Netflix's three-part documentary Death of the Pastor's Wife has brought renewed attention to the story of Mica Miller, the South Carolina church leader who died in April 2024, two days after filing for divorce from her husband, pastor John-Paul "JP" Miller, amid allegations of control and abuse. While the series covers much of her story through interviews with family and close friends, several details didn't make it into the final cut.
JP Miller's criminal history
Court records show JP was convicted of driving with a suspended licence in 1998, and separately convicted of assault and battery of a "high and aggravated nature" in 1999, after reportedly hitting a woman with his truck. He received a pardon for the offence in 2022. Neither conviction was addressed in the documentary.
His alibi on the day Mica died
Podcast host Ashley Flowers has pointed out that the documentary omits confirmation from law enforcement that JP was in Charleston, South Carolina for an athletic event on the day Mica died, having left Myrtle Beach the day before.
His first marriage
Mica was JP's second wife. He was previously married to Ali, with whom he had four children, before allegedly beginning an affair with Mica in 2015. Ali reportedly filed for divorce after discovering text messages between JP and Mica on his phone.
The role of JP's best friend
Before Mica took on the role of worship leader at Solid Rock Church, that role is believed to have belonged to Mark Kaufman, JP's close friend, according to an archived, now-deleted blog post. It's also alleged Kaufman played a role in encouraging JP to return to leading the church after his affair with Mica became public, though the documentary doesn't touch on Kaufman's relationship with JP in detail.
A reported plane purchase
The same archived blog post alleges that Solid Rock Church made a significant purchase of a small aircraft shortly after Mica's death, tracking its movements between airports in North Carolina and South Carolina before ownership was transferred to a separate company months later. This detail is not addressed in the documentary.
Where the case stands now
JP was indicted in December 2025 on federal charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators, after the FBI alleged he'd lied about involvement in incidents Mica had reported before her death, including her car tyres being slashed and being followed. He has pleaded not guilty and remains out on a $100,000 bond. His federal trial has been pushed back to October 2026. He faces up to five years in prison for the cyberstalking charge and two years for the false statements charge, along with a possible fine of up to $250,000.
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