Joshua Michals, an American man studying abroad in England, has been convicted of murdering a woman he was casually dating. The two were both students at Goldsmiths, University of London, which is where they met. Their relationship seemingly went off the rails after the woman was concerned she had contracted an STD from Michals. He went to her apartment to discuss their relationship, which is when she allegedly tried to attack him. According to Michals, 26, he was trying to defend himself, which ultimately led to her death. He is being categorized, however, as a cold-blooded killer who tried to cover his tracks.
On March 20, 2024, Michals called emergency services to say there had been “a serious incident” at a home but told them he wasn’t still at the property, Metropolitan police shared in a news release.
Officers arrived at the home to find 31-year-old Zhe Wang with two stab wounds to her face. Compression to her neck was also found in a post-death examination.
Michals was arrested at home that evening, and he refused to answer questions about his relationship with Wang or what happened before her death. During their investigation, his phone was examined, which gave insight into the relationship he had with Wang.
While on trial, the Chicago native told the jury he felt “so-so” about his relationship with Wang, The Independent reported. It was because she was seemingly a huge germaphobe. This caused a lot of tension between the pair.
Wang found a “red dot” on her skin after they had sex, leading her to believe he had given her an STD. She demanded he get tested, going so far as to say she would “drag” him to see a doctor, per the outlet. This is considered evidence in the text messages police found.
He claimed that he went to her home that night to bring some “normalcy” to the “bizarre situation” with a charcuterie board in tow.
After he came out of the bathroom, the woman allegedly attacked him with a knife. He had previously told jurors he hadn’t intended to strike Wang with the knife. “I just wanted to get her away from me,” Michals said, per The Independent.
He then took her phone and put it in the garbage outside. It was recovered days later. According to a report by the BBC, after leaving Wang’s home, Michals called his father to get the name of a solicitor before he went home. The police news release said he waited nearly four hours after returning home to call emergency services.
“Michals carried out a brutal and savage attack on Zhe, who was described by her friends as a quiet and gentle woman enjoying her studies in London. Our thoughts continue to remain with her family and friends, both in China and the UK,” Detective Inspector Claire Guiver said via the release. “It is clear that Michals is a dangerous, violent individual and he will now have to live with the consequences of his actions.”
Michals will be sentenced at a later date.
