A Chicago native studying abroad in London has been convicted of the murder of his on-and-off girlfriend, following a shocking sequence of events that began with a violent encounter and ended with a call to his father for legal assistance before notifying the authorities.
Joshua Michals, 26, embarked on a relationship with Zhe Wang, 31, shortly after enrolling at Goldsmiths University in 2023. Their relationship took a tragic turn, as detailed by the Metropolitan Police.
In March 2024, Michals contacted the police to report a “serious incident” at Wang’s residence, mentioning that he was no longer at the scene. When officers arrived, they discovered Wang had been fatally wounded, with two stab wounds to her face and signs of prolonged neck compression, as confirmed by a post-mortem examination.
Upon his arrest that same evening, Michals chose to remain silent regarding the nature of his relationship with Wang or the circumstances leading to her death.
Authorities uncovered a series of text messages on Michals’ phone, revealing ongoing tensions in the relationship. Wang had repeatedly urged him to undergo testing for sexually transmitted infections, a request that police described as a “growing source of tension” between the pair. Michals later claimed that he acted in self-defense during a heated argument over this issue.
Joshua Michals has now been found guilty of Zhe Wang’s murder, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Police.
An undated photo of Zhe Wang, 31, who was murdered in March 2024 while attending Goldsmiths University in London. (Metropolitan Police)
Prosecutors countered that Michals “flew into a rage” after meeting Wang at her home and killed her. They told the court that Michals called his father after the slaying, obtained details for a lawyer, and returned to his own home before contacting authorities nearly four hours later.
Police have said Michals and Wang began a casual relationship shortly after enrolling at Goldsmiths University in 2023. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images, File)
During Michals’ arrest, police said, officers found bloodstained clothes on his property. The DNA was later confirmed to match Wang.
“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,” Detective Inspector Claire Guiver said. “We are pleased the jury has seen through his claims that he killed Zhe by accident when she tried to attack him with a knife.”
