What We Know So Far About Taylor Frankie Paul’s Domestic Violence Investigation
What We Know So Far About Taylor Frankie Paul’s Domestic Violence Investigation
Emily BlackwoodTue, March 17, 2026 at 9:19 PM UTC
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Taylor Frankie Paul at "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" season 2 premiere on May 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: JC Olivera/Variety via Getty -
On March 16, the Draper City Police Department confirmed that there was an open "domestic assault investigation" involving Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen
Filming on season 5 of their Hulu reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, was halted amid the 2026 investigation
The incoming Bachelorette was previously arrested for domestic violence in a 2023 incident that also involved Mortensen, with whom she shares a son
Taylor Frankie Paul was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident in February 2026 — one that has stopped production on season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
TMZ first reported the news that the Hulu reality series had paused filming after an altercation between the show's star and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. A Draper City Police Department spokesperson later confirmed that the former couple were involved in an open "domestic assault investigation" that has been ongoing since at least Feb. 24.
This isn't the first time Paul, whose season of The Bachelorette premieres on March 22, has been involved in a domestic incident. Mormon Wives opened its pilot season chronicling her 2023 arrest for domestic violence that occurred after a fight with Mortensen, with whom she shares one son. The reality star also welcomed two children during her previous marriage to Tate Paul.
Though the MomTok founder hasn’t addressed the 2026 allegations directly, her social media activity in the wake of the news raised eyebrows. On March 15 — the same day reports surfaced about The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star — Paul posted a TikTok that she was “kinda busy” alongside an unidentified man.
In addition to turmoil online, the recent allegations have led to Paul losing brand deals, including a partnership with Cinnabon, which told PEOPLE in a statement that the collaboration "no longer aligns with our brand values."
Here's what to know about Taylor Frankie Paul's domestic violence investigation, including how the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has responded.
Paul was previously arrested for alleged domestic violence in 2023
Taylor Frankie Paul before the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on February 13, 2026 at Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty
On Feb. 17, 2023, the reality TV star was arrested after her then-boyfriend Mortensen allegedly called police claiming that she had begun hitting him while in the presence of her two minor children, The Salt Lake Tribune reported at the time. Court documents state that she kicked him, put him in a chokehold and threw "heavy metal chairs" in his direction, one of which reportedly hit her then 5-year-old daughter.
Paul was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault, two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and one misdemeanor count each of child abuse and criminal mischief.
She claimed all the charges from that incident were dropped
Taylor Frankie Paul attends SiriusXM's Radio Andy Presentation: Town Hall with the cast of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" on May 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
Six months after the incident, Paul entered a plea in abeyance to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault. If she abided by the terms of the agreement for three years, the charge would be entered as a Class A misdemeanor. The MomTok founder served one day in jail, and her four other charges were dismissed with prejudice.
When reflecting on the incident in a September 2025 interview with Call Her Daddy, Paul clarified that her charges "were all dropped" and that she "never" hurt her daughter.
"I never intentionally did anything with my children,” she told host Alex Cooper, later adding that the incident "was a blessing in disguise" as it helped "wake" her up.
In March 2026, police confirmed there was an open “domestic assault investigation” regarding Paul and Mortensen
Dakota Mortenson and Taylor Frankie Paul on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.Credit: Fred Hayes/Disney
Days after season 4 of the show was released, the Draper City Police Department confirmed that there was an "open domestic assault investigation" involving Paul and Mortensen. A spokesperson for the local Utah police said that "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th."
The spokesperson declined to share any more details about the ongoing investigation.
A source close to Paul denied to PEOPLE that the TV star was "violent," adding that she remains "focused" on the upcoming Bachelorette premiere.
Filming for Mormon Wives season 5 was paused amid the incident
Taylor Frankie Paul attends Hulu's Get Real House on April 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California ; Dakota Mortensen at the "We Audition" party on January 24, 2026 in Park City, Utah.Credit: Monica Schipper/Getty ; Sara Jaye/Getty
Multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that filming for season 5 of Mormon Wives had stopped due to the situation between Paul and Mortensen.
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"They are not filming," one insider claimed in March 2026. "Taylor has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past, and they will see what happens. Until that resolves, they are off."
The fifth season of the Hulu reality series likely would have followed the aftermath of Paul's season on The Bachelorette. Her tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship with Mortensen was chronicled during season 4, with the former couple allegedly hooking up the night before she left to film her ABC series.
The Mormon Wives cast doesn’t want to be associated with Paul
Jessi Ngatikaura, Miranda McWhorter, Mayci Neeley, Layla Taylor and Jennifer Affleck attend the Premiere of "Wuthering Heights" on January 28, 2026 in Hollywood, California.Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty
As the investigation unfolds, another insider who's close to the Mormon Wives cast told PEOPLE that the other members of MomTok are distancing themselves from Taylor. The source claimed that "none of the women want to be associated with her."
“The girls are very overwhelmed," the source added. "They all banded together and they don’t want to come back right now. They were just getting tired of Taylor, honestly."
According to the insider, "everything was going smoothly" before the incident. Afterward, the Mormon Wives cast "kind of all decided, as a unit, that they're taking the production pause."
"I don’t think they care about her really right now," the source added, noting that Paul has been "very quiet" since the alleged incident. "They're just kind of like, ‘We're done for right now.' "
Paul's costar Jessi Ngatikaura commented on an Instagram video posted by No Filter with Zach Peter, who discussed reports that the cast was "upset with Taylor" for "stealing the show" due to her impending Bachelorette fame. In a comment, the JZ Styles founder wrote, "It was never a jealousy thing lol."
Meanwhile, a source with knowledge of the situation told PEOPLE that those in Paul's close circle are "worried for Taylor’s well-being."
“We want Taylor to get the help she needs," they said, claiming that Paul calls Mortensen “all the time,” often between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Reps for Paul, Mortensen, Hulu and ABC have not commented to PEOPLE.
Contestants on Paul's season of The Bachelorette feel "betrayed" by the news
'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star Taylor Frankie Paul is the new BacheloretteCredit: Michael Kirchoff/Disney
A source close to The Bachelorette cast told PEOPLE that several of the men who competed on Paul's season were "losing their minds over this" behind the scenes.
"They're extremely disappointed. They felt betrayed when they found this out because they all went into this to genuinely get to know Taylor," the source said.
However, another insider said that Paul is "on great terms with the men from The Bachelorette."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
