An Irish national has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder of Mackenzie Michalski, a nurse from Fredonia, New York, who was on vacation in Budapest. The court reduced the sentence by 18 months to account for time already served in pre-trial detention. The perpetrator, identified only as LTM, was also ordered to pay nearly $8,000 in court fees.
Michalski, who resided in Portland, Oregon, was in Hungary's capital in November 2024 as part of a European trip with a friend. She was killed on November 5, 2024, after meeting LTM at a nightclub. The two reportedly danced before returning to his rented apartment.
Authorities stated that Michalski was strangled and beaten to death during an intimate encounter. LTM admitted to causing her death but claimed it was accidental.
Following the murder, LTM searched the internet for methods of body disposal, including information on wild boars in the Lake Balaton region and the effectiveness of Budapest police. He concealed Michalski's body in a wardrobe before moving it to a newly purchased suitcase. He then transported her remains approximately 90 miles southwest of Budapest and abandoned them in a wooded area near the town of Szigliget.
Michalski's friend, Gretchen Tower, reported her missing to the U.S. Embassy after she failed to respond to calls, check out of her Airbnb, and missed her flight home. A missing persons investigation was launched, and surveillance footage showed Michalski with LTM at various nightclubs on the night she disappeared. LTM was identified and apprehended on November 7, 2024, two days after Michalski's death.
LTM's attorney has appealed the court's ruling.