Context:

Audrey Jean Backeberg, who disappeared over 60 years ago from Reedsburg, Wisconsin, has been found alive, revealing she left voluntarily. In 1962, at age 20, Backeberg hitchhiked to Madison before taking a bus to Indianapolis, after which she vanished without a trace. The Sauk County Sheriff's Office revisited the cold case with Detective Isaac Hanson, who uncovered new information through re-examination of evidence and data from Ancestry.com. Hanson eventually located Backeberg through an out-of-state address and confirmed she was living contently, having chosen to disappear to lead her own life. Authorities confirmed there was no foul play involved in her disappearance, as Backeberg was confident and had no regrets about her decision to stay hidden for decades.

Dive Deeper:

• Audrey Jean Backeberg went missing on July 7, 1962, from Reedsburg, Wisconsin, at the age of 20 after hitchhiking to Madison and then taking a bus to Indianapolis. She disappeared from sight after walking away from the bus stop.

• The case went cold despite numerous leads pursued by the Sauk County Sheriff's Office over the years. Earlier this year, they assigned Detective Isaac Hanson to re-examine the case as part of a review of cold files.

• Detective Hanson meticulously reviewed old evidence and interviewed witnesses, uncovering new insights that led him to use an Ancestry.com account belonging to Backeberg's sister to gather data such as death records and census reports.

• Hanson's investigation led to the discovery of an out-of-state address, prompting a visit from the local sheriff's office, which resulted in confirming Backeberg's whereabouts.

• Backeberg was contacted by Hanson and spoke to him for 45 minutes, during which she expressed contentment with her life choices, indicating that her disappearance was intentional and not due to any criminal actions.

• Authorities concluded that Backeberg's disappearance was a voluntary act and no foul play was involved, as she sounded happy and confident without regrets about her decision to remain hidden for over six decades.

• The resolution of this cold case highlights the importance of revisiting unsolved cases with fresh perspectives and utilizing modern resources such as genealogy websites to uncover long-buried truths.