BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The search for a Western New York native who went 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 a man has been arrested for her murder.

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

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

Michalski was originally from Fredonia but moved to Portland, Oregon. She was supposed to take a flight home from Europe on Tuesday, but her family said she 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 of them.

Tower described the whole situation as a “nightmare.”

“We had an amazing three days in Hungary. Exploring, eating, walking around the city,” Tower said.

But on Monday, it was time for the friends and former colleagues at Buffalo General to call time on their affair and they went their separate ways.

“She walked me down from Airbnb, we said goodbye, we said our I love yous, 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 scheduled flight the next day. The two men exchanged text messages Monday evening.

“She was at a bar in the Jewish Ruins area 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 she responded to a message from Michalski around 12:45 Tuesday morning. It was the last time they communicated.

She did not respond but Tower said there was no emergency or distress. That changed later Tuesday morning when Tower received messages from Airbnb saying Michalski had not moved out of the accommodation they shared in Budapest.

“I started to get worried and sent a message saying, ‘This is completely unusual of her, she would never do this, I don’t know what’s going on,'” Tower said.

Later Tuesday, still with no communication, Tower called the U.S. Embassy to report Michalski missing.

“She was kind, loving, bright, articulate, responsible. Something happened to her. She would never, ever, ever…not…just disappear,” Tower said. “I can’t even express this in words. I am terrified that she is no longer with us or that she has been kidnapped into a human trafficking ring.”

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

News 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 U.S. citizen in Hungary and said the following:

A GoFundMe has been created to support research which you can find here.

On Wednesday evening, we also spoke to two of Michalski’s friends — Brooke Adams and Mary Eustace — who hoped to help spread the word about efforts to find the Western New York native.

You can watch our previous report below.

Friends search for Fredonia native who went missing while on vacation in Hungary