Audrey Backberg Found Alive After 60 Years: A Missing Woman's Incredible Return

Audrey Backberg found alive after disappearing in 1962, shocking the nation and shedding light on one of Wisconsin’s oldest cold cases. The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office recently confirmed the discovery, announcing that Backberg had been living under a different name outside of Wisconsin for more than 60 years. According to Fox News, this incredible revelation has brought new attention to the decades-long mystery.

A black-and-white photo from the early 1960s shows Audrey as a young woman with soft curly hair, smiling slightly. Now at 82 years old, Audrey Backberg was confirmed to be in good health, though many details about her disappearance and life over the past six decades remain a mystery.

Audrey Backberg found alive. A black and white close-up photo of Audrey Backberg, a young woman with curly hair, smiling slightly and looking directly at the camera

According to the Sheriff’s Office announcement, Backberg, now 82 years old, was found living outside of Wisconsin. The full details surrounding her disappearance in 1962 and how she was located after all these years haven’t been fully disclosed, adding a layer of mystery to this remarkable story.

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The 1962 Disappearance

On July 7, 1962, Audrey Jean “Good” Backberg, then a 20-year-old married mother of two, left her home in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, to pick up her paycheck from the local woolen mill. She never returned. Her sudden disappearance triggered a widespread investigation.

Shortly afterward, a 14-year-old babysitter told police she had hitchhiked with Audrey to Madison, then boarded a bus to Indianapolis, Indiana. She claimed she last saw Audrey walking away from a bus stop. Years later, the same woman altered her story, suggesting Audrey had possibly ingested pills and was last seen with construction workers.

Despite these leads, the missing woman was never located, and the case eventually went cold. Throughout the years, Audrey’s family insisted she would never have willingly left her children behind.

A "MISSING" poster for Audrey Jean "Good" Backeberg, now known from the case Audrey Backberg found alive. The poster includes her black and white photo, personal details (DOB, missing date, age at time of missing, height, weight, hair color, eye color, sex), and information about her last known whereabouts in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, along with contact details for the Sauk County Sheriff's Department.

A Troubled Marriage

At the time of her disappearance, Audrey was in a troubled marriage with Ronald Backberg. Just days before she went missing, Audrey had filed a criminal complaint against him, alleging he had physically abused her and threatened to kill her. Despite this, she continued to live at home with her children and husband until the day she vanished.

Ronald was questioned by police and underwent a polygraph test, which he reportedly passed. He always maintained his innocence in connection to her disappearance.

Cold Case Solved in 2025

In early 2025, Detective Isaac Hanson of the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office reopened the Audrey Backberg case as part of a broader effort to review cold cases. His meticulous work—reviewing old files, interviewing witnesses again, and exploring modern resources—led to a remarkable breakthrough.

A key moment came when Hanson discovered an Ancestry.com account belonging to Audrey’s sister. Using genealogy records, census data, and public documents, he tracked down a current address associated with someone believed to be Audrey.

Hanson then contacted the local authorities in that region. After verifying her identity, he had a 45-minute phone call with Audrey herself. Although the details of her current life remain confidential, it was confirmed: Audrey Backberg is alive.

A medium shot of Detective Isaac Hanson, a bald man wearing a light-colored collared shirt, looking slightly to the side with a serious expression, likely from a video call.

A Choice to Disappear

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Audrey made a voluntary decision to disappear in 1962 and start a new life. She remarried, changed her name, and lived quietly for decades. Her second husband reportedly passed away, and Audrey has lived out of the public eye ever since.

Detective Hanson stated that Audrey expressed no regrets and seemed content with her life decisions. While some questions may never be answered, it appears her choice to vanish was rooted in the difficult circumstances she faced at the time.

A street view of a town in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, featuring several old brick buildings with storefronts along a sidewalk. The sky is blue and clear.

Community and Family Closure

Sheriff Chip Meister praised the persistence of investigators over the years. He emphasized how this case illustrates the importance of never giving up on missing persons or unsolved mysteries.

While much of Audrey’s life during her absence remains private, the fact that she has been found brings a powerful sense of closure to her family and community. The phrase “Audrey Backberg found alive” is now not just a headline, but a miraculous ending to one of America’s most enduring cold cases.

Expert Insight: Genealogy Tools Revolutionize Cold Case Investigations

Audrey Backberg found alive after more than 60 years, highlighting the transformative impact of genealogical tools in solving cold cases. Detective Isaac Hanson of the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office attributed the breakthrough to data obtained from Backeberg’s sister’s Ancestry.com account. This information facilitated access to death records, census data, and other vital documents, ultimately leading to Backeberg’s location.

Hanson emphasized that such resources are invaluable in re-examining cold cases, stating that the genealogical data provided crucial leads that traditional methods had failed to uncover. This case exemplifies how integrating modern technology with persistent investigative efforts can resolve mysteries that have remained unsolved for decades.

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