Mica Miller’s pastor husband John-Paul reveals truth behind diamond necklace he was seen wearing just days after her shock suicide

A pastor who gave an interview wearing a woman’s necklace eerily similar to the one his wife donned the day of her suicide has revealed it was, in fact, the same pendant.

The admission comes from 44-year-old John-Paul Miller, whose wife Mica Miller, 30, was found dead at Lumbee River State Park in North Carolina on April 27 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Days earlier, she hit him with divorce papers due to an alleged tumultuous relationship, leading to intrigue around the case. He was cleared of her murder, but some internet sleuths scattered across the country remain unconvinced.

Some have pointed to the interview John-Paul gave to ABC15  just days later as supposed proof – citing a necklace similar to the one his wife was wearing in surveillance footage filmed of her buying a gun the day of her suicide.

In an Instagram live with one of these sleuths Thursday, John-Paul made a surprise appearance to confirm the necklets were one and the same.

‘We’ll say big deal [of the talk about you being a possible suspect] was a necklace that you were wearing in the interview after she passed away,’ asked true crime influencer JustinOnTikTok during the impromptu interview of the suspicious detail.  

‘Was that actually hers or did you just have a similar one?’

A stoic John-Paul – a popular pastor with a criminal record that includes multiple counts of aggravated assault and battery – replied coolly, ‘No that was definitely hers.

‘I got it – so um she passed away on a on the Saturday, and then Sunday when I went and saw her, um, they handed me some stuff – and that was one of the things that handed me.

‘That necklace was, um, for some reason,’  John-Paul went on, before trailing off.

He went on to offer an emotional anecdote that explained why he wore the same article days after his soon-to-be-ex’s suicide.

‘She heard a story – Micah was very, um, she could hear something or see a commercial and then immediately want to act on it,’ he began.

‘And so, she heard about these lab diamonds, uh, last year.

‘Even though she loved her her her wedding engagement band, um, she wanted the diamond – the real diamond – taken out. 

‘She wanted a lab diamond put in. but she didn’t want to get rid of that diamond,’ he said.

‘So, she wanted to put it inside of a necklace, and… had it made into a necklace

 ‘The, um, nurse gave me that on that Sunday, and so, before I even left the hospital, I already, already had it on. 

‘I just had not taken it off and actually I forgotten it was on on the next day or two – or whenever the interview was.

‘But yeah – it’s a girl necklace, so I I just wanted to feel close to her.’

The exchanged ended there – with the true crime talker thanking the non-suspect for being forthcoming.

During the interview in question, Miller broke down in tears upon being asked about his spouse, saying: ‘She was the greatest wife anyone could ever ask for. We spent every night together just talking and talking.’

Images taken at a pawn shop prior to her death show Mica purchasing a gun wearing that same necklace – hours before taking her own life.

days before, she served John-Paul, also known as ‘JP’, with divorce papers, with previous filings filed in October citing adultery. 

Around that time, John-Paul told his congregation at Solid Rock Church that her death was ‘self-induced’, before abruptly ending proceedings for the day demanding he not be questioned.

‘You all know she wasn’t well mentally and that she needed her medicine and it was hard to get to her,’ he told worshipers at the time.

Just prior, he asked his flock to stand – instructing them to, ‘leave church quietly and don’t talk about the announcement here in the building.’

In a statement released earlier this month via his lawyers,  he insisted the fierce  speculation surrounding him due was unfounded and false, as podcasters like JustinonTikTok – who has more than a million followers – cover the case.

The statement said: ‘Following the untimely death of Mica Miller, unfounded rumors and false accusations began circulating on social media and in various media outlets, suggesting Pastor Miller’s involvement in her demise.

‘This created a buzz, causing local and national media outlets to begin proliferating these falsehoods, on a mammoth proportion. 

‘Our client refutes any report that suggests he ever abused his wife. Recent reports claim that Pastor Miller ‘groomed’ his wife from the age of 10 years old couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

‘She moved to Myrtle Beach at the age of 15, was married to another man at the age of 18, and divorced at the age of, 21.’

It continued: ‘ It has come to light that Mica Miller struggled with mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, which, when not properly managed, led to paranoid episodes and self-destructive behavior. 

‘Again, Mica suffered from mental illness and some reports made by her in the recent past are nonsensical. 

‘This unfortunate reality underscores the importance of destigmatizing mental health issues and ensuring those affected receive appropriate support and treatment.

