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The case of Mica Miller, the late wife of South Carolina pastor John-Paul “J.P.” Miller, gained attention online following her April 2024 death. While her death was declared a suicide, Mica’s sister reportedly claimed that Mica suggested she was a victim of abusive coercive control. On November 1, 2024, J.P.’s home was searched by the FBI, his attorney confirmed.
Who Was Mica Miller?
Mica was a 30-year-old resident of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to multiple reports. Prior to her death, she was an active member of Solid Rock Church alongside J.P., whom she married in 2018. However, Mica reportedly told police in January 2023 that they were separated, according to CBS Austin. Mica officially filed for divorce from J.P. in October 2023, and their divorce case was ongoing at the time of her death.
Three months prior to Mica’s death, on February 8, 2024, she was involuntarily hospitalized for 48 hours, the Myrtle Beach Police Department revealed, per multiple reports. She told police on February 21, 2024, that she believed J.P. “fraudulently initiated her ‘involuntary’ hospitalization and stole her car while she was receiving treatment,” ABC 13 News reported. She allegedly told the officer that she had known her husband since she was 10 years old and that he “groomed” her while she worked for him at the church until they got married.
When the police reached out to J.P. to address the claims, he alleged that Mica suffered from “episodes” and spent large amounts of money when she stopped taking her prescription, so he needed to take her wallet. No charges were filed.
Additionally, in March 2024, Mica told police that she was “afraid for her life” after she found a GPS tracker on her car and a razor blade on her tire.
What Happened to Mica Miller?
On April 27, 2024, Mica was seen on her Ring camera leaving her residence in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at 11:38 a.m. ET, according to multiple reports. She then went to Dick’s Pawn Shop, where she purchased a gun, as seen on surveillance footage. Mica made a 911 call at 2:54 p.m. and asked a dispatcher if they were able to track her location. She told the dispatcher, “I’m about to kill myself, and I just want my family to know where to find me.”
After Mica hung up the phone, the dispatcher was unable to find her location and contacted local authorities, who found Mica’s black Honda Accord at the Lumber River State Park in Orrum, North Carolina. Investigators found a Sig Sauer gun case in the passenger seat of the vehicle, as well as a box of ammunition in the center console.
During the search for Mica, an individual approached investigators saying that they found a bag near the edge of the water and heard crying, as well as a gunshot. The bag contained Mica’s I.D.
Mica’s body was found in the water, and it was later determined that she had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Her death was ruled a suicide, according to a media release from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office in May 2024. It was also revealed that neither J.P. nor the woman he was romantically involved with at the time of Mica’s death were in South Carolina at the time of her suicide.
Mica Miller’s Family Claims She Was ‘Hopeful’ About Her Future
In an affidavit shared by Protestia in May, Mica’s sister, Sierra Francis, claimed that Mica was “hopeful” amid her divorce from J.P. and planned to move to Kenya for missionary work. Sierra also claimed that Mica stated to family members, “If I end up with a bullet in my head, it was not by me, it was J.P.”
Her family also claimed that Mica kept a journal that suggested she was a victim of abusive coercive control. J.P. denied the claim, telling KFDM in July 2024 that her family would “do anything for money.” He reached a settlement with her family regarding Mica’s estate one month later.
In their May media release, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office shut down conspiracy theories surrounding Mica’s death and potential foul play.
“This incident has garnered much attention from across the Carolinas and beyond. I want to assure everyone that a very methodical investigation was conducted by our Criminal Investigations Team and Crime Scene Investigative Team,” Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said. “Unfortunately, rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly, and assumptions were being made. However, in the end, we must make decisions based on the facts, and evidence that has been gathered.”
The statement continued, “While I know it’s not what many people wanted to hear, the evidence is quite clear and compelling, and we are as saddened as anyone that this occurred. There are many factors that we have reviewed that occurred over an extended period of time that are probably related to the reason for this investigation, but in the end, sadly, a tragic decision was made by Mica that ended her life.”
J.P. Miller’s Home Was Searched in November 2024
J.P.’s attorney Russell Long confirmed on November 1, 2024, that the FBI conducted a search of the pastor’s home on Coldwater Circle in Myrtle Beach. However, when asked what they were searching for, Long said they were “fishing.”
“There was no affidavit attached to the search warrant; therefore, I have no idea what it’s in relation to,” the attorney added, per The Post and Courier.
Protesters were gathered outside of the home during the search with #JusticeForMica shirts, according to the outlet.
In his eulogy for Mica on May 5, 2024, J.P. said he visited his estranged wife’s body at the morgue four times. “Each time it still didn’t hit me. I even tried to raise her from the dead one time this week. … Everyone knew how beautiful she was on the outside. But only, I think, a spouse knows how beautiful that person was on the inside.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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