Audrey Backeberg, a Wisconsin woman who went missing over 60 years ago, has been discovered safe and sound. At 82, she was eventually found living in yet another state. While this remarkable find might seem like a paleontologist’s dream, it has attracted the interest of thousands. Backeberg, the mother of two young children, disappeared July 7, 1962. She walked out of her home that day on her way to receive her pay cheque from the small local woollen mill she was employed at.
On the day she went missing, Backeberg made a courageous decision to file an act of prosecution against her husband. She alleged that he physically abused her and threatened her life. A babysitter had last seen her as she walked with a marker around the corner. As it occurred right next to a crowded bus station. Their babysitter said they had previously hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, and then taken a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis, Indiana.
For over 30 years, the case went cold. In 2022, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office re-assigned it for a full review, as part of their active re-examination of cold case files. Metro Transit Detective Isaac Hanson led the investigation and used Ancestry.com to follow Backeberg through her sister’s profile.
“That was pretty key in locating death records, census reports, all kinds of data,” – Isaac Hanson.
During his research, Hanson was able to find an address linked to Backeberg. So he actually called the local sheriff’s department in that county, where she was located, to verify her whereabouts. Within just ten minutes of contacting him, BAC’s Backeberg was on the line with him, which facilitated a multi-hour conversation.
“Ultimately, we came up with an address … 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,” – Isaac Hanson.
Throughout their talk, Backeberg radiated positivity, enthusiasm, and self-assuredness about the decisions she had made in her life. Hanson was very pleased with her decision to begin again. She never regretted her decision to leave her family and take the risks she took all those years ago.
“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,” – Isaac Hanson.
The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office indeed verified the results of their investigation. They concluded that Backeberg’s disappearance was indeed voluntary and not the result of criminal activity or foul play.
“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,” – Sauk County Sheriff’s Office.