Chris Skinner Drowning Case Update: After Review of New Evidence, the Myrtle Beach Police Maintain 2021 Death as Accidental
By James Seidel | CC News Network
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Nearly four years after the tragic drowning of Chris Skinner, a paralyzed motivational speaker and author, the Myrtle Beach Police Department has officially closed the case—again, that was never re-opened in the first place per Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner, Tamara Willard.
Skinner, 40, was found unresponsive in a neighborhood pool at Emmens Preserve in The Market Common on Sept. 6, 2021. His death was initially ruled accidental. But in January 2025, police reopened the investigation after new evidence emerged that prompted fresh interviews and a renewed review of the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to MBPD spokesperson Randolph Angotti told The Sun News, “further investigation provided no additional information that would indicate a crime had been committed.”
Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard confirmed that both her office and Myrtle Beach Police were contacted with “new evidence regarding the manner of death” in Skinner’s case, leading to the temporary reopening. The “new evidence” allegedly came from Skinner’s sister and was rumored to have also come from social media people who have nothing to do with this case.
Ties to John-Paul Miller and New Scrutiny
Some of the renewed interest in Skinner’s death appears to be linked to Pastor John-Paul Miller, who has been at the center of public scrutiny following the April 2024 suicide of his estranged wife, Mica Miller, in a North Carolina state park. After Mica’s passing, questions arose about the relationship between John-Paul Miller and Skinner’s widow, which prompted Skinner’s sister, Tamra McDermott, to push for answers.
McDermott told social media that Skinner had confronted Miller just two weeks before his death about an alleged affair with Skinner’s wife. “As new evidence arose, it made us question what we might have missed,” McDermott said.
@crimeandcask BREAKING: ‼️Myrtle Beach Police have officially closed the Chris Skinner investigation of the new evidence that was brought forward. Why? We dig into what they said — and what they didn’t. #ChrisSkinner #MyrtleBeachPD #TrueCrime #CrimeAndCask #JusticeForChris #ColdCase #BreakingNews #SouthCarolinaCrime ♬ original sound – Crime and Cask
She began reexamining police reports and video footage related to the case. According to McDermott, some social media reports claimed Skinner wheeled himself around the pool before quickly entering the water, while others stated that his wheelchair slipped near the edge. After watching surveillance video, McDermott noticed that John-Paul Miller arrived at the scene about 40 minutes after Skinner was pulled from the pool, allegedly called there by Skinner’s wife—something McDermott said was never disclosed to the family, even though Miller can be seen in video on the news on the day of the accident.
“We were never told that at all,” she said.
A Life of Strength, A Death with Questions
McDermott described her brother as one of the strongest, most resilient people she knew. After being paralyzed in a drunk driving accident years earlier, Skinner devoted his life to helping others, becoming a public speaker and advocate for mental health, disability awareness, and personal growth.
“In the four months before his death, Chris’s mental health was declining,” McDermott said. “He frequently talked about how much he disliked Miller and eventually stopped going to church altogether.”
Skinner and his wife were long-time attendees of Solid Rock Church, which was pastored by Miller until he closed the congregation in late 2024 and launched Mercy Church soon after.
Ongoing National Attention
The death of Mica Miller has drawn national headlines, with her family accusing John-Paul Miller of abuse, which he has denied. In November 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Miller’s residence, though the reason remains sealed. The CC News Network has requested documentation related to the search but the FBI has declined to provide it.
Though the Skinner case has been closed since 2021 McDermott says her family remains committed to pursuing the truth.
“We just want the truth and the light to come out,” she said. “Chris didn’t let paralysis define him. He treated it as a challenge—and he met it head-on.”
Now with the Myrtle Beach Police Department reinforcing their 2021 accidental death declaration, along with Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard, this hopefully closes this chapter of the ongoing saga of the Chris Skinner accidental death by drowning.
Timeline of Events:
-
Sept. 6, 2021 – Christopher Skinner found unresponsive in a pool; ruled an accidental drowning.
-
Nov. 2024 – FBI searches Pastor John-Paul Miller’s residence.
-
Jan. 2025 – MBPD reviews new evidence sent by social media.
-
March 2025 – Case officially stands as it was in 2021, there is once again, no indication of foul play.
Stay with CC News Network at myccnews.com for continued coverage of this and other developing stories in South Carolina.
Connect with CC News Network
Over 1,500,000 Million likes of Tiktok alone!
Join Our 100,000+ Social Media Fans:
- Follow Us on X: @CCNewsNetwork
- Follow Us on TikTok: @CCNewsNetwork
- Facebook: CC News Network
- Talk Radio: 97.7FM WVFF – Listen to Our Hit True Crime Talk Radio Show
- Follow Us on Amazon Books: Click here to follow
- Hire Us on Cameo: @CC News Network
- Follow Us on Spotify: @CC Records
- Follow Us on Bluesky: @ccnewsnetwork.bsky.social
- Follow Us on Mastadon: @CrimeandCask
- New Book: Trumped Up, by Josh Pruitt and James Seidel
