Mica Miller: Mica Acacia Miller
Born: March 7, 1994
Died: April 27, 2024
Age: 30
Place of death: Lumber River State Park, Robeson County, North Carolina
Official cause and manner of death: Suicide by gunshot wound
Husband: John-Paul “JP” Miller
Documentary: Death of the Pastor’s Wife
Netflix release: August 26, 2026
Mica Miller obituary: Remembering her life and death
Mica Acacia Miller, a 30-year-old pastor’s wife, women’s ministry leader and former assistant at Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, died on April 27, 2024, at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina.
Authorities ultimately ruled her death a suicide. The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office said the determination was based on surveillance footage, interviews, physical evidence and findings from the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office.
More than two years later, Mica’s story has returned to national attention with the release of Netflix’s three-part documentary series Death of the Pastor’s Wife. The series, which premiered August 26, 2026, examines Mica’s life, her troubled marriage to John-Paul Miller and the circumstances surrounding her death through interviews, previously unseen material and accounts from people who knew her.
The documentary has renewed interest in a case that has generated intense public discussion. But an important distinction remains: Mica’s death was officially ruled a suicide, and John-Paul Miller has not been charged with causing her death.
Who was Mica Miller?
Mica Acacia Miller was born on March 7, 1994, in Wichita, Kansas, to Michael Francis and Angelita Ramirez. Her family later moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where she attended Socastee High School.
Mica became closely involved with Solid Rock Church, where John-Paul Miller served as pastor. She worked as a nanny and babysitter for his children before eventually becoming his wife.
According to accounts surrounding the case, Mica and John-Paul began a relationship while he was still married to his first wife. John-Paul subsequently divorced his first wife, Alison Williams, and he and Mica married in November 2017.
Mica became stepmother to his five children.
The couple’s relationship later deteriorated. Mica filed for divorce shortly before her death, and people close to her described increasing conflict and distress during the period leading up to April 2024.
Netflix’s documentary draws extensively on material from Mica’s life, including journals, text messages and footage, as well as police reports and medical records. The filmmakers say these materials are intended to reconstruct the events leading to her death rather than simply retell the case through hindsight.
How did Mica Miller die?
Mica died on April 27, 2024, at Lumber River State Park in North Carolina.
According to investigators, she had purchased a firearm earlier that day and traveled to the park. At approximately 2:54 p.m., a woman called Robeson County 911 and told the dispatcher that she was going to kill herself and wanted her family to be able to find her. The dispatcher was able to locate the phone, and deputies were sent to the area.
Mica was subsequently found dead at the park.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office later announced that her death had been ruled a suicide. Investigators said the conclusion was supported by multiple forms of evidence, including surveillance footage, interviews, physical evidence and the medical examiner’s examination.
What was the official finding?
The official finding is important because considerable speculation has surrounded the case.
Mica Miller’s death was ruled a suicide.
Authorities did not determine that John-Paul Miller caused her death. The later federal prosecution of Miller concerns alleged conduct surrounding Mica before her death, not a homicide charge.
This distinction should be maintained in any responsible account of the case.
Why did Mica Miller’s death attract so much attention?
Interest in Mica’s death grew because of allegations concerning her relationship with John-Paul Miller and reports that she had expressed fear and concerns about harassment before her death.
The Netflix documentary revisits those allegations and presents accounts from Mica’s family, friends and other people connected to the story. Netflix describes the series as an examination of her life, marriage and the circumstances surrounding her death, while also exploring the family’s continuing search for answers.
Some of the allegations made against John-Paul are serious and should be treated as allegations rather than established facts unless proven in court.
That distinction is particularly important because the federal charges against him concern alleged cyberstalking and false statements to investigators—not Mica’s death itself.
What charges does John-Paul Miller face?
In December 2025, a federal grand jury indicted John-Paul Miller on charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators.
