We describe a co-channel interference rejection scheme that is suitable for QR-decomposition maximum likelihood detection (MLD) in multiple-input and multiple output (MIMO) systems. A pre-whitening matrix for interference rejection is decomposed into a triangular matrix and its Hermitian matrix by using a complex Gaxpy version of the Cholesky algorithm. The decomposed triangular matrix is used as a spatial pre-filter to whiten co-channel interference. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can suppress co-channel interference streams at the cost of receive diversity order and achieves better transmission performance than QR-decomposition MLD itself in MIMO channels with co-channel interference.