Mica Miller: true story behind Death of the Pastor's Wife
Mica Miller, a Myrtle Beach pastor's wife, was found dead April 27, 2024, at a North Carolina state park; her death was ruled a suicide. Netflix's three-part Death of the Pastor's Wife revisits her marriage to John-Paul Miller, the federal cyberstalking case against him, and her family's push for “Mica's Law.”
Key Takeaways
- Mica Miller, 30, died April 27, 2024, at Lumber River State Park; authorities ruled her death a suicide.
- Netflix's Death of the Pastor's Wife is a three-part docuseries from the team behind Murdaugh Murders and American Murder: Gabby Petito.
- John-Paul “JP” Miller faces federal cyberstalking and false-statement charges; he pleaded not guilty, with trial set for October 2026.
- Her family is backing South Carolina “Mica's Law” (SB 702) to criminalize coercive control; the bill stalled in 2026.
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What happened to Mica Miller?
On April 27, 2024—two days after serving Solid Rock Church pastor John-Paul “JP” Miller with divorce papers—Mica left her apartment, bought a firearm in Myrtle Beach, and drove to Lumber River State Park in North Carolina. She called 911 to say she planned to take her own life and asked operators to trace the call so her family could find her. A kayaker later found her body; she had a gunshot wound to the head. Her death was ruled a suicide.
According to TIME, Mica had told police she feared for her life after tire slashings and suspected stalking. Her sister Sierra said Mica warned that if she ended up with a bullet in her head, it was not by her own hand.
What does Netflix's Death of the Pastor's Wife cover?
The series, co-directed by Mike Gasparro and Julia Willoughby Nason, reconstructs years of alleged coercive control through Mica's journals, texts, police reports, and JP's own sermons and messages. Friends and family describe a relationship that began when Mica was young in the church and later became a marriage marked by filings for divorce and separation.
Gasparro told TIME the team followed evidence after public speculation about murder; investigators confirmed JP had an alibi in Charleston the day she died. The filmmakers then focused on why a 30-year-old woman actively trying to reclaim her life reached that point.
Where does the John-Paul Miller case stand now?
In December 2025, a federal grand jury indicted JP for cyberstalking and making false statements to the FBI. Prosecutors allege tracking, excessive calls, nonconsensual image posting, and tire damage, plus lies to investigators. He pleaded not guilty and has not been charged in connection with her death. Netflix Tudum reports the trial was continued to the October 2026 term; he remains free on bond.
Solid Rock's building was later sold. JP married Suzie Skinner in June 2025 and, per the series, still preaches to small pop-up gatherings. Mica's family is pushing SB 702—“Mica's Law”—to add coercive control to South Carolina domestic-violence law; it stalled in the 2026 session, with plans to reintroduce it.
Death of the Pastor's Wife is streaming on Netflix. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988.