It's almost like your dad's life ended when your brother's did."

In response to the reading, Julie said that this gave her comfort, because she always felt her dad changed immensely when her brother passed. "To hear Tyler say that 'When your brother died, he did, too,'" she reflected, "There's so much truth to that. I'm very grateful for that."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

When Julie Chrisley appeared on "Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry," she shared that the last job her brother, Trey Hughes, completed was with their father. "They were working by a lake, and my dad almost got electrocuted from it," Julie said. Todd Chrisley added, "They were doing an electrical job for this lady on the lake ... and Trey had cut the power, and Harvey went to connect the power and the power was still hot." Julie said this was the final thing the father-son duo did together. According to Distractify, Trey left behind a son, Austin Daniel Crocker. 

Julie's father, Harvey Hughes, was a mechanic during her younger years. In 1978, however, after Trey was diagnosed with a heart murmur, Harvey embarked on a spiritual quest, and eventually became ordained as a minister in 1983. Over the years, the Chrisley children have made their love for their grandfather apparent. In February 2020, Chase Chrisley posted this photo to his Instagram, writing, "This man is still lying for me, best grandpa anybody could ask for."

According to his obituary, Trey Hughes, born Harvey "Trey" Cecil Hughes III, died on May 6, 2002. It appears that Julie Chrisley and her brother may have had a more "humble" childhood than viewers are aware. Speaking to Radar Online in 2014, a source claimed that Julie spent her childhood in a trailer in South Carolina. The source is quoted as saying, "Julie is hardly the southern belle she claims to be. Just like everything about the Chrisleys, she's totally fake!"

Regardless of how she grew up, she moved on to quite the life of luxury. For instance, Julie and Todd Chrisley lived in a mansion in Tennessee, according to Bravo TV. The outlet reported that the home was worth $3.4 million in 2019 and comes in at 11,000-square-feet, located in the Brentwood area of Nashville. The home was previously owned by NHL hockey player Mike Ribeiro. However, this home was sold for $5.2 million in 2023 following the start of their prison sentence for bank fraud and tax evasion. 

Detailing experiences from her early life, reality TV stardom, and times of legal issues, the book "Julie Chrisley: A Journey Through Love, Faith, and Challenges" was published in 2024.