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Less than one week after the sudden, suspicious death of 30-year old Mica Miller of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the local probate court appointed her sister as special administrator over her estate. While this was a significant development in and of itself, the application for this appointment contained the real revelation – a harrowing glimpse into the life of fear Miller told friends and family she was leading in the days just before her death.
In social media messages posted prior to her alleged suicide in Lumberton, North Carolina last Saturday (April 27, 2024), Miller spoke of a “difficult situation” she was going through in her personal life.
“I’m going through a lot and it’s hard,” she said.
The probate court application spelled out in no uncertain terms that the “difficult situation” Miller was dealing with was years of alleged violence, abuse and stalking from her pastor-husband, John-Paul “JP” Miller.
The Millers’ story made national headlines following the bizarre announcement of Mica’s death by her husband to the congregation of their church – Solid Rock at Market Common – just one day after he allegedly received the news. At the conclusion of a full-length, upbeat sermon last Sunday (April 28, 2024), Miller asked his congregation to stand for an announcement — giving his parishioners strict instructions not to discuss the forthcoming news amongst themselves.
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“We’re not going to do an altar call today,” he said. “Instead, I’m going to have you stand up and I’m going to make an announcement and after the announcement I’m going to ask that you leave church quietly and don’t talk about the announcement here in the building.”
Miller implored his congregants to “continue to come to church and serve and give for the next little bit because … I’m talking a little bit of a break.”
“My break may be a few days, a few weeks – I don’t know,” Miller continued, his voice breaking. “I got a call late last night my wife has passed away. Yeah. It was self-induced and it was up in North Carolina and, um, we’re going to have a funeral for her next Sunday here at 3:00 p.m.”
“Ya’ll knew that she wasn’t well mentally – and that she needed her medicine that was hard to get to her,” Miller said. “I’m sure there’ll be more details to come.”
Take a look …
(Click to View)
Immediately following the announcement, Miller’s family and friends took to the internet expressing shock and disbelief at her husband’s claim that Mica committed suicide.
Mica Miller’s body was found last weekend at the Lumber River State Park in North Carolina – a little over an hour’s drive from Myrtle Beach. While it has been reported her death was the result of a gunshot wound to the head, the exact circumstances surrounding how or where her body was located are still unknown. Friends have indicated she had no known ties to the area – and no known reason to be an hour away from home.
Behind the scenes, Mica’s family was actively taking steps to protect her estate as tensions were beginning to escalate. On May 3, 2024, an application was filed by attorney Jarrett Bouchette in Horry County probate court on behalf of Mica’s sister, Sierra Francis. That application sought to appoint Francis as a special administrator of Mica’s estate. Attached to this application were affidavits and exhibits showing why friends and family are actively seeking a full investigation into her death.
The appointment of special administrator was requested to:
- preserve Mica’s portion of the “marital estate”
- to obtain confidential records from Waccamaw Mental Health, South Strand Medical Center/Grand Strand Regional Medical Center and Victim’s Advocacy
- to gain access to and take possession of “any wills, deeds to cemetery plots, and insurance policies, or other Estate related documents in Decedent’s safe deposit box”
According to a memorandum in support of this request, the timing of Mica’s death was very suspicious.
As we previously reported, just prior to her death – on April 15, 2024 – Mica filed for divorce from her husband. As we reported, JP Miller was served these papers on April 25, 2024 — two days prior to her death. The hearing relating to this filing had been scheduled for June 5, 2024 in front of S.C. family court judge Jan Bromell Holmes. At that hearing, Miller’s attorneys hoped to obtain an order which would restrain John-Paul Miller from disposing of, encumbering, transferring, selling, hypothecating, pledging, destroying or otherwise altering the status or value of any marital asset.

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Because Mica Miller’s divorce papers were filed prior to her death, the portion of the divorce seeking equitable division of assets – basically the individual’s share of the marital estate – survives even if the individual dies. That means Mica’s estate can seek to recover that portion of the marital estate so long as a claim has been filed.
The memorandum in support of installing Mica Miller’s sister as administrator pointed out “it would be impractical for Mr. Miller to be appointed as special administrator, or personal representative, of (Mica’s) estate as he has a pecuniary interest in the outcome of such a claim regarding the marital estate.”
“It is prudent for a third-party to be appointed for this purpose to ensure that the results are equitable to those involved,” the memo added.
The affidavits from Mica’s sister and brother go into further detail about what the young wife was experiencing in the weeks and days leading up to her death. In her affidavit, Mica’s sister — who said she spoke to Mica “every few days” and texted with her daily — stated Mica “expressed the abuse and violence against her by her husband to others, including family members and members of the church congregation.”
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The affidavit claimed Mica was living in fear as she prepared to serve divorce papers on her estranged husband. It added that JP Miller allegedly had people following his wife and keeping track of where she went – which he reportedly acknowledged in at least one sermon.
