A Wisconsin woman who vanished in 1962 leaving behind two young children has been found alive and well 62 years later, living under circumstances entirely of her own making.
Quick Takes
- Audrey Backeberg, who disappeared at age 20, has been found alive at age 82 living outside Wisconsin.
- The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed her disappearance was voluntary with no criminal activity or foul play involved.
- Modern genealogy tools like Ancestry.com helped Detective Isaac Hanson solve the 62-year-old mystery.
- Audrey was married at approximately 15 years old in what sources describe as a troubled marriage with allegations of abuse.
- Authorities respect her privacy and have not disclosed her current location or whether she plans to reconnect with family.
A Young Mother’s Mysterious Disappearance
On July 7, 1962, 20-year-old Audrey Backeberg left her Reedsburg, Wisconsin home to collect her salary, but never returned. Her husband Ronald initiated a search, which eventually revealed that Audrey had hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, then boarded a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis with a babysitter. At the Indianapolis bus station, the babysitter reported watching Audrey walk away—the last confirmed sighting for over six decades. At the time of her disappearance, authorities questioned Ronald Backeberg, but he passed a polygraph examination, and the case eventually went cold.
“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,” reported The Charley Project, adding that “Ronald passed a polygraph exam conducted after Audrey’s disappearance.”
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
Modern Techniques Solve Decades-Old Mystery
Earlier this year, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office reopened Audrey’s case, applying contemporary investigative methods. Detective Isaac Hanson leveraged Ancestry.com to track down Audrey through her sister’s DNA profile. The digital breadcrumbs led to an address where the now 82-year-old woman was living. After local law enforcement confirmed her identity, Audrey herself reached out to Detective Hanson, culminating in a 45-minute conversation that closed a chapter in Wisconsin’s longest-running missing persons case.
“That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data,” said Detective Isaac Hanson.
The breakthrough demonstrates how modern genealogy databases have transformed cold case investigations. Self-submitted DNA profiles through services like Ancestry.com now provide detectives with tools unimaginable in 1962, creating connections across generations and state lines that were previously impossible to trace through traditional police work.
A Voluntary Disappearance
“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.”
Public records reveal Audrey was married at approximately 15 years old, with sources indicating her marriage was troubled. While Detective Hanson has honored Audrey’s request for privacy regarding her specific reasons for leaving, he shared limited insights about their conversation. Audrey appears content with the life choices she made six decades ago, having established a new life away from her past in Wisconsin.
“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 told reporters.
Respecting Privacy While Closing A Case
Authorities have deliberately protected Audrey’s current identity and location, honoring her wish for continued privacy. The sheriff’s office has not disclosed whether she plans to reconnect with any surviving family members or her children, who would now be in their 60s. The resolution brings closure to what had become one of Wisconsin’s most enduring mysteries, while respecting the personal boundaries of the woman at its center.
“I told Audrey I’d keep it private. She had her reasons for leaving,” Detective Isaac Hanson explained.
This unusual resolution illustrates the complex intersection of personal freedom, family obligations, and the passage of time. While many missing persons cases end in tragedy, Audrey Backeberg’s story reminds us that sometimes individuals make difficult choices to reshape their lives entirely—choices that may remain mysterious to everyone but themselves even after six decades have passed.
