A Wisconsin woman who vanished without a trace in 1962 has been found alive at age 82, choosing to disappear from her troubled life and start anew far from the family who spent decades wondering about her fate.
Quick Takes
- Audrey Backeberg, who disappeared at age 20, was recently located living peacefully outside Wisconsin at age 82
- Her disappearance was by choice, not the result of foul play, following what was reportedly an abusive marriage
- The 62-year-old cold case was solved using Ancestry.com to track down family connections
- Audrey was married at approximately 15 years old and had two children before vanishing
- Detective Hanson reported that Audrey expressed no regrets about her decision to leave
A Decades-Old Mystery Solved
After more than 60 years of unanswered questions, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin has finally closed one of its longest-standing missing persons cases. Audrey Backeberg, who disappeared in 1962 at the age of 20, has been located alive and well, living outside Wisconsin at age 82. The revelation brings closure to a case that had puzzled investigators for decades and offers a rare glimpse into the complexity of missing persons investigations where individuals choose to vanish.
“The Sheriff’s Office is now able to report that Audrey Backeberg is alive and well and currently resides out of State,” the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said in a media release. “Further investigation has revealed that Ms. Backeberg’s disappearance was by her own choice and not the result of any criminal activity or foul play.”
Audrey Backeberg's loved ones have finally located their missing relative after a decades-old mystery solved by the Sauk County Sheriff's Office. https://t.co/VkcyLZct1P
— News 3 Now / Channel 3000 (@WISCTV_News3) May 2, 2025
The Disappearance
On July 7, 1962, Audrey Backeberg left her Reedsburg home, supposedly to collect her salary, but never returned. According to records, she hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, before boarding a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis, Indiana. A babysitter reported last seeing Audrey walking away from the bus stop in Indianapolis, stating that Audrey had left voluntarily and would not return. This account contradicted the beliefs of Audrey’s family members, who insisted she would never abandon her children.
At the time of her disappearance, Audrey was married to Ronald Backeberg and had two children. Their marriage was reportedly troubled, with allegations of abuse. Despite suspicions, Ronald passed a polygraph test administered after Audrey’s disappearance, temporarily eliminating him as a suspect. For decades, the trail remained cold as Audrey built a new life elsewhere, completely disconnected from her past.
“The babysitter stated Audrey chose to leave of her own accord and said she would not return, but Audrey’s family members insisted she would never have abandoned her children,” The Charley Project said, adding that “Ronald passed a polygraph exam conducted after Audrey’s disappearance.”
Modern Technology Solves Historical Mystery
Earlier this year, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case, employing modern investigative techniques that weren’t available in 1962. Detective Isaac Hanson utilized Ancestry.com to track down Backeberg’s sister, which eventually led to an address where Audrey was found. This breakthrough demonstrates how genetic genealogy and DNA databases have revolutionized cold case investigations, allowing connections that would have been impossible just a decade ago.
“That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data,” Detective Isaac Hanson
When located, Audrey was surprisingly receptive to contact from investigators. “So, I called the local sheriff’s department, said ‘Hey, there’s this lady living at this address. Do you guys have somebody, you can just go pop in?’ … Ten minutes later, she called me, and we talked for 45 minutes,” Detective Isaac Hanson
A Life Rewritten
While the full details of why Audrey chose to disappear and remain hidden for over six decades remain private, investigators have respected her privacy regarding the specific circumstances. What is known is that Audrey married Ronald when she was approximately 15 years old, an extremely young age that raises questions about the nature of their relationship and her life circumstances at that time. The allegation of an abusive marriage provides context for her decision to leave.
“I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and led her life. She sounded happy. Confident in her decision. No regrets.” Detective Isaac Hanson
While authorities have confirmed Audrey’s wellbeing, they have not disclosed her current location or whether she plans to reconnect with any surviving family members. The resolution of this case emphasizes the importance of continued work on cold cases and reminds us that not all missing persons cases end in tragedy. Sometimes, they represent a person’s conscious choice to begin anew, however difficult that decision may have been.
