Josie Harris, Floyd Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend who shared three children with the retired boxing champion, has died at the age of 40. She was found dead in her car on Tuesday night. Police said they were investigating to determine the cause of death.
Harris was found unresponsive in her car on Tuesday around 9:40 p.m. local time at her home in Valencia, California.
TMZ reported that law enforcement sources said that the death did not appear to be due to foul play and that the investigation was being conducted as a “death investigation” and not a homicide.
Josie Harris and Mayweather had a tumultuous relationship?
Josie Harris, a former aspiring actress, was first romantically linked with the undefeated welterweight boxing champion Floyd Mayweather in 1995.
The couple broke up in 2010 after a tumultuous relationship that was plagued by domestic violence. Police were called to their home in Las Vegas on multiple occasions due to violence.
Mayweather served two months behind bars in 2012 at the Clark County Detention Center after he was convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery. He was accused of physically attacking Harris during an altercation in their Las Vegas residence in September 2010.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department confirms an active death investigation at the home of Josie Harris, the mother of three of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s children, following a TMZ report that Harris, 40, was found dead inside her car last night, around 10 pm Pacific.
— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) March 11, 2020
Harris, who also accused Mayweather of physically abusing her multiple times during their relationship, said that Floyd entered her room while she was sleeping, pulled her hair, and attacked her while their children watched.
During the incident, the couple’s 10-year-old son Koraun slipped out of the house and ran to alert a security guard. The guard reportedly called the police.
Later in 2015, Mayweather alleged during an interview with Yahoo’s Katie Couric that Harris was high on drugs at the time and that he was only trying to restrain her. He denied hitting her.
“Did I restrain a woman that was on drugs? Yes, I did. So if they say that’s domestic violence, then, you know what? I’m guilty. I’m guilty of restraining someone.”
Mayweather also told Couric that he was convicted only because of his image and reputation.
“I’m black. I’m rich. And I’m outspoken. Those are three strikes right there.”
However, Koraun reportedly told police investigators that he saw Mayweather hit his mother.
Harris sued Mayweather over Couric interview allegations
Harris reacted to the interview by suing Mayweather for $20 million in 2015. She claimed that Mayweather lied in the interview with Couric and that the lies harmed her.
She claimed that the fight broke out between them after Mayweather accused her of cheating on him with C.J. Watson, an NBA star who played for the Golden State Warriors and later for the Orlando Magic.
The lawsuit was still ongoing at the time of Harris’s death, according to The Blast.