Audrey Backeberg pictured across the time of her disappearance. Credit score: Wisconsin lacking individuals advocacy
Audrey Backeberg, a girl who vanished from her Wisconsin dwelling in July 1962, has been discovered alive and properly greater than 60 years later, in accordance with the Sauk County Sheriff’s Workplace.
The 82-year-old, who disappeared aged 20, was found dwelling out of state following a chilly case overview earlier this yr.
Audrey Backeberg’s chilly case breakthrough after six a long time
Backeberg’s disappearance went unsolved for many years regardless of quite a few leads. She was final seen on July 7, 1962, after leaving her dwelling in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, to gather her pay cheque from a woollen mill, in accordance with the Wisconsin Lacking Individuals Advocacy. On the time, she was married and had two youngsters.
Her husband reported her lacking when she did not return dwelling. A 14-year-old babysitter later instructed authorities that she and Backeberg had hitchhiked to Madison earlier than taking a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis. {The teenager} returned dwelling alone, claiming she final noticed Backeberg close to a bus cease.
On the time of her disappearance, Backeberg had filed a felony criticism in opposition to her husband, Ronald Backeberg, accusing him of bodily abuse and loss of life threats. The couple reportedly married when Audrey was round 15 years outdated. Her kinfolk insisted she would by no means abandon her youngsters, whereas her husband handed a polygraph check and maintained his innocence.
The case was reopened as a part of a chilly case overview in 2025. Detective Isaac Hanson re-evaluated the case information, interviewed witnesses, and located a breakthrough by means of Ancestry.com data linked to Backeberg’s sister.
“That was fairly key in finding loss of life data, census reviews, all types of information,” Hanson instructed WISN. “So I known as the native sheriff’s division, mentioned ‘Hey, there’s this woman dwelling at this tackle. Do you guys have any person, you may simply go pop in?’ … Ten minutes later, she known as me, and we talked for 45 minutes.”
Audrey Backeberg selected to vanish
Authorities confirmed that no crime had taken place. “Additional investigation has revealed that Ms Backeberg’s disappearance was by her personal alternative and never the results of any felony exercise or foul play,” the Sauk County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in its official assertion (cited by The Guardian).
Detective Hanson added: “I believe she simply was eliminated and, , moved on from issues and form of did her personal factor and led her life … She sounded comfortable. Assured in her determination. No regrets.”
Sounds much like the story of a person who faked his personal loss of life.
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