In Budapest, Hungary, the family of 31-year-old American tourist Mackenzie Michalski, who was tragically killed while on vacation, mourned their loss as a 37-year-old suspect remains in custody. Michalski, a nurse practitioner from Portland, Oregon, was last seen on November 5 at a nightclub in Budapest, prompting a missing person investigation. Police reviewed security footage that showed Michalski with a man, later identified as the suspect, in multiple clubs on the night of her disappearance.
The suspect, an Irish citizen, was detained on November 7 and later confessed to the crime, although he claimed it was accidental. Michalski’s family, who had initiated a search with the help of a Facebook group, traveled to Hungary to assist but learned en route that she had been killed. Her father, Bill Michalski, attended a candlelight vigil in Budapest, expressing his grief and disbelief over his daughter’s death.
Investigators revealed that Michalski and the suspect met at a nightclub and later went to the suspect’s rented apartment, where the killing occurred during an “intimate encounter.” After the incident, the suspect allegedly tried to conceal his actions, hiding Michalski’s body in a wardrobe before purchasing a suitcase, placing her body inside, and driving to Lake Balaton to dispose of it.
Police said the suspect conducted internet searches on body disposal methods, wild boars in the Lake Balaton area, and Budapest police procedures. Crime scene photos included a rolling suitcase, clothing, and a handbag with Michalski’s credit card. Michalski’s father, speaking at the vigil, described Budapest as his daughter’s “happy place,” reflecting on her love for the city and its history.
The tragedy has deeply impacted Michalski’s loved ones, who remember her as a compassionate and beautiful young woman. The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues.
