CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses domestic violence.
Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives cast member Taylor Frankie Paul is facing a fresh round of scrutiny, with Utah police confirming they are investigating an allegation of a third domestic violence incident involving her and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.
A spokesperson for the West Jordan Police Department told NBC News that Mortensen contacted officers last month with domestic violence allegations linked to an incident he claims happened in 2024. The department is reviewing multiple videos “connected to the alleged event to figure out details and timelines” and has not released exact dates because the investigation is still open, per the publication. Police currently only have Mortensen’s account, and while investigators have spoken with Paul’s lawyer, they have asked Paul to either submit a written statement or sit for an interview to help corroborate details in Mortensen’s report.
This West Jordan case is separate from another active domestic violence investigation involving Paul and Mortensen that Draper Police say was called in on 24 and 25 February, with “allegations made in both directions”.
Draper Police have declined to provide further information while that matter remains ongoing. Salt Lake County district attorney Sim Gill said his office has “requested all the investigative material to screen the most recent allegations for charges”, adding that if new charges are filed “they could be enhanced due to a prior plea in abeyance to a domestic violence offence”.
That prior case dates back to February 2023, when Paul was arrested and charged after an altercation with Mortensen in which bodycam footage later showed her throwing metal barstools while her young daughter was in the room. Court records show she pleaded guilty in abeyance to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault in August 2023, with four other counts, including assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, dismissed. Under the plea in abeyance, the remaining charge can be reduced to a misdemeanour after three years if she complies with the court’s conditions.
The 2023 incident has resurfaced in recent weeks after TMZ released video that appeared to show Paul attacking Mortensen with a chair, footage NBC News reported was of the same dispute that led to her arrest. The clip reportedly prompted ABC to pull Paul’s already-filmed season of The Bachelorette days before its scheduled premiere. A spokesperson for Paul told The Cut that “after years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm”, and later said she “is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritises her family’s safety and security”.
The fallout has also hit her Hulu reality series, The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, which has now paused production on season five while the legal situation plays out.
Co-star Jessi Draper addressed the situation on Call Her Daddy, telling host Alex Cooper there was “so much pain underneath the surface for Taylor” and that watching the newly released video was “so hard”, while stressing she did not want to judge Paul in her “darkest moment”.
Draper added: “Taylor is such a good person, and she’s made some mistakes, and so is Dakota, and I’m not saying any of it is right… I want this to be a wake-up call for them.”
Representatives for both Paul and Mortensen have declined to comment on the newest investigation, and no charges have been filed at this stage. Police say they are still in the process of interviewing those involved and reviewing evidence as they determine what, if any, action comes next.
Lead image: Getty
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