Ryan Borgwardt, husband to Emily of 22 years and father of 3 went missing August 11, 2024. He was pronounced dead after months of searching for his body in Lake Green which holds over 1,500 acres of water. Authorities found many of his personal items including his fishing rod, keys, life jacket, water bottle and wallet surprisingly these items were found in the deepest part of Lake green at 200 feet deep.
On September 19, 2024, Emily Borgwardt was forced to go back to work and get her kids back in school. She thanks the authorities and community for their efforts in finding her husband and moving forward in a haze of grief and heartache.
On November 8, 2024, 54 days after Ryan Borgwardt was pronounced dead, it was discovered that he most likely didn’t drown at all. Investigators analyzed Ryan’s laptop and found he had moved funds to foreign banks. They also found a life insurance policy for $370,000 purchased in January. More surprisingly investigators found a number of messages and calls with a woman from Uzbekistan.
The biggest discovery from this investigation, the FBI found records showing his passport was checked by Canadian authorities the day after he disappeared requesting for a new passport saying that his was lost or stolen.
As the FBI continues their investigation, unsure of where he might have ended up, the Sheriff made a plea, “There’s one last thing I want to do, and this is to Ryan. Ryan, if you’re viewing this, I plea that you contact us or contact your family. We understand that things can happen, but there’s a family that wants their Daddy back.”
The only lead that investigators have found came from a tiktok posted in summer 2024. In the video a man who appears to be Ryan Bogwardt is seen asking a woman for advice on whether he should meet his online friend in Uzbekistan. Later in the video Ryan confesses he left his wife, Emily, and his kids. The interviewer tried telling him to patch things with his wife, but Ryan quickly ended the conversation and left leaving the filmer and interviewer stunned. That confusion is shared by law enforcement authorities, the FBI, and Ryan’s family & friends.
The FBI & local authorities continue to investigate the case, hoping for any signs of contact. But so far other than the video, there has been no report and no leads on Ryan’s current location. There are indications that accomplices were involved, authorities are encouraging anyone with any knowledge of this case, or the backstory leading to the disappearance of Ryan Borgwardt to come forward. Authorities aren’t sure of the charges Borgwardt may have to face.
