mica miller: the trial that isn’t about her death

mica miller was found dead on april 27, 2024, at lumber river state park in robeson county, north carolina, about seventy miles from her home in myrtle beach. she was 30. the robeson county sheriff’s office determined she died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. the north carolina medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. investigators said there was no evidence her estranged husband was involved in it.

that is where most cases end. this one didn’t.

on december 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in columbia indicted john-paul miller, 46, pastor of solid rock church in myrtle beach, on one count of cyberstalking and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. the indictment alleges a pattern beginning in november 2022 and running until the day mica died.

what the indictment alleges

• repeated unwanted communications, including more than fifty contacts in a single day
• tracking devices placed on her vehicle
• a nude photograph of her posted online without her consent
• interference with her finances and daily activities
• damage to her car tires

prosecutors also say miller admitted hiring a private investigator to keep mica from buying a firearm.

timeline

• november 2022: the alleged harassment begins, per the indictment
• april 27, 2024: mica miller is found dead at lumber river state park
• may 2, 2024: the death is first reported publicly
• may 6, 2024: the robeson county sheriff’s office refers the matter to the u.s. attorney’s office in south carolina
• 2024: mica’s family settles a civil suit against john-paul miller
• june 1, 2025: john-paul miller remarries
• december 18, 2025: federal grand jury returns a two-count indictment
• january 12, 2026: arraignment in florence, south carolina. not guilty plea, released on $100,000 unsecured bond
• august 13, 2026: judge joseph dawson iii grants a continuance, moving the case to the october 2026 term

where it stands

john-paul miller has not been charged in connection with mica’s death and has denied responsibility for it. he faces a maximum of five years on the cyberstalking count, two years on the false statements count, and a fine of up to $250,000. these are allegations. he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

the case has been continued four times. that is not unusual in a federal prosecution with this much electronic evidence.

why this case matters beyond itself

the gap between “no evidence of involvement in her death” and a federal stalking indictment is the whole story. advocates in south carolina have used it to push for domestic violence law that recognizes coercive control, meaning patterns of surveillance, isolation, financial control, and intimidation that leave no bruises.

sources u.s. attorney’s office, district of south carolina, indictment and press release, december 18, 2025. robeson county sheriff’s office. north carolina office of the chief medical examiner. federal court records, district of south carolina.