Wisconsin Graduate Student Found Dead in Mississippi River
In a tragic turn of events, the body of 22-year-old Eliotte Heinz, a graduate student in Wisconsin, was discovered in the Mississippi River after several days of searching.
The La Crosse Police Department reported that her body was located more than a few miles from where she was last seen, around 10:30 AM. Heinz had gone missing on Sunday while walking home from a bar called Broncos.
According to police, she was last observed walking along the waterfront around 3:30 AM and had been captured on surveillance footage heading toward her apartment.
La Crosse Police Chief Sean Kudron expressed the department’s sorrow over the incident, adding that they are continuing their investigation and are awaiting an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.
“This was not the outcome we wanted from this search,” Chief Kudron said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with Eliotte’s family, friends, and anyone who knew her. We appreciate the overwhelming support from the La Crosse community, Wisconsin, and people across the country in our efforts to find Eliotte.”
Heinz’s parents shared that they felt something was amiss when they couldn’t reach her on Sunday morning. Authorities mentioned that her family, friends, and local law enforcement made numerous attempts to locate her but were unsuccessful.
Her mother indicated that Heinz’s cell phone had been turned off by a friend during the search.
If anyone has information regarding Heinz, they are encouraged to contact the police non-emergency number at 608-782-7575. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers in the La Crosse area at 608-784-TIPS or online.
