Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing
A pastor's wife's whose death was announced by her husband during a Sunday service has had her cause of death confirmed as a 'self-inflicted gunshot wound'.
On April 27, Mica Miller, 30, was found in Lumber River State Park with a self-inflicted fatal gunshot wound to the head.
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In the days following her death, her husband John-Paul Miller, 44, sent Solid Rock churchgoers reeling when he revealed his wife’s death was ‘self-induced’.
As reported by the New York Post, the Myrtle Beach pastor said: “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.”
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He added that Mica had ‘struggled’ with suicide before but ‘God took care of her and got her through it.
Following John-Paul’s admittance, Mica’s friends and family urged police to probe deeper into the case.
However, according to Robeson County Medical Examiner Dr. Richard Johnson, John-Paul’s suicide verdict was correct.
The official announced on May 6 that Mica had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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“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,” he said, as per ABC.
Johnson added that while he wasn’t the on-call medical examiner on the weekend the woman died, he did go to the scene to assist them.
Furthermore, a toxicology report obtained by The Post and Courier claims that no drugs or alcohol was found within the woman’s system.
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Robeson County Medical Examiner Jennifer Altman said an autopsy was not performed because there was no concern of foul play.
Weeks before she died, Mica took to social media and posted a video claiming it didn’t ‘matter what gender’ you were as ‘abuse is abuse’.
“Today my heart's a little heavy,” she said in the clip. “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.”
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Court records seen by the publication state that Mica first sought divorce from John-Paul in October 2023 before withdrawing the filing in February 2024.
In the same month, John-Paul filed against his wife for ‘separate support and maintenance’ in a motion withdrawn on March 11.
On April 15, just 12 days before Mica’s death, she filed for divorce again against her husband.
Miller's lawyer Russell Long said in a statement 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."
UNILAD has previously reached out to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office for further comment.
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.
Ella Scott