What started as a casual evening with friends turned into a heartbreaking ordeal for the loved ones of 22-year-old Eliotte Heinz.
The Viterbo University student vanished during a late-night walk home after visiting a local bar in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Days later, her body was pulled from the Mississippi River — but the circumstances around her death remain murky.
No Signs of Foul Play, Say Investigators
Authorities in La Crosse provided an update that left more questions than answers.
According to their latest statement, they don’t believe Eliotte’s death was due to any criminal behavior.
But that’s as far as they would go.
Officials confirmed that the full autopsy results are still pending and could take months to complete.
For now, the investigation remains open as detectives try to piece together her final moments.
The Timeline Before She Disappeared
Eliotte had been out with friends at Bronco’s Bar in downtown La Crosse.
The group called it a night around 2:30 a.m., when the bar closed.
About 50 minutes later, a hotel security camera spotted Eliotte walking alone near the Courtyard by Marriott — just under half a mile from where she started.
What happened during that 50-minute gap is still unclear.
She was captured on camera wearing a white t-shirt and denim shorts, seemingly holding something in her hand that may have been her phone.
Her mom later confirmed that Eliotte was walking home to her apartment when she was last seen.
A Search Ends in the Worst Way
When Eliotte didn’t return home and stopped responding to calls and messages, friends and family began looking for her.
They eventually found her phone not far from the hotel, adding another unsettling piece to the puzzle.
As days passed with no sign of her, concern turned into fear.
Then came the devastating news: Eliotte’s body had been found in the Mississippi River, near Brownsville, Minnesota — roughly 10 miles downriver from where she was last seen.
The discovery brought an end to the search but left her family shattered and still without clarity on what really happened that night.
Ongoing Questions and What Comes Next
Despite early autopsy results pointing away from foul play, the full picture of Eliotte Heinz’s final moments is still incomplete.
Authorities say they’re actively continuing the investigation, gathering any information that might shed light on how she ended up in the river.
In the meantime, Eliotte’s loved ones are left waiting for answers that may take months to arrive.
For now, all they can do is hold on to her memory and hope the ongoing investigation brings the closure they desperately need.