The bizarre case of an ‘abusive’ pastor’s wife’s suicide
The FBI has been called in to investigate Mica's death.
The death of a pastor’s wife in a rural southern park has captured the attention of America.
Mica Miller’s suicide has raised questions about the 30-year-old’s death – and her relationship with husband John-Paul Miller.
Now the FBI has been called in to investigate Mica’s death, after she was found dead in Lumber State River Park, North Carolina, on April 27.
Her estranged husband, John-Paul Miller, 44, worked as the pastor of Solid Rock at Market Common in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Sheriffs have said he was in Charleston, South Carolina on the night his wife died, but rumours regarding the couple’s allegedly ‘abusive’ relationship have spread in the aftermath of Mica’s death.
But his speech in front of his congregation has thrown the case into a media firestorm, after he said he was ‘Taking a bit of a break… may be a few days, a few weeks, I don’t know.’
A timeline of events
April 25
Mica’s husband of almost seven years, John-Paul Miller, is served with divorce papers, according to Mica’s sister, Sierra Francis.
April 27
Mica calls the police and tells them she’s going to kill herself in a harrowing call.
‘I’m about to kill myself and I just want my family to know where to find me,’ she said.
Her body is later discovered in Robeson County, North Carolina.
April 28
Mica’s husband announces her death during a church service. The speech goes viral online and interest in her death increases.
May 5
John-Paul is released from his duties as pastor at Solid Rock Church in South Carolina amid an investigation into Mica’s suicide.
May 6
Mica’s sister states in an affidavit regarding Mica’s estate that Mica told her she feared for her life.
‘Mica stated to me on many occasions, “If I end up with a bullet in my head, it was JP”‘, Sierra Francis said.
It’s revealed Mica also claims she was involuntarily transferred to a mental health institution by her husband. She also reportedly told her sister that John-Paul ‘hired people’ to follow her, as seen in Sierra’s affidavit.
May 8
Further allegations against John-Paul emerge, claiming he ‘groomed’ her years before the pair married.
Mica alleged John-Paul groomed her, having known her since she was ten.
Divorce documents and abuse allegations
Mica alleged in divorce documents that John-Paul groomed her, and also issued a complaint to police after she was involuntary committed to a mental health institution earlier this year – when she told cops she and her husband had been separated since January.
When she left the institution she filed a police report. It read: ‘The complainant believed that her husband fraudulently initiated her involuntary hospitalization and “stole” her care while she was in the hospital.
‘The complainant stated that she has known her husband since she was ten-years-old and that he “groomed” her while she worked for him at Solid Rock Church until they were married.’
John-Paul’s first marriage ended in divorce when it was revealed he was having an affair with Mica – who had babysat his four children regularly at the time.
Mica and John-Paul did not have any children together.
In divorce proceedings, documents revealed Mica said she was abused ’emotionally, sexually, spiritually, financially and physically’ in ‘every way I can think of’.
She added: ‘He has harassed me physically and electronically with letters, phone calls, emails, and texts, hacking my emails, hacking my personal Facebook, and impersonating me.’
In the months leading to her death, police reports saw four different times in which a report was made about GPS tracking devices on Mica’s car – something with John-Paul admitted to.
He told NewsNation in text messages: ‘I even hired PI to put trackers on her car to know if she was going to a gun store. I have never once in my entire life ever hurt her in any way. Ever.’
John-Paul also emailed Mica to apologise for posting a topless photo of her online, according to NewsNation.
It read: ‘I’m sorry for putting a picture of you on the internet. It was for less than one hour and immediately taken down.
‘I was hurt that you are telling everyone horrible intimate details of my past sin, and I just wanted to try and hurt you. Please forgive me. It was evil of me to do that.’
Why are the FBI involved?
It was announced this week that Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has asked for the assistance of the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI to help investigate Mica’s death.
In a statement, they said: ‘The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with the United States Attorney’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation in South Carolina since the early stages of the Mica Miller investigation.
‘Based on the information gathered during the investigation and jurisdiction reasons, the Sheriff’s Office has requested the assistance of both agencies. No other information will be released at this time.’
The FBI often joins investigations when the cases are severe, politically motivated or involve federally insured institutions. The reason for their involvement in this case has not been confirmed.
Robeson County Medical Examiner Richard Johnson said Miller died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said: ‘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.
‘Unfortunately, rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly, and assumptions were being made.’
The investigation is ongoing.
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