TRUE CRIME

Mica Miller Saga: Embattled Pastor’s Legal Drama Escalates

More lawsuits filed by John-Paul Miller against his critics…

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John-Paul Miller – the embattled pastor and founder of the since-shuttered Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – filed four new lawsuits this week in local magistrate court, bringing the total number of individuals he is currently suing to at least fourteen. The latest filings named Melissa DeMarco, Tonya Nycole Hall, Tina Mattingly and Joanna Sementelli – all of Horry County, S.C. – as defendants.

Miller’s litigiousness is the latest fallout from the death of his estranged wife, Mica Francis Miller, on April 27, 2024.

To recap: Mica’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the head at 4:23 p.m. EST on April 27, 2024 at North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park – a sprawling 14,000-acre wilderness located roughly an hour’s drive northwest of Myrtle Beach.  Her body was found at this secluded location a short time after she placed a call to 911 asking the operator to pinpoint her phone – stating she was “going to kill herself” and wanted her family to be able to find her body.

Mica had traveled to this park from Myrtle Beach earlier that day, and her body was discovered by police in a swampy area approximately forty meters from where spent shell casings and her belongings were recovered.

Mica died less than 48 hours after serving her husband with divorce papers.

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On April 28, 2024 – less than twelve hours after being notified of Mica’s death – John-Paul Miller delivered a sermon at Solid Rock which closed with a bizarre announcement of her passing. Miller told congregants not to discuss Mica’s death as they departed the church.

Mica’s death was officially ruled a suicide by North Carolina investigators and medical examiners, but the bizarre manner in which her husband revealed it – and subsequent allegations of harassment and abuse leveled against him in multiple court filings and previous 911 calls – have raised doubts.

The incident sparked a near immediate response that included rallies and protests, cries of ‘Justice for Mica’ – and an ongoing probe into related allegations against John-Paul Miller led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Fueling the fire, scores of police reports and court filings have come to light which would seem to indicate a pattern of coercive control, stalking, harassment and domestic abuse perpetrated against Mica by her husband from the start of the marriage – and continuing until her death.

In his civil complaints, Miller takes exception to flood of criticism he’s received since the story broke. According to the controversial pastor, he has been met with extreme stalking and harassment which has made him fearful, tarnished his reputation and thwarted his ministry.  

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JP Miller. Mica Miller. Court. Evidence. Regina Ward. Andy Fancher.

RELATED | MILLER FILES MULTIPLE LAWSUITS

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On Friday, January 10, 2025, Miller filed a barrage of lawsuits against numerous individuals using the address of the newly formed Mercy Church Ministries. The defendants named in those suits included: Melissa Pfeiffer, Jan Lancaster, Kenn Young, Courtney Anne, Samuel A. Rickman, Sandra Kay Caron, Tracy Hermes, Alexandra Cuozzo, Kyler Marlowe, and Anne Plaggenborg.

Miller also has a pending defamation lawsuit filed on September 17, 2024, against paralegal Melissa Mancari in Horry County, as well as an appeal involving a restraining order against independent journalist Jan Lancaster – a defendant in one of the recently filed civil suits.

The motion for a restraining order was filed on September 5, 2024. The magistrate court ruled in Miller’s favor on November 6, 2024. An appeal of that decision will be heard at 9:30 a.m. EST on February 21, 2025.

The 61-page appeal filing contained dozens of pages of text messages detailing exchanges between Miller and Lancaster as the situation unfolded in the months following Mica’s death.

In the messages, the two appear to be on friendly terms…

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(Myrtle Beach, S.C. municipal court)

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The exhibits revealed Miller and Lancaster were trading notes on content creators – and others on the sidelines of the case. During the exchanges, Lancaster repeatedly seeks out Miller’s permission to report his comments or to film him for social media.

Take a look…

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(Myrtle Beach, S.C. municipal court)

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According to the screenshots, Miller also repeatedly invited Lancaster to meet him for lunch. He described himself in the exchanges as lonely and bored after having been relieved of ministerial duties.

Take a look…

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(Myrtle Beach, S.C. municipal court)

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In his motion for the restraining order, Miller claimed his privacy was being invaded by content creators like Lancaster, whom he insisted do not behave like “real” members of the media.

Given the ongoing FBI investigation and the public interest in this case, the court may view Lancaster’s actions as legitimate journalism rather than stalking and harassment. As a pastor – a public figure – Miller’s expectation of privacy is diminished, so the claim that his privacy has been continuously violated may not yield the results it would for a private citizen.

At this point, though, that remains to be determined by the court.

As these cases progress through the legal system, FITSNews will continue to track pertinent developments – just as we will continue to keep tabs on the FBI investigation and efforts to amend South Carolina’s domestic violence laws to better address coercive control.

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THE FILINGS…

(Myrtle Beach, S.C. municipal court)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Callie Lyons (provided)

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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3 comments

Avatar photo
The Colonel Top fan January 24, 2025 at 4:45 pm

Decompensation?

Reply
Greg Compton January 25, 2025 at 10:42 am

He’s a scum bag, cult leader.

Reply
MaryContrary Top fan January 26, 2025 at 8:19 pm

He is not a real pastor, just a manipulator and cult leader, imho.

Reply

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