By Abby Knox, Managing Editor
Trigger Warning: This article explores a mentally and sexually abusive relationship.
Manipulation, coercion and supposed love are three main characteristics of the newly released Netflix true crime documentary titled “Death of the Pastor’s Wife”.
Following the story of a young worship leader from Myrtle Beach, Mica Miller, this three-part series proves the saying “you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors”. With interviews from family and friends along with real pieces of Mica’s journal accounts from the relationship, I was completely consumed by the story of Mica Miller.
Mica was a woman who loved life and had a true connection with God. Having gone to worship weekly, if not more, since the age of 13, Mica was a true believer and often leaned on her religion during the darkest times of her life.
Mica married her first husband, Jeremy, at the age of 18. The officiant of Mica’s wedding, much older pastor John Paul (JP) Miller, inched his way into Mica’s life. JP later became her boss as Mica took on the role of his assistant and a nanny to his five children. At this time, JP was married to his second wife, Allison.
JP, 35 at the time, and Mica, 20, began having an affair that led to the divorce of both Mica and Jeremy and JP and Allison. This affair later turned into an engagement between Mica and JP just two years after the initial divorce of the two couples.
“Death of the Pastor’s Wife” is a true crime documentary that explores an abusive relationship between two worship leaders.
This adulterous affair was just the beginning of a deeply disturbing story that ultimately led to the death of Mica Miller.
JP was the pastor at Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Throughout the series, interviews from many perspectives of this twisted love story were shared. Mica’s family members were interviewed, along with her friends and fellow worshipers at Solid Rock Church. As Mica confided in many of these friends, they share the disturbing events within this seemingly perfect marriage between pastor and worship leader.
The family members share their experiences and first-hand accounts of noticing changes in Mica due to their toxic relationship. What begins with JP calling her more than 50 times in a single day quickly escalates to allegedly forcing Mica to have intimate relations with an unhoused person for his pleasure. The lengths JP goes to control her are unlike anything I have ever seen before.
From tracking devices in her car to posting intimate photos of Mica online after she attempted to leave the marriage, JP Miller stopped at nothing to make sure she had no one to go to but himself. The warning signs of the abuse were strong, but the coercion and isolation Mica was dealing with were stronger.
Although this series deals with some mentally grueling subjects and is an intensely emotional watch, it serves as a reminder to people of the warning of signs of abuse. Having started and finished this series in just a matter of days, even with its heavy topics, I could not stop watching it. Seeing the joy-filled pictures of Mica in the beginning of the series compared to the exhausted and drained shell of a woman shown at the end really struck me.
If you are looking for your next bingeable true-crime series, the story of Mica Miller in “Death of the Pastor’s Wife” should be your next watch.
If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence or abuse, please call this number: 800-799-7233