Western New York native traveling to Hungary found dead, man arrested for murder

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Budapest Police have released new details about the murder of a Western New York native who disappeared while traveling in Hungary.

Family and friends of 31-year-old Mackenzie Michalski reported her missing to the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday.

Budapest Police launched an investigation and obtained security video of Michalski dancing with a man in several nightclubs before going to the apartment she was renting.

A 37-year-old Irish man with the initials LTM was arrested at the flat on Wednesday. The man confessed to killing Michalski and led officers to her body, according to police.

An investigation revealed that LTM killed Michalski while the pair were close but told police it was an accident. He allegedly hid her body in his closet while going out to get luggage, then put her body in the suitcase and left it in the Lake Balaton forest in an area outside Szigliget.

The investigation also revealed that LTM also conducted the following online searches:

“Do pigs really eat corpses?”
“A Texas woman was killed by a wild boar.”
“Wild boar sightings in the coastal towns of Lake Balaton.”
“What does a corpse smell like after it decomposes?”
“Getting rid of the smell of rotting meat.”
“Budapest webcams.”
“What happens after a person is reported missing?”
“How do the police handle missing persons cases?”
“How trustworthy are the police in Budapest?”

LTM was detained. A State Department spokesperson confirmed to 7 News that Hungarian police were aware of reports that they had detained a suspect in connection with the disappearance and that the US Embassy was in contact with Hungarian police.
A memorial service for Michalski will be held Saturday at Barker Commons in Fredonia. Organizers are encouraging people to bring candles.

The following statement was made on behalf of Michalski’s loved ones:

“Dear members of our community,

We are deeply saddened to confirm a report issued by the Hungarian police announcing the death of our beloved Kenzie.

We would like to express our deep and heartfelt gratitude to the US and Hungarian authorities and the local police for their prompt attention, diligence, care and understanding.

And we especially want to thank the members of this grassroots community at home and abroad for contributing to such a remarkable search effort. We are deeply grateful to our Hungarian friends and locals for raising awareness on social media, distributing flyers, offering translation services, and mobilizing a ready mission to find Kenzie.

Kenzie will forever be remembered as a beautiful and caring young woman who dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place. As a nurse practitioner, Kenzie used her humor, positivity, and boundless empathy to heal her patients and encourage her family and friends.

We are grateful that Keznie’s soul is now at peace. His memory and legacy will live on in the hearts of everyone he touched. To understand Kenzie’s spirit means to embrace with all our hearts the immense joy and wonder of life. Her wish for the world: Fully embrace the present moment, be your authentic self, practice kindness, and always walk in the light.

Thank you all for your support and continued prayers. We ask that you respect the privacy of Kenzie’s family and friends during this difficult time; They are all grateful for your love and care.

“Forever in the light, Kenzie’s Family and Friends”

On Thursday, 7 News spoke with Michalski’s friend, Gretchen Tower. The two were traveling around Europe and their last stop was Hungary.

Tower called the entire situation a “nightmare.”

“We had a great three days in Hungary,” Tower said. “Exploring, eating, walking the city.”

Western New York native traveling to Hungary found dead, man arrested for murder

On Monday the friends went their separate ways. Tower was heading to Italy to visit some friends, and Michalski stayed one more night in Budapest before a scheduled flight the next day.

“He took me down from the Airbnb, we said goodbye to each other, we said I love you,” Tower said.

The two exchanged text messages late Monday night.

“He was drinking a glass of wine at a bar in the Jewish ruins area,” Tower said. “It looked like he was eating dinner.”

‘This is a nightmare’: Search continues for Western New York native who disappeared in Europe

Tower said he responded to a message from Michalski around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. This was the last time they communicated. Tower then received messages from Airbnb that Michalski had not checked.

“This is completely out of character for him, he would never do this, I don’t know what’s going on,” Tower said.

Later Tuesday, Tower called the U.S. Embassy to report Michalski missing.

Friends searching for a Fredonia native who disappeared while on vacation in Hungary

“He was kind, loving, intelligent, articulate and responsible,” Tower said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to support his family you can find here.

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