In Mormon Utah, all hell has broken loose.
Just days before her much-hyped new season of “The Bachelorette” is set to premiere on ABC, reports surfaced that star Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, were involved in an alleged domestic violence incident.
The Draper City Police Department confirmed to Business Insider that there is an open investigation involving Paul and Mortensen stemming from an incident that happened in February but declined to provide further details. The department told People that accusations “have been made in both directions.”
Paul, a TikTok star and cast member of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” was named as the newest Bachelorette in September 2025, stunning the fandom as the first person from outside the franchise to be cast in the role.
At the time, the move was praised as savvy corporate synergy: “Mormon Wives,” which airs on Hulu, and “The Bachelorette,” which airs on ABC, share a parent company in Disney, and the former has been a runaway ratings success for Hulu. But that business decision may have backfired with the latest media firestorm surrounding Paul.
At least one brand, Cinnabon, has cut ties with Paul and “The Bachelorette,” per Entertainment Weekly, and filming for season five of “Mormon Wives” has reportedly been put on pause — all before Paul’s season debuts on Sunday.
After the news broke, Paul described the situation to People as “heavy” and “unfortunate.”
“I feel like every premiere that I’ve experienced, I’ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one,” she said. “It’s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today.”
When reached for comment about the investigation, a rep for Mortensen told Entertainment Weekly that his No. 1 priority is to protect Ever, the son he shares with Paul.
“He has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor,” the rep said of Mortensen. “It’s been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to co-parent well.”
Here’s what to know about Paul, Mortensen, and what this means for Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.”
Who are Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen?
Paul and Mortensen are cast members on Hulu’s reality TV series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which follows a group of Mormon (and ex-Mormon) social media personalities who nicknamed themselves MomTok.
The show kick-started in the aftermath of Paul admitting on her TikTok to “soft swinging” with friends in May 2022, which led to the end of her marriage to her ex-husband, Tate Paul. They share two children.
After the scandal, Paul began dating Mortensen, who made his debut on her TikTok in July 2022. Since then, they’ve been involved in a rocky off-and-on relationship that’s been documented over four seasons of “Mormon Wives.”
Paul was arrested in February 2023
As depicted in the first episode of “Mormon Wives,” police were called to Paul’s home due to a “reported incident of domestic violence” after an argument between Paul and Mortensen. The police bodycam footage was shown during the episode.
Per The Salt Lake Tribune, Paul was later 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.
Paul entered a plea of abeyance — essentially no contest — to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault and was told that if she abided by the terms of the agreement for three years, it would be downgraded to a misdemeanor. The other charges were dismissed with prejudice, according to People.
During an appearance on “Call Her Daddy” in 2025, Paul said the charges had been dropped.
Mortensen and Paul stayed together and had a child in March 2024
A little over a year after the incident, Paul gave birth to their son, Ever, in March 2024.
However, as viewers saw on “Mormon Wives,” both Paul and Mortensen admitted their relationship could be toxic and volatile. Throughout seasons two, three, and four, Paul and Mortensen fought, broke up, and got back together.
Both Mortensen and Paul’s friends, family, and fans hoped that when Paul was cast as the new Bachelorette in September 2025, the cycle would finally end.
Paul and Mortensen were fighting up until the night before she left for ‘The Bachelorette’ in October 2025
Season four of “Mormon Wives” was filmed up until the day Paul left to appear on “The Bachelorette.” In the lead-up to the finale, viewers saw other members of MomTok express hope that “The Bachelorette” would be the best way for Paul and Mortensen to finally move on and let go of each other.
Instead, “Mormon Wives” reveals at the end of season four that Paul and Mortensen slept together the night before she left, and the two said they loved each other.
Days before Paul’s ‘Bachelorette’ season debuted, reports of another alleged domestic violence incident hit the internet
People reported on Monday, March 16 that filming for season five of “Mormon Wives” had been halted. Hulu did not respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for Utah’s Draper City Police Department confirmed to Business Insider that there is an open investigation involving Paul and Mortensen but declined to provide further details.
Paul told Entertainment Weekly on March 17 that she had cut off contact with Mortensen before this news broke. “I actually took action about a few weeks ago. I’m just doing third-party everything — pick-up, drop-offs, communication — so no contact right now for me,” she said.
ABC has not responded to a request for comment regarding the future of Paul’s “Bachelorette” season, but Variety reported that the allegations wouldn’t affect the show, which is scheduled to premiere as planned on Sunday, March 22.
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