A court in Budapest has sentenced a 37-year-old Irish citizen to 14 years in prison for the murder of an American tourist in the Hungarian capital. The victim, 31-year-old Mackenzie Michalski of Portland, Oregon, went missing on November 5, 2024, after being last seen at a central Budapest nightclub.
The suspect, identified by police as L.T.M., was detained on November 7, 2024, following an investigation that included the review of security footage from local clubs where the two were seen together. During questioning, the man confessed to the killing, which investigators determined occurred after the two left a nightclub for the suspect’s rented apartment. According to authorities, the man beat and strangled Michalski during what he described as an intimate encounter.
The Budapest Metropolitan Court found the defendant guilty of murder, sentencing him to 14 years without the possibility of parole. The court also ordered his deportation from Hungary once his sentence is served. The time he has already spent in detention, approximately 1.5 years, will be credited toward his sentence. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay 2.5 million forints, or roughly $7,995, in court costs. The defendant’s attorney has filed an appeal against the verdict.
Following his initial arrest, the suspect claimed the death was accidental. However, police evidence suggested a deliberate attempt to conceal the crime. Investigators stated the man cleaned his apartment and hid the victim’s body in a wardrobe before purchasing a suitcase to transport her remains. He later rented a vehicle and drove about 150 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Budapest to a wooded area near the town of Szigliget, where he disposed of the body.
Authorities released video footage showing the suspect leading them to the location where he had left the victim. Police further revealed that the man had conducted internet searches regarding the disposal of bodies, missing person police procedures, the competence of Budapest law enforcement, and whether pigs or wild boars in the Lake Balaton area might consume human remains.
