PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland nurse who was reported missing while she was vacationing in Budapest, Hungary, has been found dead, according to Budapest police. A suspect has been arrested.
Mackenzie "Kenzie" Michalski, 31, had last been heard from in the early morning hours of Nov. 5, according to her friends and family. She was originally from New York but was currently living in Portland, working as a neurosurgery nurse practitioner at Providence St. Vincent. She'd been with Providence since 2021.
On Friday, detectives from the VI District Police Department in Budapest reported in a news release that Michalski had been found dead and a suspect was arrested. Friends of Michalski confirmed that information with WGRZ, a news station in Buffalo, New York.
The news release, translated from Hungarian into English, said the suspect confessed and showed police where he hid Michalski's body.
"Teresa City police came into sight of a man with whom the missing girl was seen in several nightclubs; 37-year-old Irish citizen M.L.T. was identified and apprehended outside an apartment in District VII," the Hungarian press release said. "Life Protection Division detectives questioned the Irishman as a suspect in manslaughter, who confessed and showed police where he had hidden the woman's body. He was taken into custody and an arrest was initiated."
Providence released a statement about Michalski's death, saying she was a great friend and caregiver.
"The people of Providence are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Mackenzie 'Kenzie' Michalski," Providence said in the statement. "Those who worked with her and knew her best say Kenzie was kind and loving – a great friend and a valued caregiver who lived out our Providence mission and values in her daily life."
The healthcare organization also noted that Providence workers have had to cope with the killings of two nurses in the past two months. Another Providence St. Vincent nurse, Melissa Jubane, was killed in September.
Michalski, described by her friends as a seasoned and experienced world traveler, was on vacation with a friend. Her friend left Budapest on Nov. 4 for Italy.
Mary Eustace, a friend, said Michalski visited a few bars on the night of Nov. 4. The last contact she had with friends was a text sent around 12:45 a.m. on Nov. 5. She was at a bar at the time in walking distance from her Airbnb. However, the host of the Airbnb called to report that Michalski never checked out, and never collected her items from the home.
A Facebook page dedicated to finding Michalski that was created by her friends posted an update Friday that read: "We want to thank everyone for the overwhelming support. At this time we ask that you please respect the privacy of MacKenzie's friends and family and refrain from posting or commenting any information as the case is being handled exclusively by the police."
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is made available.