The father of Mackenzie “Kenzie” Michalski, the 31-year-old American nurse tragically murdered while on vacation in Budapest, has spoken out, expressing heartbreak and disbelief over her death.
During a candlelight vigil held in the Hungarian capital on Saturday, November 9, Bill Michalski said he is “still trying to wrap [his] arms around what happened,” adding that he couldn’t understand why anyone would harm his daughter.
Kenzie Michalski, a nurse from Western New York, was reported missing on November 5 after she was last seen at a nightclub in Budapest.
Police arrested a 37-year-old Irish man in connection to the crime on November 8. Authorities say the man led them to where he had hidden Michalski’s body, later claiming the killing was an accident.
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At the vigil, Bill Michalski shared his daughter’s love for Budapest, calling it her “happy place” and describing how she had visited the city before. “She loved the history, the culture, and she was always so relaxed here,” he said. “This was her city.”
According to police reports, Michalski and the suspect were seen together in several Budapest nightclubs before the incident.
The man allegedly took her to his apartment, where they became intimate, before he killed her. He then attempted to cover up the crime by cleaning his apartment, hiding her body in a wardrobe, and later placing it in a suitcase before driving to Lake Balaton, where he discarded it.
Investigators say he had also searched online for ways to dispose of a body and the smell of decomposing flesh.
A GoFundMe campaign launched in Mackenzie’s memory has raised over $35,000.
Friends and family remembered her as a compassionate and dedicated nurse, describing her as a person who “dedicated herself to caring for others and making the world a better place.”
Loved ones have also set up a Facebook group to continue the search for answers.
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In her hometown of Fredonia, New York, another vigil was held in her honor, with community members coming together to mourn and offer support.
“We love one another, and we grieve with one another when it’s necessary,” said Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson.