7 months after wife’s death, SC pastor John-Paul Miller takes pulpit amid suits & protests
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Michael Francis’ name. (Updated 9:51 a.m. Feb. 6, 2025)
Myrtle Beach Pastor John-Paul Miller has returned to the pulpit after having spent months entrenched in controversy over his late wife’s suicide.
Mica Miller’s death gained national attention and has put the couple’s relationship under a microscope.
John-Paul Miller claims he is attempting to start anew with a different ministry and has taken legal actions to get rid of protesters who have stationed themselves outside the former Solid Rock Church building, where Miller was pastor before he stepped down.
A group of protesters have gathered outside the 803 Howard Ave. building every Sunday since May 2024, trying to bring awareness to domestic abuse and demanding “justice for Mica.”
John-Paul Miller has filed multiple restraining orders against the protesters, but they are still showing up, undeterred by the threats.
Solid Rock Church closed in November with Living Water Church taking over its assets, Russel Long, John-Paul Miller’s lawyer, previously said. On Feb. 2, Miller said he is not involved with Living Water Church, despite records showing that he applied for a business license for the non-profit.
Miller preached to his new congregation, Mercy Church, on Sunday morning in the former Solid Rock Church building located in Market Common. In November, Solid Rock Church shut down and everything inside was given away, Miller said.
Most of the church rooms are completely bare. Within the chapel, wires hung from the ceiling where speakers once were, the stained carpet shows obvious wear-and-tear and a dirty ladder laid against the wall. Around 50 people came to service — a small fraction compared to the hundreds that used to show up.
Miller, who previously led Solid Rock Church, stopped preaching shortly after the death of his wife, Mica Miller. She committed suicide in a North Carolina state park on April 27, 2024.
Since her death, which has gained national attention, John-Paul Miller has been accused of abusing his wife and contributing to her death. He has denied the allegations.
John-Paul Miller has been criticized for announcing Mica Miller’s death to the congregation at the end of his sermon on April 28, 2024. He stopped preaching after that service.
Miller said he began preaching again about the beginning of 2025, although he hasn’t always had a place to do so. He’s taken the congregation to unconventional spaces for Sunday service — such as a gym and an empty store — before returning to the cleared-out Market Common church, various sources said.
Mercy Church appears to be a new iteration of the now-closed Solid Rock Church, with the name appearing as the only notable difference between the two.
“I spent 2024 giving mercy to everyone who slandered me, abused me, defamed me, and invaded my privacy. I gave so much mercy that I helped start a new church called Mercy Church,” John-Paul Miller told The Sun News over text. “But in 2025 God spoke to me and told me to give the mob what they want. They never asked for mercy, they demanded justice. So in 2025, I’ll be pursuing Justice.”
Miller has been attempting to stop the protesters using lawsuits. Since the start of 2025, he has filed over 20 court actions, including lawsuits and restraining orders against various Justice for Mica supporters.
The Sun News requested comments from multiple defendants, including Alexandra Cuozzo and Sandra Caron, who declined.
Miller is not the only one filing lawsuits. His father, Wayne Miller, and a handful of others have filed court actions against the same people as John-Paul Miller.
What is Justice for Mica?
Mica Miller committed suicide on April 27, according to North Carolina officials. In May, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office released a video of her buying a gun before driving from Myrtle Beach to a North Carolina state park. There, she called 911 and told them she was planning to kill herself. Her body was found in the state park.
Her death has become a national conversation topic, with people making TikTok videos about her, Facebook groups started and posts circulating online with the #JusticeForMica.
Mica Miller’s father and sister, Michael and Sierra Francis, told The Sun News previously that they believe Mica Miller was in an abusive relationship with John-Paul Miller. The family made it known that they did not approve of the couple’s relationship.
The family also offered help as she tried to leave him, they claim. Mica Miller had filed for separation from her husband multiple times before her death. At the time of her death, the couple were estranged.
Mica Miller also struggled with mental illness, according to her husband. Mica Miller talked openly about issues she was dealing with on her Facebook page. Medical records provided by John-Paul Miller show she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and dependent personality disorder. Her family denied she had a history of mental health, saying her disorders didn’t start until she got involved with John-Paul Miller.
FBI searches Miller’s home
In November, the FBI searched John-Paul Miller’s Myrtle Beach home for reasons that remain unknown. The Sun News requested the incident report but have not received it as of Feb. 3.
Later in the month, Solid Rock Church closed.
In addition, John-Paul Miller was arrested for third-degree assault in November. During an argument with Caron, one of the protesters, he allegedly tapped her baseball cap with his phone. He was released on bond the follow day.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
