DeVon Minters is best known as the father of actress, model, and producer Karrueche Tran, though he lived his own life far removed from the entertainment world his daughter would later become part of. His African American heritage, combined with the Vietnamese background of Karrueche’s mother, helped shape the multicultural identity Karrueche has spoken about throughout her public career — making DeVon a quiet but meaningful figure in her personal story.
Quick Facts About DeVon Minters
| Detail | Information |
| Known For | Father of actress, model, and producer Karrueche Tran |
| Heritage | African American |
| Former Spouse | Cindy Adamson |
| Daughter | Karrueche Tran, born May 17, 1988 |
| Public Profile | Private; not involved in entertainment |
| Personal Life | Karrueche has said her father was gay |
| Death | January 2023 |
Who Was DeVon Minters?
DeVon Minters was an American man primarily recognized through his connection to his daughter, Karrueche Tran, rather than through any public career of his own. Unlike Karrueche, he never pursued acting, modeling, or television work, and much of what’s publicly known about him comes from what she has shared about her childhood and family background over the years.
DeVon was African American, while Karrueche’s mother, Cindy Adamson, is Vietnamese — a combination that gave Karrueche a biracial identity that became an important part of how she’s discussed her upbringing and sense of self in interviews.
His Early Life
Details about DeVon Minters’ own upbringing, exact birth date, and early years were never widely documented publicly. His story largely became known through his daughter’s public reflections rather than through his own interviews or media presence.
What is established is his African American heritage, which later became a significant part of the conversation once Karrueche began speaking publicly about growing up as a biracial child. At some point, DeVon started a family with Cindy Adamson, a relationship that would eventually lead to Karrueche’s birth and, later, her rise in entertainment and fashion.
His Relationship With Cindy Adamson
DeVon Minters was previously married to Cindy Adamson, Karrueche’s mother, who comes from a Vietnamese background. Their marriage brought together two distinct cultural heritages within their family, but it ended while Karrueche was still young.
Following the separation, Karrueche was primarily raised by her mother rather than living mainly under her father’s care. Cindy later remarried an Englishman and had a son, giving Karrueche a younger half-brother and adding yet another cultural thread to her upbringing.
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Becoming Karrueche Tran’s Father
Karrueche Tran was born on May 17, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. Through DeVon, she inherited her African American roots, while her mother connected her to Vietnamese heritage. After her parents’ separation, Karrueche’s day-to-day upbringing was handled mainly by Cindy, with additional support from her Jamaican godmother.
Even though he wasn’t the primary caregiver in her daily life, DeVon remained a presence in his daughter’s world. Karrueche has described having a good relationship with her father, suggesting their bond continued meaningfully despite not sharing a household.
His Relationship With Karrueche
DeVon and Karrueche maintained a father-daughter relationship as she grew older, even though he wasn’t responsible for most of her everyday upbringing. Karrueche has occasionally spoken about her father in interviews discussing her family and background, offering the public some of the only glimpses into who he was, given how little he engaged with media or public life himself.
That bond became especially visible after his death, when Karrueche shared photographs and a personal tribute honoring their relationship — a rare public window into a connection that had largely existed outside the spotlight.
Karrueche’s Multicultural Childhood
Karrueche grew up surrounded by multiple cultural influences — her African American heritage through DeVon, her Vietnamese roots through Cindy, and further influence from her Jamaican godmother. She said this environment helped her appreciate people from different backgrounds from an early age, even as navigating a mixed identity sometimes came with its own challenges.
Karrueche has said that during elementary school she felt especially connected to her Asian heritage, partly because many of her friends at the time were Korean. That shifted as she got older and her social circle broadened in middle school, exposing her to a wider range of backgrounds and helping her develop a fuller appreciation for both sides of her heritage.
The Story Behind Karrueche’s Name
Karrueche’s distinctive first name was created by her parents, DeVon Minters and Cindy Adamson, rather than drawn from a more traditional naming convention. Karrueche has joked in interviews about wondering what her parents were thinking when they came up with it, reflecting the comfort she’s developed with having such an unusual name.
Professionally, she uses the surname Tran, taken from her mother’s Vietnamese side of the family, while her singular first name has become globally recognizable as her career in modeling, acting, and production has grown.
DeVon Minters’ Sexuality
Karrueche has spoken openly about learning that her father was gay, saying she became aware of this part of his identity while she was still in middle school. She’s described sensing something different about him even before she fully understood what that meant, gaining a clearer understanding as she got older.
She has discussed the subject with acceptance, framing it as part of the broader diversity and openness that shaped her upbringing — themes that have continued to surface in how she talks about identity and family more generally.
His Private Lifestyle
DeVon lived a life markedly different from his daughter’s public career. He stayed away from Hollywood and never sought the kind of visibility that became a regular part of Karrueche’s work as a model and actress.
Because of that preference for privacy, most public discussion of DeVon centers specifically on his relationship with Karrueche — his heritage, his role as her father, and their personal bond — rather than any independent public profile of his own.
His Influence on Karrueche’s Family Story
DeVon’s African American heritage, combined with Cindy Adamson’s Vietnamese background, formed the foundation of the multicultural family identity Karrueche has referenced throughout her career. She’s spoken about navigating questions of belonging while growing up between cultures, eventually coming to value both sides of her heritage rather than feeling confined by either.
That upbringing has also connected to the values Karrueche has promoted publicly, including through her #WithLove campaign, which emphasizes kindness, positivity, and acceptance — themes she’s tied back to her own experiences growing up around different cultures and identities.
His Death
DeVon Minters died in January 2023, during a period when Karrueche was attending the Sundance Film Festival for her work in the entertainment industry. At the time, she was there supporting the science-fiction film Divinity, directed by Eddie Alcazar and featuring a cast that included Stephen Dorff, Bella Thorne, and Scott Bakula alongside Karrueche herself.
His death brought renewed public attention to their relationship, shifting focus away from his connection to a celebrity and toward the personal significance he held in Karrueche’s life.
Karrueche’s Tribute
Following her father’s death, Karrueche shared a personal tribute on Instagram, posting photographs of the two of them together from different points in their lives. The images offered a rare look at DeVon, who had spent most of his life outside public view, alongside a heartfelt message wishing him peace.
The tribute underscored that their relationship had remained meaningful over the years, even though their day-to-day lives had largely been separate since Karrueche’s childhood.
Final Thoughts
DeVon Minters never sought the kind of public recognition his daughter achieved, but his place in her life extended well beyond a passing family connection. His heritage helped shape half of Karrueche’s biracial identity, and their relationship — however removed from daily life — remained a meaningful part of her personal story. His death in January 2023 closed that chapter, but the tribute Karrueche shared afterward offered a rare, personal glimpse of the father behind a name most often associated with her own celebrity biography.
FAQs About DeVon Minters
Who was DeVon Minters?
He was the father of actress, model, and producer Karrueche Tran, an African American man who lived largely outside the entertainment spotlight.
Who was DeVon Minters married to?
He was previously married to Cindy Adamson, Karrueche Tran’s Vietnamese mother; their marriage ended while Karrueche was young.
Was DeVon Minters close to Karrueche Tran?
Yes. Although she wasn’t primarily raised in his household, Karrueche has described having a good relationship with her father and shared a personal tribute after his death.
Was DeVon Minters gay?
Karrueche has said her father was gay, explaining she became aware of this in middle school and has spoken about it publicly with acceptance.
When did DeVon Minters die?
He died in January 2023, after which Karrueche shared photographs and a tribute remembering him on social media.

