An American student has been convicted of the shocking murder of his on-and-off girlfriend, Zhe Wang, in her London home. Joshua Michals, a 26-year-old film student from Chicago, was found guilty after a dispute reportedly centered on the victim’s insistence that he get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Ms. Wang, a 31-year-old Chinese national and creative writing student at Goldsmiths, University of London, was found dead in her Lewisham flat in March 2024. A post-mortem revealed she had suffered two stab wounds to the face and had been strangled.
The Phobia and the Fury
The court heard disturbing details about the breakdown of the couple’s casual relationship, which had begun in 2023.
Michals claimed during the trial that Ms. Wang, whom he described as “germaphobic,” became “stressed” and angry after she found a “red dot” on her skin following sex and incorrectly believed she had contracted an STD.
She had repeatedly demanded that Michals go to a doctor for testing, with messages showing she even vowed to “drag” him to see a GP.
A Brutal Attack and a Desperate Lie
The prosecution, led by Henrietta Paget KC, argued that Michals “flown into a rage” and carried out a “brutal and savage attack.”
In a desperate attempt to avoid justice, Michals had the audacity to claim he acted in self-defence, alleging that Ms. Wang attacked him first with a knife. The jury saw right through this claim, finding him guilty of murder.
Further revealing his cold conduct, the trial revealed Michals called his father for lawyer information before finally calling the police nearly four hours after the incident. He was arrested wearing bloodstained clothes and had even disposed of Ms. Wang’s phone in a public bin.
A Promising Life Cut Short
Ms. Wang was remembered by her university, Goldsmiths, as a quiet, gentle, and “remarkable writer.” Dr. Francis Gilbert, a senior lecturer, stated: “We are devastated by the loss of Zhe Wang, who was a wonderful student, a remarkable writer and a thinker who combined deep intellectual curiosity with creative courage…”
The university plans to honor her memory by publishing her work posthumously in an upcoming anthology.
Michals will be sentenced at a later date for the murder of Ms. Wang. Detective Inspector Claire Guiver noted that Michals is a “dangerous, violent individual and he will now have to live with the consequences of his actions.”
