Authorities in Wisconsin located the body of 22-year-old graduate student Elliot Heinz in the Mississippi River on Wednesday after a four-day search. She had been reported missing following a night out at a bar in Lacrosse.
Heinz was last seen around 3:30 AM walking along the riverfront, and surveillance footage showed her heading toward her apartment later that night. Her body was discovered near Brownsville, Minnesota, which is significantly distant from where she was last seen.
The Lacrosse Police Department is continuing their investigation and is waiting for autopsy results to determine the cause of death. Police Chief Sean Kudron expressed the department’s deep sorrow, stating, “This was not the outcome we wanted through this search. Our thoughts are with Eliott’s family, friends, and everyone who knew her.”
Elliot’s mother, Amber, shared with a news outlet that her daughter had been in and out that night, describing her as kind-hearted. The family had grown concerned after losing contact with her that Sunday morning. They, along with local police, made several attempts to find her without success.
Heinz, a student in Viterbo University’s mental health counseling program, had been missing since early Sunday. Investigators are reviewing various surveillance footage and witness statements as part of the effort to piece together her whereabouts before she went missing.
The area where Heinz went missing has raised safety concerns in the past. In response, the University of Wisconsin launched the “Riverwatch” program back in 2006 to help prevent incidents involving intoxicated individuals along the waterfront, but it’s unclear if this program was operational on the night of her disappearance.
The family expressed their gratitude for the community’s support during the search for Elliot. They encouraged anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to reach out to local authorities.
