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A 26-year-old American national has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend at her London home, following a trial in which the jury unanimously rejected his claim that he acted in self-defence during a domestic dispute. Joshua Michals, a student at Goldsmiths, University of London, stabbed and strangled 31-year-old Zhe Wang in March 2024, an attack prosecutors described as 'savage' and calculated.

The verdict followed the release of custody images showing scratches on Michals' neck, injuries he claimed proved he was the victim, but which the court ultimately viewed as evidence of a fatal struggle he initiated.

The Timeline of Deceit

The prosecution's case hinged heavily on a significant gap in the timeline between the attack and the alert to emergency services. The court heard that Michals arrived at Wang's flat around 7:17 p.m. After the killing, he ordered an Uber at 7:59 p.m., indicating that the attack had concluded by then. However, paramedics were only called at 11:08 p.m.

During this nearly four-hour window, Michals did not attempt to save Wang's life. Instead, evidence presented at the Old Bailey revealed he used the time to dispose of incriminating items, including the victim's phone and the SIM card from his own device, in an outside bin.

Phone records show that before dialling 999, Michals made a call to his father in the United States to seek legal advice. The prosecution told the court that Michals was not a man in panic, but one focused entirely on saving himself. They described his actions as 'cold and calculating', noting that he prioritised hiding evidence over helping the woman dying on the floor.

Forensic Evidence vs Defence Narrative

Her alleged killer maintained during the trial that she attacked him with a knife when he visited to try to calm a dispute. He claimed that when he returned from the bathroom, she came at him with a knife; in the struggle that followed, he inflicted the fatal wounds. He insisted he only meant to restrain her.

However, a post-mortem examination confirmed that Wang died from neck compression and stab wounds to the face. For the prosecution, the nature of these injuries proved Michals was the aggressor, not the victim. It took the jury just over 16 hours to agree, rejecting the student's claim that he was fighting for his life.

The Catalyst for Conflict

Wang and Michals first met on campus at Goldsmiths in 2023. Their relationship was described in court as on-and-off and casual. Michals admitted he had felt 'so-so' about committing to the relationship, especially because Wang was 'germaphobic'.

According to prosecutors, the fatal dispute was triggered when Wang discovered a 'red dot' on her skin after their only sexual encounter and concluded she might have contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STD). She demanded that Michals take a test; she even threatened to go to Goldsmiths and 'drag' him to a GP.

Michals told the court he visited her flat with a charcuterie board, grapes, cheese, crackers, and salami, attempting to diffuse the tension and restore 'normalcy'. This detail, intended to show his peaceful intent, was framed by the prosecution as a bizarre juxtaposition to the violence that followed.

Verdict and Reaction

In the dock at the Old Bailey, Michals, wearing a blue jumper over a white shirt, appeared shaken as the guilty verdict was read. Reports said he leaned on the glass barrier, clutched his chest, then buried his head in his hands.

The case has resonated deeply within the London student community. Goldsmiths University issued a statement describing Wang as a 'promising young writer' and expressing devastation at the loss.

Wider Implications

The case has prompted difficult conversations about domestic violence and the subtle ways imbalance and influence can affect a relationship.

The guilty verdict clarifies where the law draws the line on self-defence. Defendants must prove their use of force was proportionate, a bar Michals failed to clear. Between the severity of the violence and the hours he spent on the phone with his father instead of an ambulance, the jury saw no evidence of a man trying to protect himself.

The killing has rattled the Goldsmiths community and devastated both families, leaving broader concerns about student safety and how warning signs are handled. His sentencing has not yet been set.