In 1997, as the internet connected strangers across state lines, Minnesota-native Toni Bachman formed a close bond with a man in West Virginia. Friends say she was thinking seriously about change. About leaving. About building a future that looked different from the life she had.

Then she disappeared.

At first, there were questions no one could answer. Did Toni leave her marriage behind? Did she run away to begin a new life? Or did something happen inside the home she shared with her husband and stepchildren?

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we explore Toni’s life before she vanished: her marriage, devastating personal losses, career instability, and the online relationships that became a source of comfort during one of the hardest periods of her life.

If you have information about the disappearance of Toni Bachman, please contact the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office at 651-266-9670.

📍 White Bear Township, Minnesota | April 25, 1997

📖 Featuring an original poem written in her honor, read by actress Astrid Rotenberry.

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More about Astrid Rotenberry:

Astrid Rotenberry is a New York–based actress best known for her role as Catherine Kelly in Netflix’s His & Hers. Other credits include The Four Seasons, Law & Order: SVU, and the upcoming Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed on Apple TV+. Originally from Tennessee, she holds a BFA in Theatre Performance and is passionate about making the arts accessible and encouraging young artists to pursue their dreams.