A man from Michigan, John Skelton, has been charged with the murders of his three sons, who went missing on Thanksgiving Day in 2010. According to court documents, he faces three counts of murder and charges for tampering with evidence regarding 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander, and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton. Tragically, their bodies have not been discovered yet.
The charges were filed just before Skelton, now 53, was set to be released from prison, where he has served 15 years for not returning the boys to their mother, Tanya Zvers—the only conviction related to the case up till now.
Zvers commented on this significant development, stating, “This marks an important moment in a long and painful journey.” She asked for privacy for the families as they continue to grieve while recognizing the public’s interest in the situation.
The boys disappeared while spending Thanksgiving with their father in Morenci, a small town close to the Ohio border. Skelton and Zvers had been having difficulties in their marriage and separated shortly before that holiday. The boys were supposed to return to their mother the day after Thanksgiving, but they vanished instead.
Despite extensive searches throughout Michigan and Ohio, along with numerous tips, the boys have never been located. Skelton misled police regarding their whereabouts, leading them to various false locations, including an old schoolhouse and a dump in Ohio. He also falsely claimed that he had handed the boys over to someone else for their safety.
The lead investigator expressed confidence that Skelton was responsible for the boys’ deaths. During court proceedings to legally declare the boys dead, Skelton chose not to participate, saying, “Nothing I say will change that.”
When investigators searched Skelton’s home after the boys went missing, they discovered a chaotic scene with broken glass, severed appliance cords, and nooses hanging from the second floor, along with an open Bible that had a specific verse circled. An FBI agent recounted a note thought to be for Zvers, which suggested a disturbing admission of guilt.
