A POSH student who stabbed his “germaphobe” girlfriend to death in a row over an STD has been jailed for life.
Joshua Michals, 26, murdered Zhe Wang, 31, at her flat in Lewisham, South London, before shamelessly trying to cover his tracks.
The couple were both students at Goldsmiths University, where Michals was pursuing a master’s degree and Zhe studied creative writing.
Michals has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years years after he was convicted of murder.
Judge Richard Marks KC said: “My conclusion is that you became enraged by the whole situation.
“In a fury you lost complete control of your temper and your senses.”
The court heard Zhe was “germophobic” and became “stressed” after she incorrectly thought she had contracted an STD after they had sex.
She had found a “red dot” on her skin – prompting Zhe to demand Michals get an STD test.
Michals claimed he went to her flat on March 20 with a charcuterie selection to bring some “normalcy” to the “bizarre situation”.
He told the court a row erupted after she attacked him with a knife as he came out of the bathroom.
But jurors were told Michals had “flown into a rage”, slashed Zhe in the face twice and strangled her.
He then phoned his dad to get the details of a solicitor before going to his own flat.
Zhe lay dying for between 30 and 60 minutes before her death – with Michals only calling for an ambulance four hours after the fatal attack.
She was discovered dead in her bedroom lying in a pool of blood.
The killer had attempted to cover up the murder by throwing Zhe’s phone away in a bin outside her flat.
Michals also deleted his WhatsApp conversations with Zhe from his phone but police recovered them.
He then tried to portray her as the attacker and claimed he only stabbed his partner in self-defence.
Michals claimed she was “crazy”, “demented” and “possessed” and told the court he slashed her after wrestling the knife away from her hands.
He also told jurors he only leaned on her neck in a bid to restrain her until she stopped moving.
Asked why he didn’t call emergency services earlier, Michals said: “I wasn’t ready for it and I didn’t see the rush.”
Domestic abuse – how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
- Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
- Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
- Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
- Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
Paying tribute to Zhe, Goldsmiths University said she was a “remarkable writer” and vowed to publish her works posthumously in an upcoming anthology.
Dr Francis Gilbert, senior lecturer in the School of Mind, Body and Society at Goldsmiths, added: “Zhe was joyful, mindful and generous. She was deeply loved by her peers, who continue to speak of her gentleness, her humour and her thoughtful presence. She made our community kinder and more attentive.
“Her classmates continue to mourn her loss and remember her with profound love, recalling the warmth of her presence and the inspiration she offered so generously to others. We will miss Zhe always.”
