A 37-year-old Irishman has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder of an American tourist he met at a Budapest nightclub. The victim, 31-year-old Mackenzie Michalski from Portland, Oregon, was killed on November 5, 2024, after leaving a club with the suspect.
Details of the Crime
The suspect, identified only by the initials LTM, met Ms Michalski at a nightclub where they danced before going to his rented apartment. During an intimate encounter, he beat and strangled her. After the killing, LTM attempted to hide the body in a suitcase, scrubbed his apartment, and stored her remains in a wardrobe before buying a suitcase to transfer them.
He then rented a car and drove approximately 90 miles south-west of Budapest to Lake Balaton, where he dumped the suitcase in woodland near the town of Szigliget. Police later released footage of him leading officers to the location.
Investigation and Trial
A missing person investigation was launched, and police reviewed security footage from local nightclubs, spotting Kenzie leaving with LTM. He was detained on November 7, 2024, and confessed to the killing. On Thursday, July 9, 2026, Budapest's Metropolitan Court found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment without parole.
The 18 months he had already spent in detention count toward his sentence, after which he will be deported from Hungary. He must also pay 2.5 million forints (£6,000) in court costs. His attorney has appealed the verdict.
Evidence of Premeditation
Investigators noted that LTM went to considerable lengths to conceal the killing. His internet history revealed searches on how to dispose of a corpse, police procedures in missing-person cases, whether pigs consume human remains, and the prevalence of wild boar around Lake Balaton. He also queried the competence of Budapest's police force.
Despite the suspect's claim that the death was accidental, the court found evidence of intentional murder and attempted cover-up.
