Hungarian authorities uncover chilling details in murder of American nurse

A 37-year-old Irish man has been arrested in Hungary in connection with the murder of 31-year-old American nurse.  

American nurse Mackenzie Michalski, 31, from Portland, Oregon, was reported missing after a night out in Budapest, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.    

Police stated that the suspect was identified through CCTV footage and later admitted to killing Ms. Michalski, although he claimed the death was accidental.   In a statement, authorities revealed that the suspect had attempted to cover up the crime by renting a car, placing her body in a suitcase, and disposing of it in a forested area near the village of Szigliget in western Hungary.  

Investigators determined that the pair had met at a nightclub, danced together, and then went to the man's rented apartment.   The suspect was arrested at the apartment in the evening and has since been remanded in custody.  

Following questioning, the suspect led detectives to the location where he had disposed of Ms. Michalski's body, according to the police statement.   It also revealed that the man had placed her body in a wardrobe while he cleaned his apartment, attempting to "remove traces" of the alleged murder, before driving to the woods to hide it. Ms. Michalski was reported missing by her friends when she failed to return to their accommodation.

During their investigation, police revealed they uncovered evidence that led them to suspect foul play.   After her disappearance, the suspect conducted several online searches, including queries like "what does a dead body smell like after it decomposes?", "how do the police handle missing person cases?", and "removing rotting meat smell". He is also alleged to have searched about whether pigs eat dead bodies and the presence of wild boar near Lake Balaton, a body of water near Szigliget.  

In footage released by Hungarian authorities, the handcuffed suspect can be seen guiding officers through the woods, accompanied by sniffer dogs and forensic investigators.  

A Facebook group titled "Find Mackenzie Michalski" notes that the 31-year-old often went by the nickname "Kenzie".   Friends of Ms. Michalski held a candlelit vigil near the US embassy in Budapest in her memory.

By Naila Huseynova