The official cause of death of Mica Miller, the wife of South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller, has been released.
The Robeson County Medical Examiner, Dr. Richard Johsnon confirmed to WPDE that Mica died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Based on the nature of the wound, that it is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Dr. Johnson explained. “And it was not in the back of the head, as it has been speculated.”
Johnson also reported that he wasn’t the on-call medical examiner when the South Carolina pastor’s wife died. However, he was at the scene where her body was discovered at Lumber River State Park on April 27. She was 30 years old at the time of her death.
In a statement on Facebook, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office stated it was aware that information about Mica’s death was released by the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office.
“Sheriff Burnis Wilkins has scheduled a meeting with the family of Mica and will be releasing more detailed information to substantiate the medical examiner findings tomorrow evening,” the sheriff’s office shared.
Sheriff Wilkins also requested that everyone await the full timeline of events before making assumptions and coming to conclusions. His remark occurred as Mica’s family and friends demanded a thorough investigation into her death.
Mica’s supporters began questioning the details of her death after John-Paul announced her death as “self-inflicted” to his congregation one day after her body was discovered. Her family shared she was preparing to divorce John-Paul. This was after she had been struggling with the marriage during the months leading up to her death.
Mica’s Sister Claims She Told Her If She Was Ever Found Exactly As She Was At the Park that John-Paul Was Responsible
In the affidavit filed by her sister, Sierra Francis, Mica had allegedly stated that if she was ever found exactly as she was at the park, John-Paul was responsible.
“Mica stated to me on many occasions, ‘If I end up with a bullet in my head, it was not by me, it was JP,” Francis claimed.
Mica reportedly met the South Carolina Pastor when she was 14 or 15 years old. He was between 28 and 29 years old at the time. Francis also shared her sister feared for her life while married to John-Paul. She had often spoken about the violent abuse she endured at the hands of her husband.
Mica had discovered a tracking device on her car. Her tires were also slashed more than once weeks before her death. Her brother, Nathaniel Francis, revealed that information in a separate affidavit. He revealed that John-Paul admitted to being responsible for the tire slashing in emails. Mica forwarded those emails to Nathaniel.
“Mr. Miller’s email to my sister continued to state that he was angry when Mica confided or ‘put family before him,'” Nathaniel stated. “And that made him want to hurt her. In his words, ‘When someone hurts me, I try to hurt them back rather than forgive.'”
Nathaniel also quoted John-Paul saying, “Instead of me forgiving you… I just attack and try to cause pain.”