John Skelton prelim begins today: What to know 15 years after sons’ disappearance
FOX 2 - A preliminary hearing for John Skelton, the father of three young boys who disappeared in Morenci, Mich. around Thanksgiving in 2010, begins this morning.
The brothers disappeared in Morenci, a small town near the Ohio border about 100 miles southwest of Detroit, and the unsolved case has unsettled the community for more than 15 years.
Follow live updates from court here
Here’s what to know before about the case:
Missing Skelton brothers
Big picture view:
John Skelton’s three sons disappeared while with their father during Thanksgiving in 2010. The boys’ ages at the time were:
- Andrew, 9
- Alexander, 7
- Tanner, 5
Dig deeper:
Since their disappearance that holiday, the case has remained unsolved.
The boys have never been found, despite searches in Michigan and Ohio and tips from across the country.
In March of 2025, a judge declared the three brothers dead at the request of their mother, Tanya Zuvers.
READ MORE: Missing Skelton brothers declared dead by Michigan judge
John Skelton previous case
Big picture view:
Skelton has already been sentenced to 15 years for his failure to return the boys to Zuvers the day after Thanksgiving in 2010 – the only conviction in the case so far.
The same month Skelton was due to be released he was charged with murder.
Previous to this, Lenawee County Judge Catherine Sala ruled that although the boys were dead, she said there was not enough evidence to prove that John Skelton killed them.
He has been eligible for parole since 2020, but the parole board denied his requests for release.
The backstory:
Up until November 2025, John Skelton was never charged in connection with the disappearance of his sons. However, he was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison for unlawful imprisonment after pleading no contest to the charges.
John Skelton was accused of taking the boys out of school two months before their disappearance. It is alleged that he said he was taking them on a trip to Florida, where his parents live.
John Skelton and Zuvers divorced after this, and Zuvers was granted custody of the boys, just before they disappeared.
(From left to right): Tanner, Andrew, and Tanner
Dig deeper:
Zuvers was supposed to pick the boys up from Skelton, her ex-husband, the day after Thanksgiving.
However, she stopped hearing from him, so she went to his house. He wasn't home because he was at a hospital after he broke his ankle. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, he told hospital workers that he injured his ankle while trying to kill himself.
Police were able to get into his home, which they said was destroyed and the boys weren't there.
Skelton was accused of changing the story of where they were while he was at the hospital. He said they were with friends before telling investigators that the boys were given to an unknown woman. He also told police that he gave them to an underground group that would keep them safe.
John Skelton charged with murder
What's new::
Last November, Skelton was charged with murdering each of his three sons. The charges he’s facing include:
- Three counts of murder
- Three counts of tampering with criminal evidence
READ MORE: John Skelton, father of missing Skelton brothers, charged with murder
The backstory:
Many investigators had said and testified they believed Skelton was responsible for the boys’ disappearance, but charges relating to their death had yet to happen.
Incriminating evidence
During the Lenawee County trial to declare the boys dead legally, disturbing evidence surfaced.
The FBI submitted a three-page suicide note from John Skelton to Zuvers.
It included: "I guess my actions today guarantee you won't have to see me again or in heaven. I pray God will forgive me, but I know it won't happen. May you find peace in the days to come. You will hate me forever, and I know this."
John Skelton's laptop searches included the questions "Can rat poison kill a person?" and "Is it odorless and tasteless?"
What they're saying:
According to Zuvers, Skelton previously "claimed that the boys would hibernate until they graduate." All three boys would be old enough now that they would have graduated from high school.
"I will never quit looking," said Zuvers. "I will continue to fight on their behalf for justice."
"The age progressions are always the hardest for me," said the boys’ aunt, Tennille McCain. "In my mind I still see them as 5, 7, and 9. Their faces are etched in my mind. I just wish answers could be given. Anyone who potentially knows anything – and I believe more than one person knows something, I believe that it’s not just John who has the answers – could find it in themselves to come forward."
Age progressed photo of the Skelton boys Andrew, Alexander and Tanner.
What's next:
Skelton’s preliminary hearing begins Monday, Aug. 24, 2026 in Lenawee County.
This court proceeding, which is expected to last several days, will determine if the charges can move forward.
FOX 2 will provide coverage of the hearing.
Where is Morenci?
Details:
Morenci is the southernmost city in the state of Michigan, 75 miles southwest of Detroit.
Located in Lenawee County, the southern border of the city runs along the state line with Ohio.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from previous FOX 2 Detroit reporting, the National Center for Missing and The Associated Press.