'A tragic decision was made': Officials release new details ...

12 days ago

FOX Carolina

ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - Robeson County Sheriff’s Office released new details surrounding the death of a South Carolina pastor’s wife.

Mica Miller - Figure 1 — Photo FOX Carolina

This story has gained national attention and unfortunately, “rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly,” officials said.

On April 27, officials found a body in the water at Lumber River State Park who was identified as 30-year-old Mica Miller.

The Robeson County Sheriff's Office released its investigation into Mica Miller's death which shows she died of suicide.(Source: John Paul Miller)

Prior to Miller’s death, officials said at 2:54 p.m. Robeson County dispatch received a 911 call from a woman who wanted to know if her phone could be located because she was going to kill herself and wanted her family to find her body.

During the conversation, the woman hung up and the dispatcher could not contact her. However, the dispatcher was able to find the location of the caller and sent a deputy to that area which was Lumber River State Park.

Once on scene, deputies along with State Park Rangers searched the area for the caller.

During the search, they found a black Honda Accord with an SC registration in the parking lot. The vehicle was confirmed to belong to Miller. They also found a Sig Sauer gun case in the passenger seat, a box of ammunition in the center console of the vehicle and a receipt for the gun that was dated for the same day of her death.

Mica Miller - Figure 2 — Photo FOX Carolina

Officials were later approached by a man who found a bag near the water edge. The identification inside the bag belonged to Miller. The man also told officials he heard crying and a gunshot while fishing.

As the search continued, an E911 caller from another individual stated a body was found in the water along with a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. The serial number on the weapon matched the gun box that was found in Miller’s Honda Accord. Her phone and other belongings were also found.

Mica Miller's recent searches in her phone.(Source: Robeson County Sheriff's Office)

Miller was the wife of John Paul Miller, pastor of Solid Rock church in Myrtle Beach. The two had been separated and were going through a divorce.

It was confirmed that John Miller and a woman he is allegedly romantically involved with were not in North Carolina on April 27. During the investigation, they learned John Miller was at an athletic event in Charleston and his vehicle was seen traveling on Highway 17 in Horry County at 2:22 p.m. on April 27.

“First, let me say on behalf of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office that our sincere condolences are being sent to the family and friends of Mica Miller. This incident has garnered much attention from across the Carolinas and beyond. I want to assure everyone that a very methodical investigation was conducted by our Criminal Investigations Team and Crime Scene Investigative Team. Unfortunately, rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly, and assumptions were being made. However, in the end, we must make decisions based on the facts, and evidence that has been gathered. While I know it’s not what many people wanted to hear, the evidence is quite clear and compelling, and we are as saddened as anyone that this occurred. There are many factors that we have reviewed that occurred over an extended period of time that are probably related to the reason for this investigation, but in the end, sadly, a tragic decision was made by Mica that ended her life.”