A 31-year-old American nurse from Portland, Oregon, was tragically killed during her trip to Hungary, according to local police. Kenzie Michalski disappeared from the Budapest nightlife on November 5, sparking a manhunt and immediate suspicion of foul play.
Security footage from the night of Michalski’s disappearance revealed her moving between various clubs with a man who was later identified as a suspect. The 37-year-old Irish man, known only by his initials LTM, was taken into custody where he confessed to the crime and led police to Michalski’s body.
LTM claimed the murder was accidental, occurring during an intimate encounter. The two had met at a nightclub and danced before leaving for his rented apartment. In an attempt to conceal his crime, LTM cleaned the apartment and hid Michalski’s body in a wardrobe. He then placed her body in a suitcase he had bought to discreetly remove the body from the apartment.
LTM rented a car and drove approximately 90 miles southwest of Budapest to Lake Balaton. There, he disposed of the body in a wooded area near the town of Szigliget. Police discovered his internet history was filled with searches on how to dispose of a body, police procedures in missing person cases, and the presence of wild boars in the Lake Balaton area.
The murder occurred just a day after Michalski and a friend had finished a trip through Europe. Michalski stayed in Hungary for an additional night while her friend, Gretchen Tower, traveled to Italy. The two kept in touch until shortly after midnight on Tuesday. When Michalski failed to check out of her Airbnb or catch her flight back to the U.S., Tower contacted the U.S. Embassy.
A candlelight vigil was held in Budapest in memory of Michalski. Her father, Bill, spoke at the event, sharing that his daughter had visited Budapest before and considered it her “happy place.” He expressed his grief and confusion over the tragic incident, stating, “There was no reason for this to happen. I’m still trying to wrap my arms around what happened … I don’t know that I ever will.”