When Mica Miller was found dead at a North Carolina state park on April 27, 2024, her death was initially ruled a suicide. The case soon attracted national attention, however, after details emerged about Mica’s claims that she was the target of a stalking plot.
Mica, who was married to John-Paul Miller, pastor of her family’s church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had told police a month before her death that she was “afraid for her life.”
Now, a new three-part documentary series is examining the events surrounding Mica’s death and the ongoing search for answers.
A closer look at Mica’s final months
Death of the Pastor’s Wife, premiering Aug. 26, features never-before-seen footage as well as firsthand accounts from friends and family members who are speaking publicly about Mica and her story for the first time.
The series is directed by Julia Willoughby Nason and Mike Gasparro, whose previous work includes Murdaugh Murders and American Murder: Gabby Petito.
Executive producers include Tom Cappello, Alana Goldstein, and Keely Walker Muse of Crazy Legs Productions; Nason and Gasparro of The Cinemart; and Yotam Guendelman of Silvio Productions.
Filmmakers focus on Mica’s voice
For Nason and Gasparro, one of the most striking aspects of Mica’s story was her apparent determination to make people hear what she was going through.
“What stayed with us about Mica’s story was how hard she seemed to be fighting to be heard,” the directors say. They explained that they wanted to examine her experiences closely while giving the people who knew and loved her an opportunity to share their memories of her.
The filmmakers say the series is intended to raise difficult questions, listen to Mica’s own words, and ensure that the concerns she tried to communicate are not forgotten.
Goldstein also emphasized the personal nature of the project. Although she and the production team never met Mica, spending time with her family and friends gave them a sense of her warmth and character, she says, as well as the pain she endured.
“Our goal at Crazy Legs is to tell a deeply personal portrait of Mica — honoring her voice, uncovering the realities of emotional abuse and coercive control, and remembering her for the light she shared with the world through her faith,” Goldstein says.
A trailer for Death of the Pastor’s Wife offers a first look at the three-part series. The documentary premieres Aug. 26, with more updates expected as its release approaches.