A Wisconsin woman who disappeared more than 60 years ago has been found alive by authorities.
Audrey Backeberg left her Reedsburg home in July 1962 when she was 20 years old, a press release from the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said.
During a review of cold cases earlier this year, a detective reassessed the initial evidence and re-interviewed several witnesses, Sheriff Chip Meister said in the release.
Why It Matters
Law enforcement departments across the country have been reviewing cold cases with the aid of new DNA technology, including the self-submit websites such as Ancestry.com.
As such sites have expanded, so have the number of solved cold cases, although not many cases result in a positive ending, especially over half a century later.
What To Know
A babysitter for the Backeberg family originally told investigators that she and Audrey had hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, where they caught a bus to Indianapolis, according to a missing poster that was on the Wisconsin Department of Justice‘s (DOJ) website.
The babysitter said she last saw Backeberg walking away from the bus stop around a corner on July 7, 1962.
Detectives were able to determine Backeberg left her home of her own accord, the Sauk County Sheriff’s release said.
Backeberg, now 82 years old, was found living out of state and confirmed to law enforcement she decided to leave and had not been a victim of criminal or foul play.
Detective Isaac Hanson spoke with local news station WISN about the process he went through that lead him to finding Backeberg.
Hanson told WISN that Backeberg’s sister had an Ancestry.com account that linked to an address connected to her.
“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,” he said.
Backeberg may have originally left home due to an abusive husband but it’s unclear why she stayed away and out of touch for all these years, Hanson explained.
He would not reveal what exactly they discussed during that 45-minute call, saying, “I told Audrey I’d keep it private. She had her reasons for leaving.”
Wisconsin DOJ/Sauk Co Sheriff
What People Are Saying
Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister said in the press release: “The Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of Investigators, both past and present. Despite the significant challenges that many cold cases present, this resolution underscores both the importance of continued work and the dedication of the Sheriff’s Office to providing answers to families and the community.”
Detective Isaac Hanson told local news station WISN: “I think she just was removed and, you know, moved on from things and kind of did her own thing and lead her life. She sounded happy. Confident in her decision. No regrets.”
What Happens Next?
Hanson said Backeberg lives outside the state of Wisconsin.
It is unclear if she plans to reconnect with family.