‘I’m about to kill myself’: Robeson County authorities reveal cause of death, release timeline in Mica Miller case
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW) — Mica Miller called 911 on April 27 and told authorities she was about to kill herself — purchasing a gun that same day, Robeson County authorities said on Tuesday.
“I’m about to kill myself and I just want my family to know where to find me,” Miller said in the call, according to authorities.
That was at 2:54 p.m., and by 3:03 p.m., deputies were sent to Lumber River State Park where her body was found. Relatives of the 30-year-old Myrtle Beach woman were given the information Tuesday morning during a meeting with Sheriff Burnis Wilkins and other investigators.
After the meeting, authorities revealed how Miller spent the final hours of her life — releasing a meticulous timeline and other pieces of evidence to substantiate the medical examiner’s conclusion that Miller committed suicide.
“First, let me say on behalf of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office that our sincere condolences are being sent to the family and friends of Mica Miller,” Wilkins said in a news release.
Timeline: What’s happened so far in the death of Myrtle Beach woman Mica Miller
Miller’s estranged husband, John-Paul, was invited to attend Tuesday’s meeting but declined. His attorneys requested North Carolina officials deliver news of their findings to him at his Horry County home.
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that John-Paul spent the night in Charleston at the time of his wife’s death. He was seen traveling on Highway 17 Bypass in Horry County at 2:22 p.m. on April 27.
Miller was senior pastor at Solid Rock Church in Market Common and was relieved of his ministerial duties on Sunday. He was served divorce papers two days before Mica’s suicide.
A News13 crew was on hand Tuesday as relatives left the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office complex without speaking to media members. Miller’s mother and others were among those at the meeting.
“Thank you guys, we appreciate what you are doing,” a male member of the group said as they left the meeting.
Robeson County sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday outlined exactly what happened in the final hours of Miller’s life.
GUN PURCHASED LESS THAN THREE HOURS BEFORE MICA’S DEATH
Mica bought a gun at a Dick’s Pawn shop in the 1800 block of Mr. Joe White Avenue in Myrtle Beach at 12:12 p.m. on April 27. Authorities discovered a search on her phone for “national park near me” that identified Lumber River as the closest location.
Mica was seen leaving the pawn shop at 12:34 p.m. after buying a 9 mm Sig Sauer handgun and ammunition.
WHERE WAS JOHN-PAUL MILLER DURING MICA’S DEATH?
Authorities’ investigation revealed John-Paul Miller traveled to Charleston on April 26 for a sporting event, which was corroborated by eyewitnesses. License plate readers identified his truck traveling toward Charleston.
Eyewitness statements also confirmed John-Paul stayed overnight on April 26 in the Charleston area, according to authorities. A license plate reader identified him returning to the Myrtle Beach area at 2:22 p.m. on April 27 on Highway 17 Bypass.
According to Robeson County authorities, John-Paul was with other people when traveling to and from the Charleston area.
ROBESON COUNTY SHERIFF REACTION
“This incident has garnered much attention from across the Carolinas and beyond,” Wilkins said. “I want to assure everyone that a very methodical investigation was conducted by our Criminal Investigations Team and Crime Scene Investigation Team.
“Unfortunately, rumors and conspiracy theories were spreading quickly, and assumptions were being made. However, in the end, we must make decisions based on the facts, and evidence that has been gathered. While I know it’s not what many people wanted to hear, the evidence is quite clear and compelling, and we are as saddened as anyone that this occurred. There are many factors that we have reviewed that occurred over an extended period of time that are probably related to the reason for this investigation, but in the end, sadly, a tragic decision was made by Mica that ended her life.”
The full news release from the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office is below.
Mica-Miller-Release-OfficialDownload
Timeline shows Mica’s movements in final hours
10:13 a.m., a Ring doorbell unit shows Miller leaving an apartment on Margarita Drive in Myrtle Beach
11 a.m., a Ring doorbell unit shows Miller returning to the same apartment
11:38 a.m., a Ring doorbell unit shows her leaving again
12:12 p.m., spotting entering the Dick’s Pawn Shop store at 1852 Mr. Joe White Ave. in Myrtle Beach
12:32 p.m., seen on camera purchasing the gun
12:34 p.m., Miller’s car is seen on camera leaving the parking lot
1:27 p.m., security footage shows Miller entering 41 Grocery & Grill in Mullins with a map route getting directions to Lumber River State Park – a 41-minute drive
2:54 p.m., 911 call made from park parking lot
Miller is calm throughout the call, asking a dispatcher if her phone can be tracked. The operator asks for Miller’s phone number and location, and then why she was calling.
“I’m about to kill myself, and I just want my family to know where to find me,” she replies.
Robeson County Sheriff’s Office respond minutes later
3:05 p.m., contact made with the Lumber River State Park superintendent
3:20 p.m., deputies request phone ping
3:31 p.m., deputies arrive at Lumber River State Park and begin search with rangers
3:33 p.m., drone dispatched
3:42 p.m., Verizon contacted to request updated location ping, detectives find Miller’s Honda in the parking lot with a Sig Sauer gun case in the passenger seat and box of ammunition in the center console
3:42 p.m., detectives find black Honda in the parking lot with a SC tag confirmed registered to Miller along with a Sig Sauer gun case in the passenger seat and a box of ammunition in the center console
3:50 p.m., detectives with drone arrive at the park, contacted by a person who found a bag with Miller’s ID; the person said he “heard crying” while fishing and then heard a gunshot
4:23 p.m., another person contacts Robeson County dispatch saying he located a body in the water while fishing from a kayak
5:30 p.m., detectives arrive at fisherman’s location
5:54 p.m., crime scene technicians and medical examiner arrive
7:11 p.m., Sig Sauer 9-millimeter found in water
Authorities found a receipt in Mica’s car from the pawn showing that she paid $571.16 at 12:32 p.m. on April 27 for the gun and then spent another $25 at the Mullins grocery store at 1:33 p.m.
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Editor’s note: News13 does not typically report on suicides but we chose to do so in the Mica Miller case because of the enormous amount of attention and discussion it created in our community.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis and thinking about suicide, the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by dialing 9-8-8. The hotline gives individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else the ability to talk to a trained listener. Help is also available by going to the website 988lifeline.org.
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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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Gracie is a multimedia journalist at News 13 and is from Cleveland, Ohio. Gracie joined the team in June 2023 after graduating from the University of Alabama in May. Follow Gracie on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, & read more of her work here.
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