ADRIAN, Mich. – A Michigan mother is seeking a judicial ruling to officially declare her three sons deceased, following their disappearance nearly 15 years ago when they did not return from a Thanksgiving visit with their father. The case has long troubled the small community next to the Ohio border and remains unresolved.
Authorities have indicated their belief that the brothers are no longer alive and suspect their father, John Skelton, in their disappearance. Skelton, however, has only been charged with unlawful detention of the children. He is slated to finish a 15-year prison sentence in November for failing to return his sons to their mother, Tanya Zuvers.
A Lenawee County court is set to commence a unique hearing on Monday, where testimony from Zuvers and police investigators will be heard. These testimonies aim to shed light on the persistent efforts to locate Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner Skelton, who have been missing since November 2010.
The children’s mother, backed by her attorney, R. Burke Castleberry, remains without closure as both the community’s efforts and multiple police investigations have yet to determine the whereabouts of the boys. Piwowarski, a probate and estate law specialist from Cadillac, Michigan, noted that declaring someone deceased judicially can facilitate wrongful death claims or other civil actions, providing much-needed closure for families.
John Skelton, now 53, has maintained that he did not harm his sons and claimed that he had placed them with an underground group to ensure their safety. These statements have been met with skepticism by investigators, who have classified his multiple narratives as misleading.
In the years following their disappearance, extensive searches were conducted in Michigan and Ohio. Despite Skelton’s incarceration, he continued to provide authorities with leads that ultimately led nowhere, described by Castleberry as “farfetched” stories that only prolonged the agony for all involved.
The community of Morenci, although it’s been years, has kept the memory of the Skelton brothers alive. In a local park, a plaque bearing their names and images stands as a testament to the brothers, inscribed with the words “Faith, Hope, Love.”
This tragic story continues to affect the small community as they wait for any new developments. Legal proceedings such as the one set for Monday are moments of gravitas, providing an avenue not only for potential legal resolutions but for communal healing as well.
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