Mica Acacia Francis, 30 years old, was found deceased by gun shot wound on April 27, 2024 in Lumber River State Park in North Carolina.

In the years leading up to her death, Mica was reportedly subjected to coercive control by her husband, Pastor John-Paul Miller, according to a detailed account of incidents released by her family.

Document released by the Law Firm of Regina B Ward, LLC during press conference on June 5, 2024 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Included in doc is list of alleged incidents committed by John Paul Miller against Mica Francis and a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting the Coercive Control Bill to be renamed Mica’s Law.

Please note: there are descriptions of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional) in the list of alleged incidents.

View Mica’s List

Luna Shark Premium article written about the initial investigation into Mica Francis’ death.

Read Article

The Luna Shark Team has put together a timeline of the Mica Francis case.

As new information is uncovered, the timeline of events will be updated as information is published.

View the various case documents related to Mica Francis’s life and death and other people in the case’s orbit.

Mica Francis’ Attorney Regina Ward held a press conference to discuss Mica’s life and what her family believes should reinvigorate efforts to enact protections against coercive control in South Carolina in a bill proposed to be “Mica’s Law”.

Learn More About Coercive Control

Mandy Matney and Laura Richards worked to bring awareness to coercive control, talking about how deadling coercive control can be, how to help a family member or friend suffering from coercive control, and what prevention steps can be taken in episodes of Cup of Justice and Crime Analyst.

Mandy was joined by coercive control expert, Laura Richards, on Cup of Justice episode 86.

Mandy also joined Laura Richards on her podcast, Crime Analyst, for a 2-part crossover episode to continue the conversation around coercive control.

Listen to Crime Analyst episodes #200 & 201 to hear that important discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is coercive control, exactly?
“Coercive control is a strategic pattern of behaviour designed to exploit, control, create dependency and dominate. The victim’s every day existence is micro managed and her space for action as well as potential as a human being is limited and controlled by the abuser.” – Laura Richards

According to Laura, over half of victims of coercive control do not realize that they are being abused. So, it is important to everyone to understand and recognize coercive control behaviors.

Coercive control is essentially a power imbalance with one person holding all the power over another through manipulation and abuse. Signs of coercive control include (but are not limited to): isolation, intimidation, all forms of abuse, gaslighting, strict rules & regulations, and stalking. For more information on signs of coercive control, Luna Shark recommends visiting Laura’s resource page on coercive control linked below.

As a leading expert in coercive control, Laura provides a deep and thorough explanation of coercive control on her resources page.

What is Coercive Control?

Laura Richards’ Resources Page

What is Laura Richard's DASH Model I heard about on the podcast?
The Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence (DASH 2009-2024) Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model is available through Laura Richard’s website.

The DASH model is a tool to “focus on keeping victims and their children safe and ensuring perpetrators are proactively identified and managed.” – Dash Risk Checklist Website

DASH Model

DASH Risk Checklist Website

What do I do if I think I'm in a coercive control relationship? Or someone I know might be in a coercive control relationship?

If you think you are a victim of coercive control, Laura Richards created a victim-centered DASH risk checklist to help validate your concerns. Please see the link below. If you have answered yes on many questions, please seek out assistance from the police and other support organizations such as the National Domestic Abuse Hotline. You can also call them at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.

V-DASH Checklist

If you think someone you know might be a victim of coercive control, it is important to be supportive and non-judgmental. Encourage them to seek out assistance from the police or professional support. You can provide them a copy of the V-Dash risk checklist or help them create a safety plan. Remember, you cannot save them, but you can be a solid foundation of support for them.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline

How can I contact my elected officials if my state does not have a coercive control law?
Not sure of who your elected officials are? USA.gov can provide you a list of your national, state, and local elected officials including their contact information based on your physical address.

Find Your Elected Officials

Now that you know who to contact, what do you write? The Community Tool Box has a great how-to section on writing letters to elected officials. Here is a quick overview of what a letter should contain:

  • Open the letter in an official manner.
  • Explain the purpose for your letter.
  • Summarize your understanding of the issue/decision being considered & your position on the issue.
  • Identify others who may be affected by this decision.
  • If you have written a letter that opposes some action, offer an alternative.
  • Close and sign your letter.

Not sure how to start your letter, don’t worry! The Community Tool Box includes some examples to get you started.

How-to Write Letters to Elected Officials