According to the federal case described by authorities and subsequent reporting, prosecutors allege that Miller engaged in a pattern of harassment involving Mica before her death. The allegations include unwanted communications, tracking-related conduct and the distribution of an intimate photograph.
Miller pleaded not guilty.
As of August 26, 2026, he has not been charged in connection with Mica Miller’s death. Netflix’s latest reporting states that his federal trial has been pushed to the October 2026 term and that he remains free on bond.
Because the case remains pending, allegations contained in the indictment should not be presented as proven criminal conduct.
What is Netflix’s ‘Death of the Pastor’s Wife’ about?
Netflix’s Death of the Pastor’s Wife is a three-part documentary series examining Mica’s life and death.
The series premiered on Netflix on August 26, 2026. Its three episodes are titled:
- “A Note From Your Pastor”
- “Helpmate”
- “What Happened to Mica”
Netflix describes the series as a documentary that retraces Mica’s life, her marriage and the circumstances surrounding her death.
The filmmakers, Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, use interviews with people who knew Mica, along with personal material and documentary records.
According to Netflix’s reporting, the production incorporates Mica’s journals, texts, performance footage, police reports and medical records, alongside interviews with family and others connected to the case.
What does the documentary add to the story?
The documentary does not change the official cause and manner of Mica’s death.
Instead, it places greater emphasis on the events that preceded her death and on the experiences described by people close to her.
That includes accounts of her deteriorating marriage, her efforts to leave the relationship and allegations of controlling behavior.
The series also examines what happened after Mica’s death, including the federal investigation into John-Paul Miller and the legal and political efforts by Mica’s family to address concerns about coercive control.
Netflix reports that Mica’s family has continued advocating for legal reform commonly referred to as Mica’s Law.
Mica Miller’s legacy
For Mica’s family and friends, her story is about more than the circumstances of her death.
She was a daughter, sister, stepmother, church member and young woman whose life ended at 30.
The renewed attention surrounding her case has also placed broader issues—including domestic abuse, stalking, coercive control and the difficulty victims can face when attempting to leave troubled relationships—into the public conversation.
Her family has continued to seek changes in the law, hoping that lessons from her experience can help protect others.
What happened to Mica Miller? The key facts
| Question | What is known |
|---|---|
| Who was Mica Miller? | A 30-year-old women’s ministry leader and pastor’s wife from the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area |
| When did she die? | April 27, 2024 |
| Where did she die? | Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina |
| What was the official ruling? | Suicide |
| Was John-Paul Miller charged with causing her death? | No |
| What federal charges does he face? | Cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators |
| Did he plead guilty? | No. He pleaded not guilty |
| When is his federal trial expected? | October 2026 term, according to the latest available reporting |
| What is the Netflix documentary called? | Death of the Pastor’s Wife |
| When did it premiere? | August 26, 2026 |
Mica Miller obituary and continuing questions
Mica Miller’s death remains a deeply emotional case because the official ruling and the questions raised by her family, friends and subsequent investigations exist alongside one another.
The official finding is that Mica died by suicide. That should not be obscured by sensational descriptions of her death.
At the same time, the circumstances leading up to her death, the allegations surrounding her marriage and the subsequent federal case against John-Paul Miller have continued to receive public scrutiny.
Netflix’s Death of the Pastor’s Wife has brought those issues back into the spotlight, giving viewers access to additional testimony and material while Mica’s family continues its search for answers and advocacy for legal reform.
Any future developments in the federal case should be reported separately from the official finding concerning Mica’s death.
Editorial and verification note
This article distinguishes confirmed facts, official findings, allegations and ongoing legal proceedings. Mica Miller’s death was officially ruled a suicide. John-Paul Miller has not been charged with causing her death; the federal charges against him concern alleged cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators. He has pleaded not guilty, and the federal case remains pending.
Because this is an active legal matter, allegations should not be described as established facts unless they are proven in court.
Sources checked: Netflix/Tudum, Netflix’s official series listing, the Robeson County reporting on the official suicide ruling, and subsequent reporting on the federal case.