A chilling sequence of events unfolded in a Lewisham flat, culminating in the death of 31-year-old Zhe Wang, a student at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her alleged attacker, 26-year-old Joshua Michals, a fellow student from the United States, is currently on trial for murder at the Old Bailey.
The court has heard that after inflicting two stab wounds to Ms. Wang’s face, Michals didn’t immediately seek help for her. Instead, he made a series of calls – first to his father, then to a solicitor – before finally dialing 999.
A post-mortem examination revealed a far more brutal reality than Michals initially suggested. Ms. Wang died not only from the facial stab wounds, but also from injuries to the head and significant compression to the neck.
Michals claims he was acting in self-defense, stating he restrained Ms. Wang after she allegedly attacked him. He testified he applied pressure to her neck with his forearm, and that she “stopped breathing” before he realized what was happening. He vehemently denied being angry during the incident.
The prosecution challenges this account, suggesting Michals “flew into a rage.” He maintains his composure, insisting he never experienced anger. His explanation for the attack centers around a suspicion, fueled by Ms. Wang, that he may have contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
Evidence presented to the court reveals a deliberate attempt to conceal information. Michals disposed of Ms. Wang’s phone, throwing it into a bin outside her flat. Despite not remembering the act of discarding the device, he admitted to possessing it.
The phone’s journey didn’t end there. Cell-site data tracked it near the flat until the following morning, before it was ultimately recovered from a refuse area in Newham. A recycling plant worker, unable to unlock the phone, discarded it with her household waste.
A transcript of the 999 call paints a stark picture. When asked if Ms. Wang was breathing, Michals responded with a chilling uncertainty: “I don’t think so.” He then requested assistance for both Ms. Wang and himself, providing his own address to the operator.
His language during the call was fragmented and revealing. He urged the operator to “send the help there” and then “send the officer over for me.” The line abruptly went dead, prompting him to call his father before receiving a call back from a paramedic.
During that second call, overwhelmed and distressed, Michals confessed, “I don’t know how any of this works, it’s f too much.” Upon his arrest, he insisted to police, “It’s not what it seems.”
Michals, originally from Chicago, Illinois, had come to London to pursue a master’s degree in filmmaking. Described by friends as outgoing and talented, he reportedly hadn’t mentioned being in a relationship. His parents are a sales executive and a graphic designer.
He met Ms. Wang, a creative writing student, during the enrollment process at Goldsmiths. The trial continues, seeking to unravel the truth behind this tragic event and the conflicting accounts surrounding it.
