A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman after detectives recovered deleted phone messages showing their deteriorating relationship.
Joshua Michals, 26, a U.S. national, was convicted of murdering 31-year-old Zhe Wang, with whom he had engaged in a casual relationship in the months leading up to her death.
Despite his efforts to eliminate all digital evidence from his phone and physical evidence from her residence, authorities were able to retrieve the data and construct a timeline of events that culminated in her murder.
Details of the Incident
On March 20, 2024, Michals called 999 to report a serious incident at an address in Manor Park, Hither Green, SE13, indicating that he was no longer at the location. Officers arrived and discovered Zhe with two stab wounds to her face. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that there had also been sustained compression of the neck.
Michals was arrested at home the same evening. However, during questioning, he refused to provide any information regarding his relationship with Zhe or the events that transpired the night of her death.
Investigation Findings
As part of the investigation, law enforcement examined Michals‘ phone. Detectives retrieved his full chat history with Zhe, which indicated that they had met shortly after commencing their studies at Goldsmiths University in the autumn of 2023.
The messages further revealed that, in the months prior to her death, Zhe had repeatedly urged Michals to undergo testing to confirm he had no sexually transmitted diseases. This topic became a source of increasing tension between the two. Zhe had requested a face-to-face discussion on March 20.
The last message sent by Michals to Zhe simply read ‘here’, dispatched at 19:17. Further analysis of his phone provided insights into his Uber account, showing that just 40 minutes later, he left the address and returned home—where he waited nearly four hours after the incident before contacting the police at 23:08.
Evidence and Verdict
Upon his arrest, various items of bloodstained clothing were discovered in his residence, which later proved to match Zhe’s DNA.
Detective Inspector Claire Guiver, who led the investigation, stated: “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. Our thoughts continue to remain with her family and friends, both in China and the UK. Our commitment to tackling violence against women and girls is unwavering and we will continue to do everything we can to make London a safer city.”
She added, “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. It is clear that Michals is a dangerous, violent individual and he will now have to live with the consequences of his actions.”
