A young man, known as a “nepo baby” killer, committed a brutal murder of his girlfriend, described as a “germaphobe,” following a heated argument about an STD. Joshua Michals, a 26-year-old affluent student from the United States, fatally stabbed his fellow student girlfriend, Zhe Wang, leaving her to die in her residence in Manor Park, Lewisham, London. The court trial revealed that Michals, who seemed to have a bright future, killed Ms. Wang by stabbing her face and applying pressure on her neck on March 20, 2024.
Instead of seeking medical assistance, Michals attempted to eliminate any evidence that could link him to the crime before hastily returning to his luxurious flat in southeast London. It was disclosed during the trial at the Old Bailey that Michals had brought food to Ms. Wang’s place with the intention of assembling a charcuterie board when she accused him of transmitting an STD. The day preceding their conflict, she had accused Michals of negatively impacting her life after she discovered a rash, possibly due to taking the morning-after pill.
Michals informed the court that Ms. Wang had a fear of germs and had noticed a mark on her skin after their intimacy, prompting her to insist he undergo an STD test. She expressed her resentment towards him for not getting tested, pressuring her to take the pill, and allegedly ruining her life.
Michals claimed he resorted to stabbing Ms. Wang in the face in self-defense after she attacked him with a kitchen knife. Following the altercation, Ms. Wang lay critically injured for around 30 to 60 minutes before succumbing, with emergency services not contacted until 11:08 p.m., four hours post the incident.
During this period, Michals disposed of Ms. Wang’s phone and the food he had brought in a bin bag, which he discarded in a communal bin area outside. Subsequently, he took an Uber back to his residence in Greenwich and sought assistance from his father, a vice president at the French-owned lighting firm Legrand, in hiring a lawyer.
Michals was convicted of murdering Ms. Wang on Monday, leaving friends shocked and bewildered by the turn of events. A close acquaintance remarked on Michals’ seemingly normal demeanor, expressing surprise at the violent outcome given his background and aspirations in video production.
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