On July 7, 1962, Audrey Backeberg, who was married and had two children, left her family’s home in Reedsburg, Wisc., and headed for the woolen mill, where she worked. She never returned home, prompting her husband Ronald to reach out to his wife's relatives to inquire about her whereabouts. Shortly after Backeberg went missing, a 14-year-old babysitter for the couple came forward and said that she and Backeberg hitchhiked to Madison, and then took a bus to Indianapolis. The babysitter later claimed she didn’t want to return home after they arrived in Indianapolis. Backeberg was last seen walking near a bus stop. About 15 years later, when the babysitter was an adult, she was interviewed again, but this time her story changed. She stated that Audrey had taken a bunch of pills, put them in a Coke can and drank it before taking the bus down to Indianapolis. She said it’s possible that Audrey hooked up with some construction workers that were working in the area. Backeberg’s relatives said Audrey would never leave her children, and Ronald passed a polygraph test after maintaining his innocence. He later remarried, and passed away in 2006. Investigators had pursued leads over the years but were unsuccessful in locating Audrey. Earlier this year, the Backeberg case was given to a cold case detective, and it wasn’t long before the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office announced that Backeberg is alive and well and currently resides out of state. According to Sheriff Randy Stammen, Audrey and Ronald’s marriage was troubled and there were allegations of abuse that were outlined in a criminal complaint that was filed in the days before Audrey vanished. It turns out that Audrey chose to disappear and there was no criminal activity or foul play.
