On August 12, 2024, the tranquility of the town of Watertown, Wisc., was shattered by the disappearance of Ryan Borgwardt. The 44-year-old father of 3 had gone on a short kayaking trip on Green Lake, but disappeared completely. An emergency search found his capsized kayak on the lake and his vehicle and trailer in a nearby park. It was initially assumed the he had fallen into the lake and drowned. A day later, a local fisherman found Ryan’s fishing rod and a tackle box containing his belongings. The investigation that followed uncovered signs that suggested that Ryan had crossed into Canada. Border authorities there confirmed that they had run his passport a day after his disappearance, a discovery that led police to uncover Ryan’s elaborate plan to fake his death and leave his family behind. On November 11, police made contact with Ryan, who confessed to faking his death in order to cover his tracks. He detailed every step of his elaborate plan, from stashing an electric bike near the boat launch to paddling downstream in a child-sized inflatable boat. He overturned the boat to make it look like he had fallen out and drown, and then rode his bike 80 miles through the night to Madison, Wisc., where he boarded a bus to Detroit. Eventually, he crossed into Canada where he boarded a flight to Europe using a new passport. He has yet to offer an explanation for inflicting such emotional trauma on his wife and children. According to Sheriff Mark Podoll of the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Ryan had personal matters going on in his life and thought leaving was the right thing to do. Authorities say Ryan changed the hard drive in his computer and erased his search history before disappearing. He also took out a $375,000 life insurance policy to help his family. He expressed his regret regarding his actions, is aware that he put his family through hell, and understands that he cost U.S. authorities tends of thousands of dollars in resources and man-hours. In his defense, he said he believed that searches for his body would stop within a couple of weeks of his disappearance. Ryan has expressed his concern that if he does come back, it’s going to be hard to live and that no one will accept him. The community, however, has said they’re willing to forgive him. “Christmas is coming, and what better gift could he give his kids than to be there for Christmas with them,” said Sheriff Podoll.
