MORENCI, Mich. – A Lenawee County judge issued a decision on a mother’s request to declare her three missing children dead.
The Skelton brothers, Tanner, 5, Alexander, 7, and Andrew, 9, were last seen with their father John Skelton at his Morenci Home just over 14 years ago.
Their father had spent time with the boys for the Thanksgiving holiday during an ongoing divorce and custody battle with their mother, Tanya Zuvers. He was supposed to return them to their mother on Black Friday, Nov. 26, 2010.
When John Skelton didn’t return the boys, and Zuvers couldn’t get a clear answer from him about where they were, she became worried. She contacted the police and an Amber Alert was issued. The brothers were never found and their whereabouts are still unknown.
On Sept. 15, 2011, John Skelton pleaded no contest to three counts of unlawful imprisonment. He was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison. He was denied parole and will remain in prison until Nov. 29, 2025.
In 2023, Zuvers filed a petition in Lenawee County Probate Court requesting that the court declare her sons legally dead and declare that John Skelton was responsible for their murder.
A one-day trial was held and five witnesses were called to support Zuvers’ petition with the aim of providing the court with convincing evidence that John Skelton was responsible for both the disappearance and murder of his three children.
On March 5, 2025, Lenawee County judge Catherine Sala issued her decision. She declared that the three missing boys are deceased, but ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove they were murdered by John Skelton.
“It is with the gravest of condolences, that it is ordered, Alexander William Skelton, Andrew Ryan Skelton, and Tanner Lucas Skelton, are presumed to be deceased as of Nov. 26, 2015,” Judge Catherine Sala said.
Watch the judge’s full statement in the video player below:
Father says he gave Skelton brothers away to protect them
John Skelton said he gave the boys away to an underground group to protect them from their mother. He alleged that Zuvers had abused the boys, she denies that allegation.
Tanya Zuvers was charged with fourth-degree criminal misconduct in the late 1990s for having sex with a 14-year-old boy. John Skelton said she was abusing her own sons, but she said that is not true.
“That has all been investigated,” Zuvers said. “My stuff was gone through. My children come first. Always have, always will. My dream job was to be a mom, and it is the greatest job in the world. But to say that I abused my sons, (that) kills me.”
Local 4 spoke with Brewer in 2020, who said John Skelton was holding back key information in the case.
“This is not a case of everyone hates John Skelton,” said Det. Lt. Jeremy Brewer. “We just want to find these boys.”
John Skelton in prison, parole denied
On Sept. 15, 2011, John Skelton pleaded no contest to three counts of unlawful imprisonment. He was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison.
John Skelton was denied parole in 2020 and 2022. This summer he was reviewed for parole and the board found him to still be a risk to the community. His parole was denied and he will serve his entire sentence, meaning he will remain in prison until Nov. 29, 2025.
John Skelton is being held in the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan.
Father claims he gave boys to Amish group
John Skelton has claimed to have given the boys to “a group” and he has mentioned the Amish as being that group.
The Amish live all over Michigan and in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. While Amish people don’t use electricity or cars, they do stay informed.
Local 4 visited an Amish bakery in Camden, Michigan. An Amish woman there said she reads the newspaper every day so she’s aware of current events. When Local 4 spoke to her she was 20 years old and remembered when the Skelton brothers vanished.
“I just remember it was in the paper every day,” she said. “Yeah, I remember that.”
She said she wasn’t familiar with the claim that John Skelton left the boys with the Amish, but she said if someone brought children there the Amish would take them in.
“I’d think they would call the police or someone,” the Amish woman said. “They would. It’s not like they would hide them.”
She said the Amish communities stay in touch with each other and if the boys turned up, everyone would know.
Shattered: Black Friday is a 10-episode podcast investigating the disappearance of the Skelton Brothers from their home in Morenci, Mich. on Nov. 26, 2010. The podcast debuted on Feb. 2, 2018. You can listen to every episode for free by clicking here.
