A Wisconsin man, Ryan Borgwardt, disappeared while on a kayaking trip, leaving his family in distress when his minivan was located near a rural lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin.
A deputy who found the vehicle noted its occupant was missing, initiating an investigation on that August morning in 2024.
In a surprising turn, Borgwardt was later found in Georgia, Europe, months after vanishing.
Recently, Borgwardt pleaded no contest to obstructing an officer and was sentenced to 89 days in jail. Additionally, he is required to pay $30,000 in restitution to law enforcement to cover the costs incurred during the search for him.
Documents released by the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office shed light on Borgwardt’s disappearance.
It was revealed Borgwardt had intended to start a new life with a woman he met online, faking his own death in the process.
The documents detail Borgwardt’s last exchange with his wife, Emily, after 22 years of marriage.
The conversation began with Borgwardt texting: “May have snuck out on a lake.”
His wife responded: “That would have been nice to know. I was beginning to wonder why you weren’t home.”
When he apologized, she replied: “Nothing new. I should be used to it by now. So many nights I have no idea where you are when it’s late.”
Borgwardt’s final messages stated: “I will work on our communication. I saw the northern lights and they were pink. I love you… goodnight.
“I’ll be heading back to shore soon.”
Concerned, his wife later texted him with the message ‘where are you?’ followed by ‘babe?’
Newly released documents also included receipts for bus tickets from Madison, Wisconsin, to Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada, alongside footage of Borgwardt crossing into Canada.
Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Matthew Vande Kolk reported having contacted the Uzbekistani woman in Georgia.
In their communication, they inquired about her last contact with Borgwardt, expressing the need to confirm his well-being.
These interactions led Vande Kolk to reach Borgwardt via email and Telegram.
Borgwardt confirmed he was safe but did not disclose his location, stating: “I realize I created this mess and now everyone is trying to put the pieces together.
“I am really sorry about that. It would have just been much easier if no one looked for me.”
He explained his plan involved discarding his phone, using an inflatable raft to return to shore, and then cycling 66 miles on an electric bike he had strategically placed.
By December, Borgwardt returned to the US from Georgia, where he faced questioning and subsequent charges.
His wife Emily is understood to have filed for divorce.