Warning: This story includes accounts of domestic violence.
Earlier this month, influencer Evan Johnson was arrested for domestic assault. The arrest came following allegations by Johnson’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Malec (@kaylamalecc) that he repeatedly physically and emotionally abused her during their relationship. Johnson has denied wrongdoing.
Now a second woman has come forward to accuse him of assaulting her when they were dating. Johnson has yet to respond to the latest allegation.
With 15 million followers, Kayla Malec is one of the biggest stars on TikTok. To outsiders, her relationship with fellow influencer Johnson, 20, appeared idyllic, the perfect example of young love between two up-and-comers.
As of April 20, a Google search for their names read, “Discover the love story of Kayla Malecc [sic] and Evan Johnson, the TikTok couple capturing hearts with their adorable moments!”
According to Malec, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Malec didn’t respond to a TikTok direct message or email seeking comment.
A message sent to a TikTok that appears to belong to Johnson bounced back as undeliverable due to his settings. The account has comments turned off. A Snapchat handle listed in the TikTok bio does not appear to accept messages from non-friends. There is no attorney listed on court records for the most recent charges.
The Daily Dot was unable to find an alternative means of contacting Johnson.
Kayla’s accusations
On April 4, Malec accused Johnson of a pattern of domestic violence. She says he punched and choked her over the course of their relationship.
“For the past nine months, I have been in inarguably one of the worst mentally, physically abusive relationships I could ever imagine. Something I never thought I would be experiencing, things I have only seen on TV,” Malec says in a two-hour YouTube video. She posted accusations against Johnson on her verified Instagram and TikTok accounts as well.
In the video, Malec talks about specific incidents in which she says Johnson assaulted her. She says the red flags started almost immediately in their relationship, but she didn’t recognize them as warning signs until later.
Breaking down into tears, she says that she “would have died” if she hadn’t broken up with Johnson or if her best friend hadn’t been there on two occasions.
She also warns others that a partner who hits them will not stop. “If he can hit you, he will kill you,” Malec says.
The end of video includes clips in which injuries are visible on her body. In one particularly harrowing scene, a man who appears to be Johnson replies “good” after she says he broke her jaw. You can hear Malec screaming and crying, sounds of hitting, and her repeatedly responding “[expletive] you Evan” to a stream of insults.
In a second video, Malec says that one night he strangled her until she started to lose consciousness. At that moment, her roommate walked in and screamed at him to stop, Malec alleges. “He was trying to kill me,” she says.
Both YouTube videos have millions of views. Several of her TikToks about the allegations also have millions of views.
Johnson’s arrest goes viral
Court records obtained by the Daily Dot show that Johnson was charged with domestic assault two days after Malec posted the first YouTube video. The records state that the alleged victim is Kayla Malec. According to People magazine, Johnson posted bond and was released the same day he was arrested.
The records say that Malec accused him of slapping and punching her in separate incidents on the same night last August. It says he slapped her in an Uber. Later, it says she heard him throwing up in the bathroom so she went in to check on him. She told authorities that he punched her in the mouth.
“There were 3 pictures that were added to the submit a tip of domestic violence injuries,” the records state.
Most, but not all, people appear to be on Malec’s side. Her videos have been flooded with supportive comments. Many influencers are rallying behind Malec.
“I am so happy you are safe & can rest peacefully now,” Haley Kalil (@haleyybaylee) commented on Malec’s post about the arrest.
Malec’s TikTok revealing he’d been arrested has been watched over 30 million times.
@kaylamalecc to many emotions.
♬ sonido original – CANCIONES
Johnson addresses the allegations
Johnson responded to Malec’s allegations in a series of videos. He accuses Malec of exaggerating and suggests she wouldn’t have stayed if he was really hurting her.
“She could’ve left me at any second,” he said.
People stay in abusive relationships for a variety of reasons, such as fear, shame, or lack of resources. Many go to great lengths to hide the abuse from their loved ones.
“I was silently being abused while posting my life online smiling,” Malec has said.
Johnson acknowledged being “that mean guy,” but didn’t concede any behavior beyond name-calling. He also blamed alcohol for his conduct and said he’s quit drinking. Sumner County, Tennessee court records show that someone named Evan Johnson was convicted of possessing alcohol underage in 2023. Those records state that an Evan Johnson was charged with driving under the influence on March 28, 2025.
Comments on reposts of his TikToks are overwhelmingly skeptical. “The classic ‘if I was so bad why didn’t she just leave,’” one wrote sarcastically.
The outrage at Johnson has led to false accusations against people who happen to share his name. Some have changed their bios or made posts letting people know that they’re not the same person.
Second woman comes forward
Reactions to Malec’s allegations and Johnson’s arrest were still pouring in when another woman accused him of assault.
On April 11, 18-year-old Teaghan Campbell (@t_e_a_g_h_a_n) posted a TikTok claiming that she dated Johnson for five months in 2022.
Campbell prefaced her video with praise for Malec for ending the relationship and using her platform to talk about her alleged experiences with Johnson.
“I went through a lot of those same things, and those things being known is so important,” Campbell says. “He’s finally getting what he deserves for the way that he treats women.”
Campbell says that Johnson hit her on multiple occasions during their relationship. She says the first time she was driving him and her friends.
When she defended herself against verbal abuse, Campbell alleges “his response was to slap me across the face.”
The violence only escalated from there, she says. It followed a familiar pattern of Johnson hitting her, breaking up with her, then not leaving, per Campbell. (He was purportedly living with her family at the time.)
In the video, a friend backed up Campbell’s claims.
In a phone call on Monday, Campbell told the Daily Dot that Malec’s story made her angry and sick, recalling times Johnson would say and do similar things to her.
“I couldn’t finish watching it,” she said.
The fallout continues
In a follow-up TikTok, Campbell addressed some comments people left on her initial video. She posted photos of her and Johnson during their purported relationship and a screenshot of a comment she says she left on one of Malec’s posts.
The comment reads, “girl you better be careful he quite literally hit me during our relationship.” It’s time-stamped May 27, 2024, right around the time Malec said she first met Johnson in person. A photo of the two can be seen above the comment.
Multiple people pointed out that the two women closely resemble one another. “YALL NEED PROOF??? LOOK AT THEM. He has a type,” one wrote on Campbell’s video.
Johnson has not responded to her claims.
Campbell said that, while she’s had a lot of positive feedback, many have also questioned her story—including women.
“A lot of the reason people don’t share their stories is people don’t believe them,” she said, adding, “In the moment, you don’t think, ‘I need to record this.’”
“There are so many people that suffer through things and they don’t get the justice they deserve.”
Campbell said she wants to give others in abusive relationships hope.
“Being someone who’s survived a domestic violence situation, and also knowing other people who are in those situations, it makes me almost hopeful that this will be a sign that it does get better and that you are strong enough to leave,” she said.
Malec has said she also hopes to inspire others.
“I ask the universe every day: Why me? Why did I go through this?” Malec said.
Later, she said, “I think it was to help other people.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call (800) 799-7233, text BEGIN to 88788, or click here.
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