Police: Former pastor accused of child sex crimes kills self

By Paige Hansen
WSOC
July 21, 2014

http://m.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/police-former-pastor-accused-child-sex-crimes-kill/ngkGF/

CONCORD, N.C. —

A former concord pastor took his own life days after authorities took out warrants to arrest him on child sex charges.

Channel 9 learned Monday the former pastor shot himself in front of deputies this weekend.

Police said the former pastor appeared to have one victim and the two knew each other.

She came forward about the alleged abuse two years ago.

Now, investigators cannot do anything more with the case they’ve worked on for two years.

“The case is over,” said Maj. Gary Hatley with the Concord Police Department. “As far as for us, we’ll never get to serve the warrants.” 

Those warrants were taken out last week and Rowan County deputies tried to serve them Saturday to arrest Michael Mullis on two counts of indecent liberties with a child.

Channel 9 learned Mullis’ death was a suicide. The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said when deputies arrived, Mullis asked to put on shoes, then made his way to the bathroom where a deputy saw Mullis with a pistol in hand when he shot and killed himself.

Police don’t know for sure if Mullis did it because of this investigation.

“I’m sure he knew because (of) our investigators had talked to him about this incident,” Hatley said. “Or attempted to talk to him anyway -- he knows we were investigating.

Mullis was the pastor at a Concord church for 20 years until three years ago when Mullis resigned, the current pastor said.
The church, then called Near Calvary Baptist Church is under a new name and Mullis had not been affiliated with the new church since 2011.

But Hatley said based on the timeline provided by the victim and in this police report, Mullis would still have been the pastor during which time he’s accused of sex offenses with an underage girl which lasted for years, ending in 2004.

“They knew each other and had a relationship I guess, but there’s no indication of any other victims” he said.

Hatley said the victim, now in her 20s, is aware of Mullis’ death and was surprised to learn he took his own life.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office also said Mullis’ wife was home when deputies tried to serve warrants this weekend.