Missing Wisconsin Woman Found Alive After 60 Years: Sheriff Solves Decades-Old Cold Case

After more than 60 years lost from the Wisconsin landscape, Audrey Backeberg, now 82, has been found alive and well. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the woman who vanished at age 20 simply chose to disappear — and it wasn’t a crime, just a seriously bold life decision.

Audrey disappeared from her family’s home in July 1962. Details from the time paint a vivid picture: she and the family babysitter reportedly hitchhiked to Madison, then hopped a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis. The babysitter told police she last saw Audrey walking away from the bus stop, never to return. Talk about a dramatic Irish exit.

The case languished for decades, with no word from Audrey. Her family didn’t buy the idea she’d walk away from her two kids, insisting that something sinister must have happened. Yet, a thorough re-investigation this year — which involved combing through old files and re-interviewing witnesses — finally unraveled the mystery. Turns out, Audrey left on her own terms and has been living out of state ever since.

Audrey's early years weren’t exactly a fairytale. She married Ronald Backeberg at around fifteen, and their marriage was described as troubled, with whispers of abuse. Ronald even passed a polygraph after Audrey’s disappearance, adding another twist to the saga.

Now, with the case finally closed, the sheriff’s office can confirm: there was no foul play, no criminal activity — just a young woman taking her fate into her own hands, and apparently, never looking back.