BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) – The search for a Western New York native missing in Europe has reportedly come to a tragic end.

Days after Mackenzie Michalski disappeared while traveling in Hungary, law enforcement and local media in Budapest are reporting that she has been found dead and that a man has been arrested for her murder.

According to Budapest authorities, the man accused of her murder is an Irish citizen. They say he confessed to the crime and led police to the location where the body was hidden.

Police will hold a news conference on Saturday and more details will be released.

Michalski was a native of Fredonia but moved to Portland, Oregon. He was supposed to take a flight home from Europe on Tuesday, but his family said he never got on that plane.

I spoke with Michalski’s friend Gretchen Tower, who was traveling through Europe with Michalski and was one of the last people to see her earlier this week. Budapest, Hungary, was the last stop on a birthday trip through Europe for the two.

Tower described the entire situation as a “nightmare.”

“We spent three fantastic days in Hungary. Exploring, eating, walking around the city,” Tower said.

But on Monday it was time for the friends and former Buffalo General co-workers to conclude their adventure and go their separate ways.

“He walked me downstairs out of the Airbnb, we hugged goodbye, said I love you, and I went to the airport,” Tower said.

Tower was on his way to Italy to visit other friends and Michalski stayed one more night in Budapest before catching a flight scheduled for the next day. The two exchanged text messages Monday night.

“She was in a bar in the Jewish ruins neighborhood having a glass of wine, it looked like she was having dinner,” Tower said.

‘It’s a nightmare’: Search continues for Western New York native missing in Europe

Tower said he responded to a message from Michalski around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday. That was the last time they communicated.

She didn’t respond, but Tower said there was no urgency or distress. That changed later Tuesday morning when Tower received messages from Airbnb that Michalski had not left the place they had shared in Budapest.

“I started getting worried and I messaged her and said, ‘This is completely unusual for her, she would never do this, I don’t know what’s going on,'” Tower said.

Later on Tuesday, still without any communication, Tower called the US embassy to report Michalski missing.

“She was kind, loving, bright, eloquent, responsible. Something happened to her. She would never, ever, never, never… not… just go away,” Tower said. “I can’t even put it into words. I’m terrified that she’s no longer with us or that she’s been kidnapped by a human trafficking ring.”

Tower told me that Michalski’s family and her boyfriend were planning to travel to Hungary to help search for her.

Word of Michalski’s disappearance reached elected leaders here in Western New York and they said they were reaching out to see what they could do.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed to 7 News that the State Department was aware of reports of a missing American citizen in Hungary and said the following:

A GoFundMe has been created to support the search what you can find here.

On Wednesday night, we also spoke with two of Michalski’s friends, Brooke Adams and Mary Eustace, who were hoping to help spread the word about the efforts being taken to find the Western New York native.

You can see our previous report below.

Friends searching for Fredonia native missing while on vacation in Hungary