Editor’s note: This article mentions suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, resources or someone to talk to, you can find it at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website or by calling 800-273-8255. People are available to talk 24/7.
(NewsNation) — Mica Miller’s husband, John Paul Miller, admitted in an apology letter to posting a topless photo of her online.
“I’m sorry for putting a picture of you on the internet,” reads the apology email, which was exclusively obtained by NewsNation national correspondent Rich McHugh. “It was for less than one hour and immediately taken down. I was hurt that you are telling everyone horrible intimate details of my past sin, and I just wanted to try and hurt you. Please forgive me. It was evil of me to do that.”
An investigation is underway into the death of Mica, a pastor’s wife who was found dead with an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A couple of days after John-Paul sent the apology email, Mica sent an affidavit to her attorney. It was roughly nine days before she died.
She wrote: “Since the day we became husband and wife, I have been abused in every way I can think of. Emotionally, sexually, spiritually, financially, and physically. He has harassed me physically and electronically with letters, phone calls, emails, and texts, hacking my emails, hacking my personal Facebook, and impersonating me. Using my stolen phone to send texts and emails out to church members pretending to be me, texting friends and family saying that I am sleeping with teenagers from our church, and showing up in person at places around town … To having installed 3 different tracking devices on my vehicle.”
NewsNation’s McHugh has contacted numerous police agencies in North Carolina and South Carolina inquiring about potential charges regarding these claims but has yet to hear back.
Miller’s father, Michael Francis, and sister Destinee Barrientos told “Banfield” they hold John-Paul “responsible” for Mica’s death.
“I know she was pushed to the brink. … My theory is broad right now. There are bruises on her hand and injuries. These things are not documented, and they don’t show up for no reason. We just want more answers,” Francis said. “As soon as they got married, her behavior went downhill fast. She seemed to be more sad, more under control. I believe he compressed her. He just sucked the life right out of her and caused her to go downhill.”
Barrientos pointed out that authorities are currently in possession of Mica’s phone and that there potentially could be answers in the device.
“He convinced her to get away from our family during her teens. He told her he would find different households for her to live with in the church to get her away from our family. He isolated her,” Barrientos said.
Mica Miller files for divorce
According to reports, Mica had filed multiple times for a legal separation from John-Paul. In October 2023, she filed for divorce.
Mica Miller posted a video on Facebook about abuse just weeks ago, offering advice for people who may be in an abusive relationship. Some believe the video is proof that Mica was in an abusive relationship herself.
“God hates divorce. But why? According to everybody I’ve asked, the Scriptures I’ve found, it’s because it hurts people. But does abuse hurt people? How do you think God feels about that?” Mica said.
A Facebook group called “Justice for Mica” pointed out a statement in her obituary that they felt was odd.
It reads, “She would praise her husband after every church service telling him he was the best preacher in the world (even if it wasn’t true). She also told him he was the funniest preacher in the world (even though that wasn’t true either).”
John-Paul on Mica’s death
John Paul announced her death the following day to his congregation, claiming the 30-year-old had taken her own life after struggling with mental illness.
“I got a call late last night, my wife has passed away,” John-Paul Miller said. “It was self-induced and it was up in North Carolina.”
The pastor asked the congregation not to discuss her death inside the congregation — Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South 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,” he said.
However, her family and friends say otherwise, urging police to “deeply investigate” what happened.
NewsNation’s Kelsey Kernstine contributed to this report.