An Irish man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder of an American tourist whose body was found concealed in a suitcase after she disappeared while visiting Hungary. The Budapest-Capital Regional Court sentenced the man, identified only as LTM under Hungarian anonymity laws, over the killing of Mackenzie Elizabeth Michalski, 31, from Portland, Oregon. Michalski, a nurse practitioner, travelled to Budapest in November 2024 but was reported missing after she failed to check out of her accommodation and missed her scheduled flight home.
Last seen leaving nightclub
Hungarian police launched an extensive search before tracing her final known movements to a nightclub in Budapest. CCTV footage showed Michalski leaving the venue with LTM before travelling to his apartment. The court heard that once there, LTM tied her up, assaulted and strangled her. Judges ruled he made no attempt to seek medical assistance and instead “intended the outcome of his actions.”
Body hidden in suitcase
Following the killing, the court heard LTM concealed Michalski’s body inside his apartment before purchasing a suitcase. He placed her body inside the case and drove approximately 90 miles to the Lake Balaton area, where he abandoned it in nearby woodland. Police arrested him two days later, and he subsequently led detectives to the location where the body had been hidden.
Internet searches revealed
Investigators recovered video footage from the defendant’s mobile phone, along with recordings showing him approaching women in Budapest. His internet search history included searches relating to human decomposition, Missing Person" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">missing person investigations, and whether animals consume human remains, prosecutors told the court.
Defence rejected
LTM claimed Michalski died during consensual rough sex and argued her injuries were accidental. His legal team sought to exhume her body and reopen her medical records, but the court rejected those applications. Prosecutors said there was no evidence Michalski had any interest in BDSM and told the court she had a pre-existing neck injury.
Emotional family statements
During sentencing, Michalski’s mother told the court her daughter’s injuries were so severe that her face was unrecognisable when she viewed her body. She urged judges to impose the maximum available sentence. Family members described Mackenzie as a compassionate healthcare professional who had dedicated her life to caring for others. Her former partner, who travelled to Hungary to help search for her after she disappeared, later said he blamed himself for not being there to protect her. LTM will be deported to Ireland after completing his prison sentence in 2038. His legal team has lodged an appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
