On April 28, 2024, South Carolina preacher John-Paul Miller shocked his congregation when he announced at the end of his sermon that his wife, Mica, had passed away the day before.
He said her passing was “self-induced.” The uncommon wording sparked alarm bells in people’s minds. What really happened here?
The Mica Miller Story Part 1:
On Sunday, April 28, 2024, South Carolina preacher John-Paul Miller shocked his congregation when he announced at the end of his sermon that his wife Mica had died the day before.
He said her death was "self-induced." 🧵 pic.twitter.com/cTEjqhYwP4
— Starcasm (@starcasm) May 7, 2024
The previous day, April 27, 30-year-old Mica Miller’s body was discovered in Lumber River State Park, North Carolina.
Mica’s sister, Sierra Francis, stated in an affidavit that Mica served her husband, John-Paul, with divorce papers two days before her death, on April 25.
Sierra had A LOT more to say about the couple’s marriage in her court filing.
On May 2, 2024, Sierra and their brother Nathaniel Francis submitted affidavits requesting special administrators of Mica’s estate.
In her affidavit, Sierra alleges a number of concerning things about John-Paul Miller, who was a senior pastor at the Solid Rock Church.
“Mica stated to me on many occasions, ‘If I end up with a bullet in my head, it was JP (meaning John-Paul),’ Sierra claimed in her affidavit.
In her affidavit, she went on to allege that Mica had told her that John-Paul had not only abused and been violent towards her but also towards church members.
Two months before Mica’s death, on March 11, 2024, John-Paul gave a sermon complaining about Mica.
The Mica Miller Story Part 4
Two months before Mica's death, on March 11, 2024, John-Paul gave a sermon complaining about Mica.
In the self-revealing talk, John-Paul tells the congregation that he went through Mica's phone while she was hospitalized for mental health issues.… pic.twitter.com/IIzSqdBG9M
— Starcasm (@starcasm) May 8, 2024
In the self-revealing talk, John-Paul tells the congregation that he went through Mica’s phone while she was hospitalized for mental health issues.
He was angry that he found 18 different people, two of whom were men, texting Mica to let her know that she could talk to them about her marriage if she wanted to.
He goes on to call people who talk to others about their spouse “demons.”
After Mica’s tragic end, family and friends were suspicious about the circumstances surrounding her death and urged police to investigate further.
The following Sunday, May 5, protesters and mourners were visible outside of John Paul’s church.
That same day, Solid Rock Church dismissed John-Paul from his ministerial duties. However, the church has not fired him.
An email sent out to church members read: “I, Charles Randall, by the authority vested in me as overseer, hereby release Pastor John-Paul Miller from all ministerial functions for a time of healing, counsel, and guidance, pursuant to our governing instrument.”
At this point, Mica’s cause of death and other details surrounding it had not yet been released to the public.
On May 7, police released information about the day Mica Miller died, sparking a rising sea of inquiry from the public and those who knew her.
The medical examiner concluded that Mica’s cause of death was suicide.
On April 27, the day she died, she purchased a gun.
Mica then called 911 to inform the police that she was about to kill herself. She said she was calling because she wanted to let her family know where her body was.
When officers arrived around 3 p.m. at Lumber River State Park, Mica was already deceased.
On May 9, 2024, John-Paul Miller’s attorney released this statement:
“Following the untimely death of Mica Miller, unfounded rumors and false accusations began circulating on social media and in various media outlets, suggesting Pastor Miller’s involvement in her demise. This created a buzz, causing local and national media outlets to begin proliferating these falsehoods in mammoth proportion. Our client refutes any report that suggests he ever abused his wife. Recent reports claim that Pastor Miller “groomed” his wife from the age of 10 years old, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.”