Eliotte Heinz Is a Missing College Student From La Crosse, Wisconsin

Eliotte Heinz is a 22-year-old graduate student from Viterbo University, a private college in La Crosse, WI.

That's an area of the Badger State that lines the Mississippi River; it's known as a college town surrounded by bluffs.

Heinz disappeared on July 20 in La Crosse.

Police wrote on July 22 that the search "continues for Eliotte Heinz."

"The La Crosse Police Department needs all of our help in the search for Eliotte Heinz. If you have information about Eliotte or her whereabouts, please contact law enforcement," the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrote on Facebook.

Police released two photos of Heinz; one shows her with her dog, and the other shows her walking down the sidewalk.

A number of male college students have gone missing from the La Crosse bar area over the years and have been found dead in the river. That sparked concerns years ago about a potential serial killer, but police have thrown cold water on that idea, blaming alcohol instead. They have not made that link in Heinz's case, however.

"Between 1997 and 2006, La Crosse experienced tragedy after tragedy as eight separate college students were found to have drowned in the Mississippi River," the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's website says. "The deaths, contrary to some 'serial killer' theories put forth, were determined to be the results of excessive drinking combined with a close physical proximity to Riverside Park, bordering the Mississippi River."

Where Eliotte Heinz Was Last Seen