The La Crosse Police Department has confirmed the discovery of Eliotte Heinz's body, a 22-year-old graduate student from Viterbo University, who was reported missing since July 20. According to WEAREGREENBAY, Heinz's body was found in the Mississippi River near Brownsville, Minnesota, yesterday morning.
An ongoing investigation is underway, as authorities work to definitively determine the cause of Heinz's death, pending the results of an autopsy. Before her disappearance, Heinz was last seen in the early hours of July 20, walking southbound on Front Street South in La Crosse. As reported by NBC Chicago, the notification of her death was an outcome police and the community alike had hoped to never receive.
Heinz's family, in a statement obtained by WISN, expressed their profound grief and gratitude to everyone who supported the search. "She was smart, funny, caring, and loved fiercely by us. We don't know why we were so blessed to have her as a daughter or why we are unable to keep her," the family shared in their heartfelt message. They conveyed their love for Eliotte and the difficult journey they now face in her absence.
Local authorities, in the meantime, have asked businesses and residents to review security footage that might provide additional clues. The La Crosse Police Chief, Shawn Kudron, publicly acknowledged the community's efforts, stating, "We are grateful for the outpouring of support from so many within the La Crosse community, the State of Wisconsin and nationally to locate Eliotte," as reported by NBC Chicago.
