The distraught ex-boyfriend of an American nurse who was found dead in a suitcase near a lake in Hungary claimed she was “beaten, raped and brutally” murdered.
Mackenzie Michalski, a 31-year-old woman from Portland, Oregon, was on vacation in Budapest when she suddenly disappeared after a night of partying.
Two days after she was reported missing on November 5, Hungarian police arrested a 37-year-old Irishman who admitted to the murder and showed them where he had hidden the nurse’s body in Lake Balaton.
While the man, referred to only by his initials LTM under Hungarian law, confessed to the murder, he insisted the woman’s death was an accident.
Now her boyfriend of six years, Kenton Reichen, has spoken of her heartbreak and wishes he “could have saved her from this.”
Kenton Reichen said after a vigil for Michalski in the Hungarian capital that he wished he had been able to “protect” his partner of six years.
The 37-year-old Irishman suspected of killing Michalski (pictured) led police to the area where his body was dumped following his arrest over her disappearance on November 7.
Friends hold candles as they remember Michalski during a candlelight vigil in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The couple had planned to travel together to the European country at the end of October but “they were in the middle of a breakup” so Reichen decided not to make the trip.
Instead, Michalski traveled to the country with a friend, leaving Reichen in Portland.
Reichen, who had traveled to the country with the nurse’s parents to look for her, said after a vigil for Michalski in the Hungarian capital that he wished he had been able to “protect” her.
He said: ‘Before the trip, Kenzie and I were in the middle of a breakup. She originally wanted me to go to Budapest with her, but I decided not to go with her, so a friend of hers accompanied her.
“She was perfect, but I neglected her in many ways,” he added. “It hurts me a lot and I wish I had protected her.”
While the suspect has claimed that Michalski’s death was a horrible accident, her ex-boyfriend firmly rejects this.
He added: “Kenzie did not deserve to be beaten, raped and murdered in such a brutal way.” I wish I could have saved her from this. “This will forever be the biggest mistake of my life.”
CCTV footage showed Michalski and the suspect dancing in a nightclub before leaving together. They then returned to the suspect’s rented apartment where she was allegedly murdered during an intimate moment.
Police have not yet confirmed how Michalski died, but revealed that the suspect had searched online how to dispose of a dead body, what a dead body smells like, and whether pigs eat dead bodies. He also investigated whether there were wild boars in the area where he later dumped her body.
Her friend and traveling companion, Gretchen Tower, said the group had been traveling together and when she lost contact with Michalski. Torre was the one who reported his disappearance
Mrs Michalski (left) was “in the middle of a break-up” with her partner (not pictured) when she traveled to Hungary. “I’m sorry I let you down,” he said in a social media post.
Photos of Michalski at a candlelight vigil in Budapest on Saturday, as his father made a heartbreaking statement about his death.
The suspect then cleaned her apartment before allegedly stuffing the victim’s body into a newly purchased suitcase and carrying it along with a purse, clothing and a credit card with Ms. Michalski’s name on it.
Then he rented a car and drove to the lake in western Hungary.
The Irish Foreign Office said it “is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance.” “As with all cases, the department does not comment on the specific details of each individual case,” he added.
Mrs Michalski was last seen at a club in Budapest’s Jewish quarter after her friends received photographs of her at the bar.
After that, family and friends were unable to contact her and her belongings were found at the Airbnb where she was staying.
He then missed his flight from Hungary to Amsterdam, which was on his route home.
After learning that Ms. Michalski was missing, her family flew from the United States to help in her search. As they traveled across the Atlantic they were informed that their daughter’s body had been found.
On Saturday night, during a candlelight vigil in Budapest, Bill Micahalski, Mackenzie’s father, told The Associated Press that he was “still overwhelmed with emotion.”
‘There was no reason for this to happen. “I’m still trying to understand what happened,” he added. “I don’t know if I ever will.”
As she struggled to come to terms with her daughter’s death, she revealed that Hungary was her “happy place.”
“She loved the story and was very relaxed here,” he said. “This was his city.”
Her former partner, Mr Reichen, added in another tribute on social media: “I fell in love with you while watching the sunset in Ibiza. You broke your ankle and I carried you. You were everything I needed in life. I’m sorry I broke you upset.’
Mackenzie Michalski (pictured) had gone to Hungary as a tourist and was last seen in a nightclub before her body was eventually found.
Mackenzie’s body was found near Lake Balaton in western Hungary after she went missing on November 5.
A statement on behalf of the family was posted on a Facebook group created to find the nurse that read: “Dear members of our community, we are deeply saddened to confirm a report published by the Hungarian police announcing the death of our beloved Kenzie.” .
The statement further appreciated the efforts of everyone, including strangers abroad and officials around the world, for getting involved to help find Michalski.
He continued: ‘Kenzie will always be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman who dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place.
“As a nurse practitioner, Kenzie used her humor, positivity, and boundless empathy to help heal her patients and encourage family and friends alike.”