Wisconsin woman missing for over 6 decades found 'alive and well'

In a remarkable turn of events, a woman from Wisconsin who had been missing for more than six decades has been located, “alive and well,” according to authorities. Audrey Backeberg, 82, vanished in July 1962 at the age of 20, but a recent investigation has revealed that she was living out of state. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, in a press statement, confirmed the discovery, though the exact state where she was found has not been disclosed.

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A disappearance by choice

The sheriff’s office further explained that Backeberg’s disappearance was not the result of criminal activity or foul play. "Further investigation has revealed that Ms Backeberg’s disappearance was by her own choice," the statement read.

Backeberg, who was a mother of two at the time, left her home on 7 July 1962. According to a report in The Guardian, her babysitter claimed that Backeberg had hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, before taking a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis, Indiana. The babysitter’s last memory of Backeberg was seeing her walking away from the bus stop.

A troubled marriage and allegations of abuse

The Charley Project, a platform dedicated to profiling missing persons, previously updated its post about Backeberg, revealing that she had married her husband, Ronald Backeberg, at a young age. She was reportedly around 15 years old at the time of marriage, which was said to have been troubled, with allegations of abuse.

According to a report from the BBC, Backeberg had filed a criminal complaint against her husband around the time of her disappearance, accusing him of abuse and threats to kill her. She had been working at a woollen mill and was on her way to collect her pay when she left home.

The case, which had remained unsolved for decades, was re-examined as part of an ongoing review of cold cases. In a statement, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office explained that the case was assigned to a detective for a "comprehensive review," which involved a “thorough re-evaluation of all case files and evidence.”

Detective Isaac Hanson, who led the investigation, revealed to WISN News that he found Backeberg through her sister’s Ancestry.com account. "That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data," Hanson said. He went on to contact the local sheriff’s department at the address he uncovered, and within minutes, he received a call from Backeberg.

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“I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life,” Hanson added. “She sounded happy. Confident in her decision, no regrets.”