The Disappearance And Discovery Of Eliotte Heinz
What To Know About Deceased Graduate Student Eliotte Heinz
Published
The Viterbo University community was rocked when news reports concerning the sudden disappearance of Eliotte Heinz began to circulate in late July 2025.
A search for the 22-year-old student commenced following her disappearance, and after dedicated efforts from the community in La Crosse, Wisconsin, she was found dead Wednesday morning.
We're going to take a look into Heinz's background and see what led up to the discovery of her body after four days of searching.
Eliotte Was Studying For A Graduate Degree Before Her Disappearance
Heinz graduated from Hortonville High School in 2021, according to her Facebook, and she attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
She later enrolled at Viterbo University, where she was enrolled in the institution's mental health counseling program.
Heinz's mother Amber described her daughter as "beautiful inside and out" on "Fox & Friends," and said her child had "the biggest heart and unending kindness for everyone."
Eliotte was described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and she was seen wearing a white shirt and blue shorts on the night of her disappearance.
She Disappeared After A Night Out At A Bar
Eliotte was last spotted in the early hours of Sunday, July 20, after she had left Bronco's Bar in La Crosse, where she had gone out with friends, according to the New York Post.
The graduate student left the bar at about 2:30 AM, and she was later spotted on security cameras roughly an hour later walking by the Mississippi River waterfront, about 30 minutes from Bronco's Bar.
Heinz was walking in the direction of her apartment, three-quarters of a mile away, according to Fox News.
Amber spoke to Fox News Digital and claimed her family "knew that something was going on" when her daughter stopped responding to texts.
The Community Came Out To Help Look For Eliotte
Several groups banded together to search for Heinz in the days following her disappearance, and missing flyers featuring the graduate student's image were circulated through La Crosse.
Despite the efforts by her friends, family members, and local police, a statement from authorities claimed there had been "several attempts to locate her with no success" prior to Wednesday morning.
However, Amber claimed her daughter's cell phone had been found by her friends as part of the search.
Heinz's mother told Fox News Digital her daughter's impact on her community was "noted by how many people have showed up for her."
Eliotte's Body Was Found In Another State
The outcome that no one wanted became an unfortunate reality on Wednesday, July 23, as Heinz's body was found in the Mississippi River at 10:30 AM local time.
Her body was located in Brownsville, Minnesota, several miles down the river from La Crosse.
La Crosse Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Heinz's disappearance, and autopsy results are pending.
La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron acknowledged the confirmation of the graduate student's death "was not the outcome we had hoped for throughout this search," and sent his condolences to her family.
