Missing Wisconsin Grad Student Eliotte Heinz: Cellphone Found as Search Continues

The search for Eliotte Heinz, a 22-year-old Wisconsin graduate student, intensifies as it enters its fourth day. Last seen in the early hours of Sunday after leaving Broncos Bar along the Mississippi River waterfront in La Crosse, Eliotte was captured on surveillance footage walking toward her apartment, a mere 0.4 miles away. Yet, somewhere along that short journey, she vanished.

Her mother, Amber Heinz, spoke with raw emotion, describing Eliotte as a beacon of kindness with a heart that touches everyone she meets. "She is beautiful inside and out," Amber shared, holding onto hope as the community rallies in support. Friends discovered Eliotte’s cellphone during the search, a small but haunting clue that raises more questions than answers.

Eliotte, a student in Viterbo University’s mental health counseling program, stands at 5-foot-4 with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and jean shorts. Her family, desperate for her safe return, urges anyone in the area to check home security footage from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday and share any information that might help.

La Crosse Police are piecing together a timeline, combing through surveillance, witness accounts, and digital traces to uncover whether Eliotte was alone or if something more sinister unfolded. As a retired FBI agent noted, the possibility of abduction or crossing state lines could escalate this case to federal involvement. For now, the focus remains on bringing Eliotte home.

If you have any information, please contact the La Crosse Police at 608-782-7575 or submit anonymous tips to La Crosse Area Crime Stoppers at 608-784-TIPS. Every detail counts in this heart-wrenching search.