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The founding pastor of Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is taking his case to congregation members in what appears to be another attempt to reclaim the narrative surrounding the death of his estranged wife, Mica Francis Miller, on April 27, 2024.
“As you know, I loved my wife more than anything in this world and took care of her the best I could, as you can read in my sworn affidavit which is public record on the internet and attached to this email,” John-Paul Miller wrote in a lengthy email to church members.
“Please do not believe the lies from the world,” Miller continued. “Instead, please stay focused on the Word of God and the destiny He has for us. The Bible will never fill you with garbage, only truth. The Word of God reminds us that we are not to listen, watch, or hang out with people who set out to destroy the Bride of Christ, the Church. I will be so excited to see all of you as you return.”
“My wife, Mica, is in heaven and anticipating the next soul that will be saved at Solid Rock,” Miller added.
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The attached 128-page filing – which we reported on last week – included more than fifty exhibits intended to prop up John-Paul’s claims about his late wife’s mental health struggles. The filing is John-Paul’s explanation of what happened to Mica that ultimately resulted in her demise – which, according to an investigation by the Robeson County (N.C.) sheriff’s office, was suicide by gunshot.
The affidavit provides the “receipts” John-Paul has been promising for months on social media. Last week, our research director Jenn Wood explained how the filing attempted to place the blame for Mica’s mental health struggles on her family and friends – while at the same time claiming her husband was the only person to take her need for medication seriously.
Some have speculated the superfluous filing – submitted after Miller and Mica’s family reached a global settlement in the case – is a way for the embattled pastor to try and shape public perception despite being under a supposed gag order. The affidavit was attached to an uncontested motion to replace Sierra Francis, Mica’s sister, as the administrator of her estate – a matter no longer in dispute following the settlement.
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Exhibits attached to the affidavit do little to support John-Paul Miller’s narrative – and in some cases the evidence provided tells a different story. In fact, documents provided appear to contradict Miller’s sworn statement as it pertains to Mica’s diagnosis, medical history and alleged history of suicide attempts.
Miller asserted Mica’s mental health issues were a continual source of concern throughout their marriage, however the exhibits indicate that aside from an isolated post-surgery incident in 2017, Mica was stable for a period of time until November 2022.
“I had a manic episode high and was hospitalized then put on 300 lithium,” Mica explained in an email to a doctor on February 28, 2018. “I was on 600 but my body isn’t metabolizing it properly so they took my dose down to 300 and zyprexa 5 mg. Lately I am soooooo depressed and they can’t figure out (without putting me on an antidepressant) what to do. Any advice?”
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While emails from John-Paul sent between December 2017 and January 2018 discussed the need for ongoing medication and management, there was no documentation of a long-term diagnosis – or any discussion of further medical intervention until November 29, 2022.
That date coincides with a police report of a call to Waccamaw Mental Health on November 28, 2022 – a situation which ended with Mica being taken to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation (apparently against the wishes of her husband).
One of the exhibits contained in Miller’s affidavit – Exhibit F – was a screenshot of what is purportedly Mica’s medical chart and discharge instructions from MyHealthOne some time after February 9, 2024. It noted the onset of bipolar disorder, cannabis dependence, and dependent personality disorder in November 2022 – and the onset of acute psychosis on February 9, 2024.
No prior diagnoses were referenced, however.
Mica’s discharge instructions noted only two ongoing prescriptions – Seroquel/Quetiapine (at 200 mg/day) and nicotine patches. John-Paul’s text messages indicated he believed she needed to be taking Lithium in amounts up to 900 mg/per day.
“She has been diagnosed many times, but the three that are always consistent is schizophrenia and bipolar two with severe psychosis, and dependent personality disorder,” Miller stated in the affidavit.
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RELATED | POLICE REPORTS REVEAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS
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Despite John-Paul’s repeated insistence that Mica was schizophrenic, no such diagnosis is contained in the documents he provided to the court – and subsequently to his congregation. While he has maintained his wife attempted suicide on numerous occasions, her MyHealthOne record notes “one prior suicide attempt with firearm.”
The medical chart stated that when Mica was admitted on February 7, 2024, she was “hyper-verbal, focused on ‘the paper trail’… thought process is disorganized, talking about brother and POA… constantly questioning her rights and asking to leave.”
The redacted notes also referenced Mica discussing her sister and her charity. Nearly four months after her death – considering all the information that has come to light in police reports and court filings – these hardly seem the ramblings of a crazy woman.
Also included in Miller’s mountain of exhibits were invoices for various expenses – including four invoices for mental health services dated January 2023 to March 2024 totaling just over $5,200. No invoices were provided prior to January 2023.
FITSNews continues to investigate the many threads surrounding the controversial death of Mica Francis Miller. Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to research@fitsnews.com.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters’. Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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