Boyfriend Shoots Girlfriend After She Asks for STD Test

Before a casual relationship turned fatal, it was just another couple trying to navigate boundaries and safety. But a request by the woman — for an STD test — triggered fear, rage, and ultimately a lethal act that shocked the community.

The case ended with a murder conviction and renewed scrutiny on how mistrust and toxic impulses can escalate into irreversible violence.

STD Test Request, an Argument, and Sudden Violence

In March 2024, 26-year-old Joshua Michals (from Chicago) fatally assaulted 31-year-old Zhe Wang, a classmate at Goldsmiths, University of London. Their relationship had been casual, but tensions rose after Wang repeatedly asked Michals to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

On the day of the murder, an argument reportedly escalated. Michals stabbed Wang twice in the face and compressed her neck. A post-mortem later confirmed the cause of death as stab wounds and neck compression.

After the Attack — The Call Nobody Should Make First

What makes this case especially chilling: after the attack, Michals didn’t call emergency services. Instead, he first phoned his father, seeking a lawyer. He only alerted police nearly four hours later. By that time, Wang had already died.

When authorities arrested him, his clothes were stained with blood. Messages from their phones revealed repeated conflict about the STD test request, painting a picture of deteriorating trust and growing paranoia.

Trial, Verdict, Claims, and Cold Justice – All for a Simple STD Test

Michals attempted to argue self-defense during the trial, claiming that Wang had attacked him with a knife and he restrained her in panic. But the jury rejected his claims, finding that the attack was deliberate and violent — not a defensive reaction. He was convicted of murder.

Authorities described Michals as “a dangerous, violent individual,” emphasizing that the request for an STI test does not — cannot — justify such a brutal reaction.

From Trust to Fear, and the Shadow of Toxic Jealousy

This tragic incident reveals how a question about health and safety — normally responsible and sensible — can be twisted into a trigger for violence when trust breaks down. It underscores the danger that can lie behind fear, paranoia, and refusal to communicate.

The case also raises broader questions about casual relationships, consent, honesty, and the responsibilities partners have toward one another in terms of safety. And tragically, it demonstrates how rejection — even reasonable — can spiral into an irreversible act of violence.

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