Update: Myrtle Beach pastor John-Paul Miller faces federal charges in death of wife
A Myrtle Beach pastor who gained national attention after the death of his wife is facing federal charges in the case.
Mica Miller’s death put the couple’s relationship under a microscope. John-Paul Miller has been accused of abusing his wife and contributing to her death. The couple were estranged at the time.
Mica Miller took her own life in a North Carolina state park on April 27, 2024.
A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a two-count indictment against Miller, 46, of Myrtle Beach, for cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators, according to a press release sent Thursday from the office of the United States Attorney District of South Carolina.
John-Paul Miller’s attorney, Russell Long, said by text when contacted Wednesday, “I don’t have any comment or answers tonight.”
The indictment alleges that beginning in November 2022, Miller sent unwanted and harassing communications to his estranged wife until her death on April 27, 2024. The harassing behavior included Miller posting a nude photo of the victim online without her consent, causing tracking devices to be placed on her vehicle, and in one instance, contacting her over 50 times in a single day. The indictment also alleges he interfered with her finances and her daily activities and on one occasion damaged her vehicle tires, the release said.
Federal investigators interviewed Miller about these allegations and Miller lied in his responses. Miller said he hired a private investigator to protect the victim from purchasing firearms. In reality, he hired the investigator to cyberstalk her for alleged adultery. Miller said he did not damage the victim’s tires, when in fact he purchased a tire deflation device online and sent messages to others regarding the victim’s vehicle.
Miller faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for cyberstalking and two years in prison for his false statements. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2026, in federal court in Florence.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Myrtle Beach Police Department, the Horry County Police Department, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office and the Robeson County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Kathleen Stoughton are prosecuting the case.
Miller, the former paster of Solid Rock Church, has denied allegations of abuse or having anything to do with his wife’s death.
In November 2024, the FBI searched John-Paul Miller’s Myrtle Beach home for reasons that remain unknown. The Sun News requested the incident report but never received it.
In May 2024, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office released a video of Mica Miller 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 being started and posts circulating online with the hashtag #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.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM.
