Eliotte Heinz's family got a heartbreaking update on Wednesday, days after the Wisconsin graduate student mysteriously went missing. She was last spotted leaving a waterfront bar on Sunday. Authorities confirmed that the 22-year-old was found dead in the Mississippi River in Brownsville.
Eliotte Heinz was found dead in the Mississippi River on Wednesday (X)
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Heinz was discovered in the river just before 10:30 AM local time, over 10 miles from where she was last seen. The student's disappearance had sparked an exhaustive four-day search operation. “This was not the outcome we had hoped for throughout this search,” La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with Eliotte’s family, friends and all those who knew Eliotte. We are grateful for the outpouring of support from so many within the La Crosse community, the state of Wisconsin and nationally to locate Elliotte.”
Security footage showed Eliotte Heinz walking near the Mississippi River waterfront, about a 30-minute walk from the bar. She then vanished. The 22-year-old was enrolled at Viterbo College. She was at the Bronco Bar on a night out with friends, who said she left around 2:30 AM on Sunday.
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Heinz's cellphone was reportedly found by her friends during the search operation along the banks of the river. Viterbo University said the school would hold a memorial service for Eliotte.
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Heinz's cellphone was reportedly found by her friends during the search operation along the banks of the river. Viterbo University said the school would hold a memorial service for Eliotte.
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“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing someone so young, with so much life ahead of her,” Viterbo University President Dr Rick Trietley said. “Our hearts go out to Eliotte’s family. We hold them in our prayers and stand with them in their grief.”
Her mother, Amber, told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that her daughter was ‘beautiful inside and out’.
“She has got the biggest heart and unending kindness for everyone. I think that is noted by how many people have showed up for her," she said.
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Police say that the investigation remains active. The cause of death is yet to be determined.
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.
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Home/World News/Us News/Eliotte Heinz's family devastated after heartbreaking update from Brownsville: ‘Unending kindness’
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