Horses Chef Accused of Killing Pet Cats in Divorce Filing

Will Aghajanian, the chef of Hollywood hot spot restaurant Horses, is under fire following allegations of animal abuse and domestic violence.

Content warning: domestic violence, animal abuse

In an explosive filing obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Horses co-owner Liz Johnson accuses her ex-husband and former business partner of killing their pet cats and physically abusing her.

The filing also requests a domestic violence restraining order.

Los Angeles Times‘ report, which was published Wednesday (May 17), lit up the internet as many digested the filing’s shocking allegations.

Below, find out more about the drama surrounding Horses in Los Angeles.

Horses Restaurant Drama Explained

Liz Johnson filed for a domestic violence restraining order against her then-husband Will Aghajanian in November 2022. The documents alleged that Aghajanian physically assaulted Johnson, as well as killed their pet cats.

“Will and I have had cats that mysteriously ended up dying, including one in 2017 who I took to a shelter when she became seriously wounded overnight. The shelter told me she had been seriously abused, but Will denied it. I believed him. Then, last month, we were given another kitten,” Johnson wrote in her filing.

According to the Los Angeles Times, she alleged that Aghajanian “joked about feeding the kitten to coyotes and said he didn’t like the cat,” and that she eventually “witnessed him hurting their cat.”

��I caught Will violently shaking the cat late at night, and he died the next day. Will put the dead cat in the trash and insisted on keeping the corpse in the house,” Johnson wrote, claiming that Aghajanian’s abuse prevented her from realizing sooner that he was allegedly abusing the animals.

Johnson also alleged that Aghajanian physically assaulted her numerous times, including one instance in 2019 when he allegedly dragged her by her legs across their floor while she screamed.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Aghajanian denied the allegations and said he “loves cats, mice [and] every other animal under gods/allah whatever each religion calls him/her.” He added he has “loved all animals since I was a child” and has “problems killing lobster, and usually try to do it in the most humane way possible.”

Aghajanian also alleged that Johnson attempted to take his business away though their divorce.

According to a statement posted to Horses’ official Instagram Wednesday night, Aghajanian has “been on a leave of absence” from the restaurant since November 2022.

Located on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, Calif., Horses opened in 2021 and quickly became a hot spot for celebrities and influencers.

While some believe the restaurant was shut down amid the drama, Horses appears to still be taking dining reservations via its website.

Why Is Everyone Talking About ‘Horses’ on Twitter?

After the divorce filing went viral Wednesday, Horses restaurant went viral on Twitter, with many reacting to the shocking allegations about its co-owner.

See some reactions below:

If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual abuse or violence, help is available through the RAINN website. To speak to someone on the phone, dial 1-800-656-4673.