A court in Budapest has prolonged the pre-trial detention of a 37-year-old Irish man, who was arrested last month by Hungarian police in connection with the suspected murder of Mackenzie Michalski, a 31-year-old US tourist.
Spokesperson for Budapest's Metropolitan Prosecution Office, Ferenc Rab, confirmed to RTÉ News in an emailed statement that his office had applied to extend the detention period, and that the suspect could now be held until 10 March 2025.
The decision by Budapest's metropolitan magistrate's court to prolong the suspect's detention was made on 6 December and came into effect today.
Mr Rab said that the suspect and his lawyer have the right to appeal the decision.
Police in Budapest arrested a 37-year-old Irish man on suspicion of the murder of Ms Michalski on 7 November after they had reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area where she was last seen.
Ms Michalski, who worked as a nurse in Portland, Oregon, last made contact with friends on the night of Monday, 4 November from a nightclub in central Budapest.
She was reported missing on 5 November by her friends after she did not check out of her Airbnb accommodation in Budapest.
According to a statement released by Budapest police headquarters last month, Ms Michalski and the male suspect met at a nightclub in central Budapest on the night of her disappearance before going to another nightclub and later to the man's rented apartment in the city.
The same police statement noted that the Irish man maintained that Ms Michalski’s death was accidental.
According to the police, following Ms Michalski's death, the suspect cleaned his apartment and drove to Lake Balaton, two hours west of Budapest, with Ms Michalski’s body placed in the suitcase, before hiding her body in a wooded area.
On Friday 8 November, one day after his arrest, the suspect travelled with police to Lake Balaton to reveal the location of Ms Michalski’s body.
The suspect’s lawyer, György Magyar, last month told hu.24, a Hungarian media outlet, that Ms Michalski’s death was "an accidental act without intention".
Under Hungarian law, a suspect is formally charged after the conclusion of an investigation.
In cases of suspected murder or manslaughter in Hungary, an investigation period can take a number of months, and, in some cases, more than a year to conclude.
