Netflix recreates Mica Miller's voice with AI tech to narrate her journal detailing alleged abuse
Warning: This article contains discussion of domestic abuse and suicide which some readers may find distressing
Netflix has continued its latest documentary trend of using AI technology to recreate a deceased person’s voice, this time for Mica Miller as part of its new doc, Death of the Pastor’s Wife.
Viewers had hit out at the streamer after its decision last year to recreate Gabby Petito’s voice using AI four years after her tragic death at the hands of her fiancé.
Petito’s voice was used in Netflix’s American Murder: Gabby Petito, directed by Julia Willoughby Nason and Mike Gasparro. The pair have teamed up once again to direct the latest true crime doc, Death of the Pastor’s Wife.
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The new doc follows Mica Miller, a singer who died by suicide just days after filing for divorce from her husband John-Paul Miller. JP is accused by her family of having abused her in the lead-up to her death, which he denies.
Nason and Gasparro used ‘voice recreation’ technology
As they did with the Gabby Petito doc, the filmmaking duo recreated Mica’s voice using AI technology to read out her journal entries.
The directorial duo spoke about the decision to use the AI-based technology to recreate her voice in an interview with Netflix’s Tudum.
Gasparro said that ‘the idea is really just to try to make it all about Mica’, and to ‘hear what reflects as close to her voice as possible’, by reading out journal entries from the real Mica in which she alleged coercive control and abuse from JP.
He told Vanity Fair this was done with the family’s permission, stating: “Seeing her sing at such a young age, seeing her love for the church, her love for her friends and family, we tried to really bring all that to life so that you know who Mica is through Mica’s own voice.”
This was a surprising choice from the filmmakers, however, due to the reaction to doing this with Gabby Petito.
One Redditor said at the time: “When they put the warning on the screen before they started with the AI voice, I paused it and said ‘No’ out loud. I just don’t feel it was the best way to go about that.”
Others called it ‘disrespectful’ and, while Gabby’s parents agreed to it, her mother Nichole did state it was odd to hear, telling The Independent at the time: “I think it's weird and because we know her actual voice, [it] is a little off… It’s just hard to hear.”
Mica alleged serious abuse in the journal entries read out in the documentary
Mica’s journals paint the picture of someone who was struggling to maintain her faith amid alleged abuse from her husband JP, which he denies.
She said in one entry: “I am afraid he will harm me due to past gun violence.”
Mica also alleged that her husband would pay unhoused men to perform sexual acts on her, as well as showing naked photos of her to other members of the church.
The late singer also wrote biblical quotes, such as: “Ephesians 5:22. Submit to authority of husband,” and “Ephesians 5:31, Leave family, cling to spouse. Submission to spouse reflects your love for God.”
JP was alleged in the doc to have pushed to receive her journals and counsellor's notes after her death, with her counsellor Laura Hucks claiming in the series: "He is trying to take access of every communication she could have possibly had with any person so he can end her narrative and start his narrative.”
John-Paul and Mica Miller: A timeline of events
2015: John-Paul and Mica begin an affair
After first crossing paths when Mica was 13 and attending Solid Rock Church, where John-Paul was a pastor, the pair began an affair when she was 20 and he was 15 years her senior at 35, according to the Netflix doc.
Both were already married at this point - John-Paul had five children with his first wife, Alison Williams, and Mica was married to a fellow member of Solid Rock Church.
2017: John-Paul and Mica marry
After both divorcing their respective spouses, the pair wed each other on 7 November, 2017, when Mica was 23 and John-Paul was 38.
2023: Divorce filing after allegations of control and abuse
Mica first filed for divorce from John-Paul after almost exactly six years of marriage, on 8 October, 2023, according to court documents.
This came after the couple's relationship dynamic was described by Mica's family as 'toxic', despite John-Paul maintaining that they had a 'great marriage' and an 'amazing' relationship.
February-March 2024: Divorce filing dismissed and withdrawn
On 13 February, 2024, Mica's divorce was dismissed. And ten days later, John-Paul filed for separation from Mica, which was subsequently dismissed without prejudice on 12 March, 2024.
April 2024: A final filing for separation
Mica filed for separation for the last time on 15 April, 2024, and a hearing for the separation was scheduled for 5 June. However, just two days after John-Paul was served the separation papers on 27 April, Mica was found dead at the age of 30.
The next day, John-Paul returned to the Solid Rock lectern and gave a sermon, announcing Mica’s death and telling the audience that it was self-inflicted, citing her alleged ongoing mental health struggles.
May 2024: Mica's death is ruled a suicide
According to a media release from the sheriff’s department, Mica died by suicide. Her cause of death was determined after a review of surveillance footage and an examination by the North Carolina Medical Examiner, as well as interviews.
It later emerged that Mica called 911 to announce that she was going to take her own life, and asked operators to trace her call so her family would be able to find her body.
Summer 2024: Mica's family make allegations against John-Paul
Her family shared their concerns over her well-being before her death, and alleged that John-Paul was abusive throughout their marriage - claims John-Paul has continuously denied.
November 2024: Solid Rock Church closes
After John-Paul's sermon addressing Mica's death was recorded and posted online, where it went viral, her death gained online notoriety, and it is believed this contributed to Solid Rock Church closing its doors for good.
December 2025: John-Paul is indicted on two charges
In the time period leading up to Mica's death, she reports that the tyres of her car were slashed multiple times, and told officers that she was being followed.
John-Paul denied being involved in this alleged stalking, but in December 2025, the FBI claimed that he had not been telling the truth to officials.
A federal grand jury indicted John-Paul on charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to the FBI.
January 2026: John-Paul arraigned in federal court
The case has been continued to October 2026 for a court date.
August 2026: Netflix releases Death of the Pastor's Wife
The three-part docu-series outlines Mica's story and features interviews with her family and those close to her.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.
Topics: Netflix, True Crime, Artificial Intelligence, Domestic Abuse, Documentaries
Michael Slavin