Kayla Malec, a popular TikTok influencer with over 14 million followers, has emerged victorious in her high-profile domestic violence case against her ex-boyfriend, Evan Johnston. The case, which concluded on May 7, 2025, has garnered widespread attention, mainly due to Malec’s decision to share her allegations publicly on social media.
Johnston, who faced multiple arrests in connection with the allegations, was again taken into custody following the court hearing.
Malec, 20, first detailed her harrowing experience in a two-hour YouTube video, He doesn’t love you, posted on April 4, 2025. In the video, she described a nine-month relationship with Johnston that was plagued by verbal and physical abuse, including incidents of punching, choking, and even attempts on her life.
The abuse allegedly began during a trip to Nashville in August 2024, and the relationship ultimately ended in January 2025. Malec’s choice to come out publicly about her story touched a nerve with millions because her videos went viral almost overnight, spurring other survivors and sparking a wider conversation around accountability for domestic violence.
The court case, held at the Sumner County Courthouse in Tennessee, concluded on May 7, 2025, with Malec winning her case against Johnston. Malec declared in a TikTok video posted outside the courthouse,
“And just like that, justice was served,”
verifying the result to her followers. Johnston, who had previously been arrested twice before the hearing, was detained immediately after the hearing and is at present jailed, according to various reports.
The conviction relied heavily on digital evidence, including videos, photos of bruises and cuts, and audio recordings of verbal aggression, all of which Malec had shared on her social media platforms. This evidence proved pivotal in securing the conviction, underscoring the growing importance of social media in legal battles, particularly in cases involving domestic violence.
Johnston was first arrested on April 7, 2025, on charges of domestic assault and violation of probation, following Malec’s public allegations. He was released on bail the same day but was arrested again on April 17, 2025, under circumstances that have not been publicly disclosed. Despite his attempts to counter the allegations, including posting and later deleting videos in which he admitted to some wrongdoing but claimed Malec exaggerated the abuse, the court ruled in Malec’s favor.
While official court records from the Sumner County Courthouse were not updated as of the latest reports, multiple reputable sources, including People and Her Campus, have confirmed the case’s outcome.
The case has incited a large public reaction, with the hashtag #JusticeForKayla trending on the former Twitter and receiving thousands of mentions. Gabi Galvan started a petition on Change.org demanding the imprisonment of Johnston without bail, which had over 1,500 signatures as of mid-April 2025.
Some influencers like Zach Sellers and Mikaela Testa openly supported Malec. On the other hand, James Charles, a beauty influencer who was embroiled in controversy for being linked to Johnston, commented on the situation in a TikTok video on May 6, 2025,
“I DO NOT SUPPORT EVAN JOHNSON”
and expressing hope for justice.
Malec’s YouTube videos with millions of views have made people aware and encouraged other abuse survivors to come forward and tell their own stories. Discussions on social media, especially on sites like Reddit’s r/LAinfluencersnark, revolved around saving evidence for abuse cases, propagating the case’s reach and exposure even further.
Adding to the severity of the charges, a second woman, 18-year-old Teaghan Campbell, came forward with her claims against Johnston. Campbell accused Johnston of abusing her over a five-month relationship with him in 2022, as reported on a TikTok video on April 11, 2025, with one episode involving a slap while he was behind the wheel of a car. Campbell’s claims were not directly a part of the legal case against Malec, but they did help create the picture of a history of abusive actions on Johnston’s part.
However, the case has had a lasting effect outside the courtroom. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, TheHotline.org) said that it had seen an uptick in calls after Malec’s viral clips, demonstrating the extent of societal impact of the case. The conviction is also being touted as a turning point for judicial reform, especially with its recognition of the use of online evidence within domestic violence cases.