‘We wish to emphasize that, after a thorough investigation by the Robeson County, North Carolina Sheriffs Office, it has been conclusively determined that Ms. Miller’s death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

‘This finding completely exonerates Pastor Miller of any wrongdoing. These baseless claims and false reporting have caused immense distress and harm to Pastor Miller and his family and needs to stop immediately.’

His lawyers also warned that any ‘defamatory and libelous statements’ made would be met with legal action. 

A police report over the alleged auto theft of her silver Honda Accord shows how far their marital problems stretched back. 

‘When the complainant was discharged from the hospital, hospital staff informed her that her husband picked up her purse and her keys,’ the report from February 2023 states. 

‘The complainant believed that her husband fraudulently initiated her involuntary hospitalization and “stole” her care while she was in the hospital.’

Miller met with the cops at Coastal Grand Mall and told them she and her husband had been separated since January of that year.

‘The complainant stated that she has known her husband since she was ten-years-old and that he “groomed” her while she worked for him at Solid Rock Church until they were married,’ the report adds.

When investigators contacted her husband, he told them that his wife had been suffering from a ‘reckless episode’ due to poor mental health.

The former pastor told the officer he had seized the vehicle to prevent it being sold and would not give it back for a month to allow the episode to pass.

As both parties stated they were legally married, the investigator had to consider the car as marital property and therefore ‘could not establish a criminal offense’.

Weeks before her passing, she shared a video speaking about abuse within marriage as claims emerge she was being harassed and was ‘afraid for her life’. 

She said: ‘Today my heart’s a little heavy. I’ve had lots of women that have reached out to me about situations of abuse, and I just want to tell you what a lot of people have told me lately, because I think I forgot.

‘But you are the bride of Christ before anybody else’s, male or female, it doesn’t matter what gender you are, abuse is abuse.’

Court records hint at the tumult within the marriage with Mica first filing for divorce back in October 2023 before withdrawing the filing February 12.

Later that same month Miller filed against his wife for Separate Support and Maintenance in a motion withdrawn March 11.

But on April 15, just 12 days before she was found dead, Mica filed once more and, according to friends, also sought a no contact order against her husband. 

A police reported obtained by DailyMail.com shows that Miller also contacted officers accusing her husband of sharing an indecent photo of herself on a Facebook group called ‘big boobs and nice curves’.

An obituary penned by him also described his wife as ‘a great stepmother, and an amazing wife and helpmate’ and portrayed her as his biggest cheerleader.

Miller had called authorities before taking her own life, telling them: ‘I’m about to kill myself and I just want my family to know where to find me’.

Family and friends have insisted that Miller did not take her own life, her sister Sierra Brown previously told DailyMail.com that ‘there’s still an open investigation’.

Friend Allicia Young, who is a member of the Solid Rock Church alongside her husband Kenn, said: ‘I absolutely do not believe that she took her own life.’ 

‘I absolutely do not believe that she took her own life because she was energetic and her faith in God was unwavering,’ Allicia said on Banfield.

‘She was always quick to encourage somebody else, including myself. We went to lunches together, we worked out together.’

Evidence released by Robeson County Sheriff’s Office as part of their investigation conclusively shows Miller plotting to end her life.

A still from a Ring doorbell shows her on her front porch at 11am on the day of her death.

Just over an hour later, a surveillance image shows her entering Dick’s Pawn Shop where she purchases a fire arm.

Shortly after, Miller’s black Honda was observed traveling on Highway 501 near Four Mile Rd., Conway, South Carolina on the way to the state park.

Once there she called 911 to provide instructions to a dispatcher on where her body could be found. 

Meanwhile a waitress claims Pastor Miller was sending her flirty messages while his wife planned to kill herself, including calling her ‘super hot’ and asking for ‘bikini pics.’

‘I asked him if anything was new, and he more or less said yes, lots new, LOL, I’ll text later,’ she told NewsNation‘s Elizabeth Vargas, confirming LOL stands for ‘laugh out loud’.

The waitress explained she had engaged with the pastor in a bid to expose his behavior after becoming ‘suspicious’ he might be married.

Pastor Miller has since been released of his ministerial functions at Solid Rock at Market Common Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  

Moreover, shocking photos obtained by DailyMail.com show the pastor laughing while on an apparent date with another woman, identified as Suzie Skinner, 49, – four days after Mica’s death.

The case, as of writing, is closed. Speculation, however, continues.