Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen investigation in Utah underway
Authorities are reportedly investigating an alleged domestic incident involving “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” stars Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen.
Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions and video that some readers may find disturbing.
More details are emerging about dueling accusations from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” stars Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen about alleged domestic violence over a 24-hour period earlier this year.
The exes describe an altercation in Mortensen’s car in the early morning of Feb. 23, but their respective reports differ about the specifics of the alleged incidents on Feb. 22 and 23, detailed in Draper City, Utah, police records obtained by USA TODAY on April 16.
Mortensen, 33, alleged to police that 31-year-old Paul threw a drink at him, while Paul said in her statement that his drink spilled, causing him to get upset. While she alleges that he grabbed her head and slammed it against the dashboard, Mortensen wrote in his police report that “she began to kick my screen and punch my rearview mirror” before “trying to hit me and squeezing my face.”
He then alleged he “shoved her off me,” which caused her to “hit her head on the screen of my truck.”
Weeks later, on March 19, police followed up at Mortensen’s house and inspected his car, determining the rearview mirror and display screen were “working with no signs of damage.”
Photos of their respective injuries from the alleged altercation, including scratches on Mortensen’s neck and a hematoma on Paul’s forehead, as well as wounds from past alleged incidents, were provided to police as evidence.
Why prosecutors aren’t charging Taylor Frankie Paul or Dakota Mortensen
The officer noted that on March 20, the city’s prosecutor “advised that neither Taylor or Dakota are credible witnesses, with both their statements being fraught with inconsistencies.” On April 14, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced it was declining to pursue charges due to lack of sufficient evidence. The following day, the Draper prosecutor also said the office would not file charges due to “likelihood of success at trial.”
“After a thorough investigation by Draper Police, the City Prosecutor has determined that there is insufficient corroborating evidence to support filing criminal charges against either party, as the City must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt,” an April 16 statement from the Draper City Justice Court said.
The investigation began when Mortensen’s friend, Crew Eaton, called the police department the evening of Feb. 23 to express concern about his Mortensen allegedly being assaulted by Paul earlier that day.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish via chat and at 800-656-4673.
