A Goldsmiths, University of London student was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil after she became convinced he had given her a sexually transmitted infection, a murder trial has heard.
The Fatal Confrontation in Lewisham
Zhe Wang, a 31-year-old Chinese national studying creative writing, was found dead with two stab wounds to her face at her flat in Manor Park, Lewisham, in March last year. The Old Bailey trial was told that the accused, 26-year-old filmmaking student Joshua Michals, had met Ms Wang on campus and the pair had begun a sexual relationship.
Jurors heard that Ms Wang, who was described as 'germophobic', discovered a 'red dot' on her skin after they had sex and wrongly believed she had contracted an STD from Michals. She became 'stressed' about the possibility of an infection and demanded he get a medical test, even vowing to find him on campus to 'drag' him to a GP.
A Meeting That Turned Deadly
In an attempt to bring 'normalcy' to what he called a 'bizarre situation', Michals visited Ms Wang's flat on 20 March with a selection of charcuterie. He told the court he found her 'cold' and monosyllabic. Michals claimed he went to the bathroom briefly and returned to find Ms Wang holding a knife and looking 'completely crazy'.
'She had this wicked look in her eye. Demented. I would be tempted to say possessed as well. It scared the hell out of me,' Michals testified. He alleges a scuffle ensued during which he gained control of the knife and struck her. He denies murder, insisting he 'just wanted to get her away from me' and did not mean to cause harm.
The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
The prosecution, led by Henrietta Paget KC, alleges Michals 'flown into a rage' and killed Ms Wang. A post-mortem examination concluded she died from stab wounds to the head and compression to the neck.
The court heard that after the incident, Michals called his father, obtained a solicitor's details, went to his own flat, and then called 999. Jurors were told he also took Ms Wang's phone from her kitchen and discarded it in a bin outside; it was recovered days later from a refuse area in Newham.
Michals, originally from Chicago, had come to London to pursue a master's degree at Goldsmiths. He told the court he had met Ms Wang on his first day and they had 'hung out' around ten times. He stated his feelings about a relationship were 'so-so' due to her germ phobia. The trial has confirmed Michals never had a sexually transmitted disease.
Joshua Michals, of Deals Gateway, south-east London, has pleaded not guilty to murder. The jury has now retired to consider its verdict.
