• Audrey Backeberg, missing for over 60 years, has been found alive and well.
• Her disappearance in 1962 was due to her choice, likely escaping an abusive marriage.
• A new investigation led to her discovery through genealogy research.

Audrey Backeberg, a woman missing since July 1962, has been found "alive and well" in another state, bringing closure to a case that baffled investigators for decades, according to ABC News. Backeberg vanished from her home in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, when she was just 20 years old, after purportedly hitchhiking to Madison with a babysitter and then taking a bus to Indianapolis.

The Sauk County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Backeberg's disappearance was voluntary and free of foul play, revealing that an abusive marriage may have influenced her decision to leave, as shared by India Times and HuffPost. Detective Isaac Hanson, who took on the cold case earlier this year, noted that Backeberg "sounded happy, confident in her decision" during their conversation.

Hanson's breakthroughs in the case included obtaining an address from Backeberg's sister’s Ancestry.com account, which was pivotal in locating her. Following extensive research and verification, he contacted local authorities in the area where she was residing. The quick response led to Backeberg calling him just minutes after detectives visited her home, as described by NPR.

According to reports, Backeberg was a mother of two when she disappeared. Prior to her leaving, she had made a complaint against her husband due to threats and allegations of abuse. The authorities previously feared she might have been a victim of foul play, which compounded the urgency of her case over the years, as noted by ABC News and India Times.

The Sheriff’s Department revealed that Backeberg's case became inactive for many years, with numerous leads leading nowhere until the recent intensive review process sparked new insights. The resolution highlights a renewed commitment to solving cold cases, as described by officials from the Sauk County Sheriff's Office, as reported by HuffPost and NPR.

While Backeberg is reported to be living a peaceful life away from media scrutiny, it’s important for her that her current whereabouts remain private. Detective Hanson emphasized that she has the "cards" to decide if she wishes to reconnect with her family, underlining the complexity of their situation, as gathered from ABC News and India Times.