Woman Missing for 63 Years Resurfaces in Wisconsin, Living Life on Her Terms

Audrey Backeberg, missing since 1962, has been found alive after an investigation into her disappearance was renewed. She left her previous life behind, reportedly living happily away from Wisconsin, after fleeing an abusive marriage.

Audrey Backeberg, a woman missing for nearly 63 years, has been located alive and well, as announced by law enforcement in Wisconsin. Backeberg vanished from her Reedsburg home on July 7, 1962, at the age of 20. Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister confirmed that her disappearance was "by her own choice" and not linked to any criminal wrongdoing.

At the time she disappeared, Backeberg was married and a mother of two. Just prior to her vanishing, she had filed a complaint against her husband, who she married at just 15 years old, alleging physical abuse and death threats. On the day of her disappearance, Backeberg went to collect her paycheck from the woollen mill where she worked. According to the couple's 14-year-old babysitter, Backeberg hitchhiked to Madison's state capital with her and then took a bus to Indianapolis, approximately 300 miles away.

Despite extensive investigations that ultimately turned cold, renewed focus on the case led to her discovery. Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an online ancestry profile belonging to Backeberg's sister, which aided in tracing her whereabouts. After contacting authorities where Backeberg currently resides, he spoke with her for over 45 minutes. Detective Hanson reported that she seemed content, indicating that she had made a life for herself and expressed no regrets about her choices.