Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A pastor’s wife, whose cause of death was initially shrouded in mystery, was confirmed to have died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.” On April 27, 30-year-old Mica Miller was discovered at Lumber River State Park with a fatal gunshot wound to her head, as reported by her husband during a heart-wrenching Sunday service announcement.
John-Paul Miller, 44, the pastor of Solid Rock church, shocked his congregation when he disclosed that his wife’s death was “self-induced.” He shared with his churchgoers, “I got a call late last night, my wife has passed away. It was self-induced and it was up in North Carolina. Y’all pray for me and my kids and everybody. You all knew she wasn’t well mentally and she needed medicine that was hard to get to her. I’m sure there will be more details to come, but keep her family in your prayers.”
The New York Post quoted the pastor explaining how Mica had previously “struggled” with suicide but “God took care of her and got her through it.” This revelation led friends and family to urge law enforcement to investigate further into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Confirming the initial suspicion, Robeson County Medical Examiner Dr. Richard Johnson declared on May 6 that the death resulted from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, stating, “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 ABC.
Dr. Johnson, who wasn’t the on-call medical examiner at the time of Mica’s death but assisted at the scene, added that a toxicology report revealed no presence of drugs or alcohol in Mica’s system, as reported by The Post and Courier.
Despite the circumstances, an autopsy was not performed. Robeson County Medical Examiner Jennifer Altman explained there was no indication of foul play to necessitate an autopsy.
In a poignant social media video posted weeks before her death, Mica touched on issues of abuse, stating, “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.”
Amid this tragic event, court records reveal that Mica had initially filed for divorce from John-Paul in October 2023 but withdrew it in February 2024. However, on April 15, merely 12 days prior to her death, she filed for divorce once more.
In response to the swirling rumors and media speculation about his involvement in Mica’s death, Miller’s attorney, Russell Long, stated to the New York Post, “Following the untimely death of Mica Miller, unfounded rumors and false accusations began circulating on social media and in various media outlets, suggesting Pastor Miller’s involvement in her demise. This created a buzz, causing local and national media outlets to be proliferating these falsehoods, on a mammoth proportion. Our client refutes any report that suggests he ever abused his wife.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.