Irishman, 30s, arrested in Budapest after body of US woman, 31, ‘found in suitcase’ in Hungary woods
AN Irishman is being quizzed after a US woman was killed in Hungary — with her body found in a suitcase dumped in a woods.
Mackenzie Michalski, 31, who had been on holiday in Budapest, was reported missing by her friends on Tuesday.
Police detained the Irishman aged in his 30s on Friday.
He had been spotted with her in a number of Budapest nightclubs on CCTV.
Investigators said they danced together before leaving and making their way to his rented accommodation.
Police claim “they had gotten intimate, and he killed her in the process”.
They adding in a statement: “The perpetrator then tried to cover up the murder; so he cleaned his apartment and hid the girl’s body in the wardrobe cabinet while he went out to buy a suitcase.”
The Irishman is then said to have rented a car and driven 145km southwest of Budapest to Lake Balaton, where her body was buried in woods.
Cops said the man confessed to killing nurse practitioner Mackenzie, who was living in Portland, Oregon. But he claimed it was an accident.
Officers added: “After his interrogation, the suspect also showed the detectives where he had hidden the body.”
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Police also alleged he made a number of internet searches after the killing, including “Getting rid of the smell of rotting meat”.
He also is said to have looked up “How reliable is the police in Budapest?”.
FAMILY'S LOSS
Michalski’s devastated parents are currently in Budapest.
Friends and family said in a statement that she will “forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman who dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place”.
They added: “We are thankful that Kenzie’s soul is now at peace. Her memory and legacy will endure in the hearts of all whom she’s touched. To understand Kenzie’s spirit is to wholeheartedly embrace the vast joy and wonder of life.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs are understood to be aware of the case.