Mica also told her sister that JP Miller had been moving assets around to avoid them being included in the marital estates. Specifically, she stated he transferred the deed to their house to the church – and transferred his interest in a local piano bar called ‘Crocodile Rocks‘ to his son.
According to the affidavit, Mica had been gathering evidence in preparation to file for divorce – evidence which would have supported her claims of “abuse, character, his paramours, and associates he ‘paid off’ or blackmailed when she was admitted to the Waccamaw Mental Health facility.”
According to her sister, when Mica was discharged from the facility – unbeknownst to her – JP Miller had moved her belongings out of the house and all of the evidence she had gathered was “removed from her phone, personal laptop, vehicle and purse and never recovered.”
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Mica was further unable to access her email, iCloud or Facebook account following this admission, according to her sister. Additionally, JP Miller allegedly continued to use at least one of her accounts – causing any recipient who received messages from it to believe they were sent by Mica.
Mica’s sister says in the weeks leading up to her death, she was very hopeful about her future – but had expressed fear that “she would not make it to the divorce and that her life would be taken from her.”
She told Sierra many times, “if I end up with a bullet in my head, it was not by me, it was JP.”
(Click to view)
The worst fears of Mica Miller’s friends and family were realized on April 27, 2024 – but a campaign immediately began to find the truth about how Mica Miller died. After being informed they were not welcome to attend Mica’s funeral at the church she had allegedly been trying so hard to escape, Mica’s friends and family held a memorial for her on Sunday on the beach – a place she loved based on the many photos of her beaming with the ocean in the background. There, they celebrated the life of this young woman – and demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Count on our media outlet – which first reported on MIller’s suspicious death last Thursday – to keep our audience up to speed on the very latest related to this story.
UPDATE |
Cause, manner of death released …
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THE APPLICATION …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jenn Wood is FITSNews’ incomparable research director. She’s also the producer of the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts and leading expert on all things Murdaugh/ South Carolina justice. A former private investigator with a criminal justice degree, evildoers beware, Jenn Wood is far from your average journalist! A deep dive researcher with a passion for truth and a heart for victims, this mom of two is pretty much a superhero in FITSNews country. Did we mention she’s married to a rocket scientist? (Lucky guy!) Got a story idea or a tip for Jenn? Email her at jenn@fitsnews.com.
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13 comments
Thank you so much for staying out ahead on this sad but important situation. Since, so far as I can tell, local media in the upcountry haven’t covered this story, if not for FITS News, I and many others would’ve never known about it.
This is tragic enough, but am I to understand that you just posted her sisters address, email, and phone number? This woman was terrified of her husband and now her sister is taking everything over, which puts her in jeopardy now…and her personal information is out there to see? That is far from being ok, even if it is legally within the scope of what you’re allowed to do. I fear for her.
Apparently sitting down for a few minutes with a Sharpie is a lot to ask.
I share “survivor’s” concern re the safety of Mica’s sister….Hopefully, her legal counsel/law enforcement are taking measures to protect her and other family members.
I’m curious – is there any record of the church-based memorial service – announced by her husband at the previous Sunday service when he announced her death? It was supposed to be yesterday at 3 PM.
This is already a nightmare-ish set of facts regarding the pastor’s pre-emptive actions to shield himself and his assets. But I fear that further revelations will only deepen Mica’s family’s grief. And what about the little boy mentioned????
While i agree they probably should have blanked it out anyone can get a copy of this and still get the info.
In fact, she (Ms. Francis) will have to publicize her number and address as a part of the probate process. Much ado about nothing.
Just one of a million reasons why I don’t go to church. Don’t need some wife beater telling me how awful everyone else is and how I should be giving him money.
Read your Bible at home and tithe to a good charity. You will find nothing but sin in the majority of today’s churches.
There is sin everywhere…because we are all sinners. Church is for the lost, the broken, the…sinner. The problem is the church assemblies who place single person in such a high, unaccountable position of power and adoration that they cannot be questioned or otherwise put in check – which is what the deacons and elders are supposed to do, but so often become rubber stamp for the sole preacher. The early church (i.e., first 300 years or so of the Church) never allowed single individual to hold such a level of power. Now, especially in the South, the large trendy megachurch pastor is somewhat kin to an SEC football coach….they get paid exorbitant salaries, clean house when they come in and put in who they want, and if they don’t perform, well you literally have to pay them more money to leave. But is all this a reason to leave the church and live a “solo” Christian walk? NO – the teachings of the apostles explicitly call Christians to act together in love, harmony, and godly exhortation.
Good response.
Good response by CongareeCatfish, I mean.
Just an observation, but I see zero grief in the pastor’s announcement. His emotion was akin to him saying the building fund is growing and they’d hold a fundraiser later in the month. I wonder if they are a Bethel affiliate church?
Well said CongareeCatfish!
Excellent piece. Oddly, Lumberton is referred to by NC defense attorneys as “the Murder Capitol of the state.”