In a case that shocked communities in the United States and Ireland, 31-year-old American nurse Mackenzie “Kenzie” Michalski was murdered in Budapest, Hungary, on November 5, 2024. Her killer, Irish national Lorcan Tadgh Murphy (also referred to as Lorcan Murphy or L.T.M. in early reports), was convicted of murder on July 10, 2026, and sentenced to 14 years in a Hungarian prison.

Michalski, a nurse practitioner from Portland, Oregon (with ties to Western New York), was on vacation in Europe. She met Murphy, then 37 or 38 years old, while enjoying a night out in Budapest. The pair were seen dancing, sharing drinks, and leaving together. Surveillance footage captured them walking hand-in-hand before entering Murphy’s rented apartment—the last images of Michalski alive.

According to court proceedings, Murphy admitted to strangling and beating Michalski to death during what began as an intimate encounter. He later concealed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in a wooded area near Szigliget, outside Budapest. Her remains were discovered after a missing persons investigation.

Murphy, a law graduate and company director from Killiney/Dublin 4, Ireland, was described in court as having an obsessive pattern of pursuing women. Police seized his computer and devices, revealing extensive files of secretly recorded encounters with random women in public—often using a spy pen camera. He reportedly kept diaries detailing his pursuits, rated cities based on women’s receptiveness, and expressed deep frustrations about his personal life.

A Hungarian court found him guilty of murder and attempting to conceal the body. He received a 14-year sentence with no parole eligibility, to be followed by deportation and a 10-year ban from Hungary. His lawyers appealed the verdict.

The case drew widespread attention due to the victim’s vibrant personality and the disturbing details of the perpetrator’s behavior. Vigils were held in Budapest and the U.S. to honor Michalski, remembered fondly by family and friends as a dedicated healthcare professional.

This tragedy underscores the risks travelers can face and has highlighted issues around digital evidence and patterns of predatory behavior in investigations.

Sources :New York Post