“Our client refutes any report that suggests he ever abused his wife,” said his attorney. According to the church’s website, Miller remains the pastor at Solid Rock.
Nevertheless, after the sheriff’s office and medical examiner reached their conclusions of death by suicide, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office revealed it had requested the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI regarding Mica’s death.
“Based on the information gathered during the investigation and jurisdiction reasons, the Sheriff’s Office has requested the assistance of both agencies,” said the sheriff’s office in a statement. “No other information will be released at this time.”
In May, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office told People magazine that the FBI was conducting a “parallel investigation,” which is related to Mica’s death but which is not evaluating the cause of Mica’s death because that has already been ruled a suicide. FBI spokesperson Kevin Wheeler would not confirm to People at the time that there was an FBI investigation.
In July, Mica’s family reached a settlement with John-Paul Miller. While some details are confidential, attorneys said the settlement keeps the family from pursuing a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Miller. Regina Ward, the attorney representing Mica’s family, said the family was eager to move past the controversy and felt they had achieved “justice for Mica.”
However, for reasons that are not public at this time, FBI agents spent hours at Miller’s house Friday afternoon, Miller’s neighbors told WMBF News. In a statement to ChurchLeaders, FBI spokesperson Kevin Wheeler would not confirm the reason for the search because “this is an ongoing matter.” Wheeler only said that officials’ actions were “related to court-authorized law enforcement activity.”
News13 reporters saw 25 agents wearing uniforms that said “Evidence Response Team.” FBI agents reportedly removed items from the house “including boxes, a computer screen, and what looked like an external computer drive.”
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Members of the Horry County Sheriff’s Office were also present at Miller’s home Friday but only to assist the FBI, said sheriff’s office spokesperson Brennan Cavanagh, according to The Sun News.
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