Speculation Arises after Pastor's Wife Found Dead with Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

Speculation Arises after Pastor's Wife Found Dead with Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

A medical examiner has concluded that Mica Miller, the wife of Pastor John-Paul Miller of Solid Rock at Market Common in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, died of a self-induced gunshot wound late last month. According to Robeson County Medical Examiner Dr. Richard Johnson, Mica died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“Based on the nature of the wound, that it is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. And it was not in the back of the head, as it has been speculated.”

According to The Christian Post, Mica’s body was found at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County on April 27. She was 30 years old at the time of her death. 

Pastor Miller first announced the death of his wife at the conclusion of Sunday service on a day after her death, noting that she wasn’t well mentally. 

 “After the announcement, I’m going to ask that you leave church quietly and don’t talk about the announcement here in the building, please, if you can,” he told the congregation.

“My request to you is that you continue to come to church and serve for the next little bit because … I’m taking a little bit of a break, and I don’t want to have to worry about the church. My break may be a few days, or a few weeks. I don’t know,” he said.

“I got a call late last night. My wife has passed away. Yeah, it was self-induced, and it was up in North Carolina,” he added, noting that a funeral will be held for her at the church at 3 p.m. on May 5.

“I’m just kind of going on adrenaline right now, so y’all pray for my kids and everybody. Y’all knew she wasn’t well mentally, and she needed medicine that was hard to get to her and so, I’m sure there’ll be more details to come, so just keep our family in your prayers.”

Friends and family, however, speculate that Mica’s death wasn’t by suicide. As noted by Prostestia, who posted Pastor Miller’s remarks, the pastor “was cracking jokes during the service, calling himself handsome and charging.”

During an interview with NewsNation, Tim Carter, a friend of the Miller’s, told NewsNation’s Rich McHugh that he has a “gut feeling” Mica did not commit suicide. … “I don’t believe it for a minute.”

Likewise, Mica’s former friends Ken and Alicia Young said they “absolutely believe” Mica did not kill herself.

As reported by The Christian Post, Miller’s younger sister, Sierra Francis, alleged that her sister said that if she was fatally shot in her head, her husband should be the one to blame. In a sword affidavit posted by Prostestia on X, Francis, who filled on the application to serve as special administrator for her sister’s estate, shared that Mica had served her husband with divorce papers on April 25 and was looking forward to being free from her husband because he was reportedly abusive. 

“My sister was hopeful for her future after filing for divorce from John-Paul,” Francis wrote in the affidavit.

“My sister also expressed to me that she was fearful that she would not make it to the divorce and that her life would be taken from her. It is my belief, based on conversations with my sister, that she told multiple people, including other family members,” Francis continued.

“Mica stated to me on many occasions ‘if I end up with a bullet in my head, it was not by me, it was JP.’ Mica forwarded a family group text message notifying us that Mr. Miller was served the divorce papers on April 25, 2024,” Francis added. “On April 27, 2024, my sister, Mica A. Miller, was found dead as a result of a gunshot wound in Lumberton, North Carolina.”

In a separate affidavit, Mica Miller’s brother, Nathaniel Francis, who was a member of Solid Rock at Market Common, said his late sister spoke to him about her marital struggles.

He also shared that he left the church after several years there “due to the behaviors I observed.”

Prior to Mica’s death, she reportedly told police that she was viciously stalked by her estranged husband. 

“Mica made several police reports over the last few weeks of her tires being slashed and tracking devices found on her car. In Mr. Miller’s email forwarded to me, he apologizes to Mica for the tires and causing damage to her vehicle,” Nathaniel Francis wrote.

“Mr. Miller’s email to my sister continued to state that he was angry when Mica confided or ‘put her family before’ him, and that made him want to hurt her. In his words, ‘When someone hurts me, I try to hurt them back rather than forgive.’ And instead of me forgiving you…I just attack and try to cause pain.’”

Meanwhile, the Rev. Charles Randall, Pastor Miller’s spiritual advisor and mentor, previously told The Christian Post refuted the allegations against him as “lies.”

Mica first filed for divorce from Miller in October 2023, following prior filings for separation. The couple first met when Mica was 14 years old, and Miller, who was 14 years her senior, when she was a member of his church youth group. In March, she posted an emotional video on her Facebook page on abuse and advice for anyone in an abusive relationship, The Daily Mail, reported. 

'Today my heart's a little heavy. I've had lots of women that have reached out to me about situations of abuse, and I just want to tell you what a lot of people have told me lately, because I think I forgot.

'But you are the bride of Christ before anybody else's, male or female, it doesn't matter what gender you are, abuse is abuse. 

'You don't have to stay in an abusive relationship. Whether that's sexual, whether that's somebody forcing you to take illegal drugs or alcohol abuse, or physical abuse, psychological abuse, making you think that this is all your fault or that you're a bad mom or a bad husband or you're not giving it your all when you know you are.

'God hates divorce, but why? According to everybody that I've asked and the scriptures I've seen it's because it hurts people. But does abuse hurt people. How do you think God feels about that?'

As reported by ABC-affiliate 15 News, the overseer of Solid Rock Church in Market Common informed members on Sunday that Pastor Miller was released from all ministerial functions "for a time of healing, counsel, and guidance, pursuant to our governing instrument."

The church’s website was also suspended during the weekend.

Photo Credit: ©Youtube/WFLA News Channel 8

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.