When Mica Miller, the wife of a South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller, made a 911 call on April 27, 2024, she asked the dispatcher to trace her location. Once the dispatcher identified her location at a South Carolina national park, Mica Miller, 30, shared why she made the call: “I want my family to find me.”
She hung up. Authorities later discovered her body in a river, and reported she had a gunshot wound to the head.
John-Paul "JP" Miller and Mica Miller created the illusion of a perfect marriage. In sermons at their Myrtle Beach church, Solid Rock Ministries, he'd preach about healthy marriages and the consequences of lust and adultery. In online videos, Mica Miller smiled as she shared scripture readings in one video and in others talked
about divorce and intermarital abuse.
But the events leading up to Mica Miller's death hinted at a morbid reality. Netflix’s “Death of a Pastor’s Wife" (streaming now) follows the early beginnings of Mica and JP Miller's relationship, and features interviews from family members, friends and former church members who allege a pattern of manipulation, deception, infidelity and abuse from JP Miller. He declined to comment for the series.
Here's what to know about Mica Miller's death, the toxic relationship between the two and where JP Miller is today.
When did Mica Miller and JP Miller meet?
Mica Miller, whose maiden name is Francis, first met JP Miller as an attendee at Solid Rock Ministries when she was 13. JP Miller, a married father of five, officiated her first marriage in September 2012 at the church. The two, who had a 15-year age gap, began having an affair in 2015, which divided the evangelical members. Despite this, the couple divorced their significant others and married each other in November 2017.
What have family and friends said about JP Miller?
Amid their marriage, friends and family began to learn about a pattern of manipulation and control from JP Miller. They alleged JP Miller asked Mica Miller to get a breast augmentation and limited the amount of time she could spend with friends. She got his name tattooed on her body, according to sister Sierra Francis, who compared the gesture to "ownership" in the documentary. One churchgoer, Erica Rahr, alleged that JP Miller expected Mica Miller to have sex four times a day.
"I get his whole biblical stance on 'Don't ever say no to your husband,'" Rahr said in the docuseries. "But, I'm sorry, that's ridiculous."
JP Miller has denied any abuse and alleged that Mica Miller struggled with mental health issues, including a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
What happened to Mica Miller?
After Mica Miller filed for separation on April 15, 2024, she moved out of their home and began staying with Solid Rock churchgoer Dianna Niosi, according to the documentary. On the day of her death, April 27, 2024, Niosi said that Mica Miller informed her she was heading to work. Mica Miller then went to Dick's Pawn Shop in Myrtle Beach and purchased a gun. After leaving the store, she drove to a North Carolina state park and called 911.
"I’m about to kill myself and I want my family to find me," she said, according to a 911 audio recording. Police found her body in the river, and authorities later ruled Mica Miller's death a suicide, caused by a self-inflicted gun wound.
The next day, JP Miller announced Mica Miller's death at Solid Rock, telling the congregation, "She wasn't well mentally." He added, "She needed her medication that was hard to get to her. I'm sure there will be more details to come. Just keep our family in your prayers."
FBI investigates JP Miller’s Home
On Nov. 1, 2024, the FBI investigated JP Miller's South Carolina home. In the docuseries, Laura Hucks, a biblical counselor, said authorities asked her to lure JP Miller out of his home, so she reached out asking if he was interested in any archival documents. After the two met at a Starbucks, FBI agents arrived at his home and beganto seize boxes of evidence, including what appeared to be a computer screen and external computer drive.
What happened to Solid Rock Ministries?
Solid Rock sold for $2.15 million in February 2025. The building started to be gutted in November 2024, following the FBI investigation into JP Miller's home. In the lead-up to the sale, the church experienced weekly protests from domestic violence awareness advocates.
Since the sale of Solid Rock, the members of the church have met at unconventional places, according to Myrtle Beach's The Sun News, and rebranded as Mercy Church.
JP Miller indicted for cyberstalking wife
A federal grand jury indicted JP Miller on Dec. 18, 2025 on one count of making false statements to federal investigators and one count of cyberstalking, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. From November 2022 to April 2024, the indictment alleged JP Miller posted a nude photo of Mica Miller online without her consent, used tracking devices on her car, and contacted her over 50 times in one day. The indictment also states JP Miller allegedly interfered with Mica Miller's finances, daily tasks and damaged her tires.
Where is JP Miller now?
JP Miller is currently out of jail on a $100,000 bond, according to South Carolina news channel WPDE. A federal trial for the Myrtle Beach pastor is scheduled for October 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for cyberstalking and two years for false statements, along with a fine up to $250,000. JP Miller has pled not guilty to the federal charges and has not been charged in connection with her death.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting “988.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is Pastor John-Paul Miller now? Update on 'Death of a Pastor’s Wife' case
