Goldsmith’s student killed partner after she ‘urged him to take STI test’, court hears

A Goldsmith’s student supposedly killed his partner after she “urged him to take an STI test” following having sex.

Joshua Michals, 25, has been accused of murdered Zhe Wang, 31, in her bedroom in south-east London.

Zhe, a Chinese national and fellow Goldsmith’s, University of London student was found in a “pool of blood” by police, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

American student Michals has been accused of launching a “savage attack” on Zhe, and leaving her “face-up on her bedroom floor with two penetrating stab wounds to the face.”

According to The Independent, he has denied the charge.

In the run up to her death, Zhe had been urging Michals to take an STI test after seeing a rash on her body following sex, and WhatsApp messages shown to the court from the victim had accused Michals of “ruining her life”.

Michals then visited Zhe on 20th March, the night she died. During that evening, Zhe had experienced what the prosecution called a “savage and brutal attack”, in which she was stabbed and “also strangled”.

Three hours after the victim died, Michals called emergency services.

He told the call handler there had been a “very serious incident” at Zhe’s flat in Lewisham. He said he didn’t believe she was breathing, and later phoned back saying there had been a “knife incident” which was “really bad”.

Prosecuting, Henrietta Paget KC told the court: “This case concerns the killing of a young woman by a man whom she had only been seeing for a few short months.

“This was a brutal and savage attack, as the evidence of her injuries and from the scene plainly shows she was killed in her own bedroom.”

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Michals further told emergency services that the victim had attacked him, and “made comments to the effect that it would be too late to help her”. He also told a paramedic over the phone that the injuries were only “scratches”.

The BBC also reported that before calling the ambulance, Michals had called his father and obtained details for a solicitor.

According to Ms Paget, Michals had only been at the property for 20 minutes or so before he called an Uber to take him home from Zhe’s flat. She said his first instinct was not to help but to “cover his tracks in an effort to save himself”.

He was later arrested at his home by police, telling officers whilst being detained that it was “not what it seems”.

Officers discovered a bin bag with a blood-stained jacket, as well as a hoodie and top, which were in his living room and a blood-stained rucksack in his kitchen. However, the knife was not found.

The court also heard how Zhe, who was studying for an MA in creative writing and education, was “by all accounts a quiet and gentle person”. She had wanted to become a teacher, and also continue with her studies by doing a PhD in China.

The trial continues.

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