American Student Receives Life Sentence for Brutal Murder of Goldsmiths Girlfriend
A wealthy American student who murdered his on-off girlfriend before contacting his father for legal advice rather than calling emergency services has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Joshua Michals, aged 26, was handed a minimum term of 16 years behind bars for the killing of fellow Goldsmiths student Zhe Wang, described as gentle and kindly, on March 20, 2024.
Callous Actions After the Attack
Immediately following the fatal incident, Michals telephoned his father, a high-ranking vice president of sales at a US company, to obtain solicitor details instead of dialling 999. He then took an Uber back to his nearby flat in the upmarket California Building, Deals Gateway, Greenwich. It was only several hours later that he eventually contacted emergency services, attempting to blame Ms Wang by falsely claiming he had acted in self-defence after she attacked him.
Judge Condemns Defendant's Behaviour
Sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Richard Marks described Michals as 'callous and thinking only of yourself' for failing to raise the alarm after strangling Ms Wang. The judge dismissed the defendant's account as unbelievable and self-interested. 'You took no steps to check her pulse, her breathing, took steps to revive her or call the emergency services,' Judge Marks stated. 'It is highly likely she was still alive and had you called for help she may still be alive today.' He added that Michals had lost complete control of his temper and senses in his fury.
Victim Impact and Family Anguish
In a poignant victim impact statement, cousin Xiao Li Wang remembered yoga enthusiast Ms Wang as someone who 'loved the UK' and brought happiness to those around her. 'Zhe was so positive, hard-working and passionate about life, and yet something so cruel happened to her … she had been taken away in an instant,' she said. The family initially believed they were being scammed when receiving the news from UK police, finding the ordeal utterly heartbreaking.
Background to the Tragic Incident
The Goldsmiths students had argued the day before the killing over Ms Wang's mistaken belief that Michals had given her a sexually transmitted infection. Germophobic Ms Wang, 31, confronted Michals after noticing a red dot on her skin following intercourse, demanding he take a test. The following day, Michals visited her flat in Lewisham, southeast London, claiming he brought a charcuterie board to calm the bizarre situation.
Michals told the jury he found Ms Wang looking demented and possessed with a knife, leading to a struggle during which he stabbed her twice in the face and strangled her. He left her dying in a pool of blood and only phoned for an ambulance three hours later, telling police he 'did not see the rush'. Michals also deleted WhatsApp conversations with Ms Wang, though police successfully recovered them.
Investigation and Conviction
Detective Inspector Claire Guiver, who led the investigation, said: '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. 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.' Michals denied murder but was convicted by a jury following his trial last month.
Remembering Zhe Wang
Ms Wang was studying an MA in Creative Writing and Education, hoping to become a teacher, while Michals was undertaking an MA in filmmaking. Described by her tutor as funny, very organised, and well turned out, she was a talented writer keen to discuss her work, with aspirations to complete a PhD and return to China. Dr Francis Gilbert, senior lecturer at Goldsmiths, praised her as 'a wonderful student, a remarkable writer and a thinker who combined deep intellectual curiosity with creative courage', noting that some of her writing would feature in a forthcoming anthology.
Sentencing and Aftermath
During sentencing, Michals, wearing a blue jumper over a white shirt with his mother in the public gallery, showed little emotion. Defence counsel Brian St Louis KC stated his client deeply regretted what happened, but Judge Marks responded that this expression of remorse came extremely late and was not evident during the trial. Michals was informed that the nearly two years spent in custody awaiting trial would be deducted from his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.
