Sheriff’s deputies say they’re investigating a new lead in the case of a missing Tomahawk man.

Ben Wilberding went missing back in 1996 when he was 21-years-old and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

Authorities aren’t saying what new evidence they have received in the case, but will say they and Wilberding’s family still need your help.

The missing man’s sister, Candie Wetenkamp, says they don’t know much more about what happened to him today than they did more than a decade ago.

There don’t seem to be any reasons why he disappeared, no clues as to where he might be and really no ideas if he just fled the country, or if foul play was involved.

But family and authorities believe someone in the small community has some answers.

What is known about Wilberding’s disappearance is that on May 24, 1996 he disappeared from his parents’ home at the time on County Road CC in rural Tomahawk.

His sister tells me he spoke to her from his home that morning, and that was the last she or anyone else heard from him.

Police treated his disappearance as a missing persons case until they got a break.

“Weeks later they found his driver’s license and social security card,” Wetenkamp recalled. “They found them on a different person.”

A former Lincoln County Sheriff tells NewsChannel 7 they investigated that person, but found no evidence linking him to a crime.

A deputy at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department says he hopes the new lead will give them some answers.

If you have any information about Wilberding’s disappearance, call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department at (715) 536-6272.