Former Wichitan’s death making national headlines from South Carolina

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A case in South Carolina that is making national headlines is hitting hard for a Kansas family.

Mica Miller, 30, grew up in Wichita but lived in South Carolina for years with her husband, Pastor John-Paul Miller. Her death on April 27 was ruled a suicide, but her family is asking questions after details about her final months were revealed in court documents .

The sheriff investigating Mica’s death has asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to join the investigation.

Mica’s family alleges her husband, who had been the pastor at their church, showed a pattern of abuse and control. Two days before her death, she had served divorce papers to John-Paul.

In February, Mica filed a report on a stolen car alleging her husband had her committed to a mental health hospital involuntarily so he could steal her car. Court documents say she found a GPS tracker on her car in March.

Mica claimed in those documents John-Paul had “groomed her” since she was 10 until they were married 6 years ago. Court documents also say her husband had power of attorney for her health care.

Hours before Mica was found, she called 911, telling dispatchers where they could find her body.

KSN spoke to Mica’s sister, Destinee Barrientos, who lives in Burrton. She says more investigating needs to be done.

“I support the police, but I think that there’s way more that could have been done, and if they couldn’t have done it, then that’s what we need to change, and we need to fight those regulations and make it different because she could have been helped,” said Barrientos.

John-Paul was “relieved of his ministerial functions” shortly after his wife’s death. His attorney says he denies any claims of abuse or grooming and says that Mica was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

John-Paul’s attorney released the following statement:

Unfounded rumors and false accusations began circulating on social media and in various media outlets, suggesting Pastor Miller’s involvement in her demise… Our client refutes any report that suggests he ever abused his wife.”

Russell B. Long, John-Paul Miller’s Attorney

Barrientos says she noticed a decline in Mica’s personality early into her marriage to John-Paul in 2017.

“When we would talk to her, you could tell she was kind of sad, but she wasn’t actually stating anything at that time. She started stating things to us as the years went on,” said Barrientos.

Barrientos claims their relationship continued to get worse and that her sister felt dismissed by church members.

“She went to the elders of the church, asking them for help. She told them things that were going on, and they told her that’s marital issues, figure it out with your husband. Pray about it. She was let down by a lot of people,” said Barrientos.

On the day of her death, Mica was seen on video purchasing a firearm from a pawn shop, and according to authorities, Mica called 911 saying she was going to kill herself. Her body was then found last month at a state park in North Carolina.

“I support the police, but I think that there’s way more that could’ve been done, and if they couldn’t have done it, then that’s what we need to change, and we need to fight those regulations and make it different because she could have been helped,” said Barrientos.

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