Disappearance of the Skelton brothers
| Disappearance of the Skelton brothers | |
|---|---|
School photos of the brothers | |
| Location | Morenci, Michigan, U.S. |
| Date | November 25, 2010 |
Attack type | Filicide |
| Victims | 3 |
| Perpetrator | John Skelton |
The disappearance of the Skelton brothers occurred in Morenci, Michigan, over Thanksgiving weekend in 2010. They were never found. Their father pled guilty to kidnapping. The boys were pronounced dead by a court in March 2025, after which murder charges were filed against the father in November 2025.
Skelton family
The boys' parents were John and Tanya Skelton. The boys were Andrew (age 9 in November 2010); Alexander (age 7); and Tanner (age 5).
Prior to the disappearance, the parents were going through a divorce. Both parents lived in Morenci, Michigan, a small community located approximately 75 miles southwest of Detroit.
Disappearance
Over Thanksgiving (November 24), the three Skelton brothers stayed with their father as part of a court-ordered vacation. They were last seen at the father's backyard on Thanksgiving Day (November 25).
The boys were reported missing by their mother, Tanya Skelton, on Friday, November 26.
Their father told police initially that he gave the boys to an acquaintance, Joann Taylor, so they would not be home when he committed suicide. He told police that he tried to hang himself on the Friday after Thanksgiving. He subsequently sought treatment at a hospital for mental health issues.
Police learned that the father had driven his blue Dodge Caravan on Thursday or Friday into Ohio along the Ohio Turnpike. In the following days, the community searched field, farms, and woods along the border between Ohio and Michigan.
Police later determined that there was no Joann Taylor. The father, John Skelton, then changed his story and said he gave the boys to an unidentified organization to protect them from their mother.
Arrest and conviction for kidnapping
On November 30, 2010, John Skelton was arrested for kidnapping the boys.[1] He pleaded no contest in July 2011 to unlawful imprisonment, with the proviso that murder charges could be brought later if the boys' bodies were found.[2] He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
2025: Boys declared dead and murder charges filed
The boys were never found, and the father was scheduled for release in November 2025. In March 2025 a Lenawee County court declared the Skelton brothers dead.[3]
In November 2025, with his prison sentence set to expire, John Skelton was charged with murder.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Dad Charged As Hope Fades". Detroit Free Press. December 1, 2010. p. 1A – via [[[Newspapers.com]].
- ^ "Surprise deal for missing boys' dad". Detroit Free Press. July 29, 2011. p. 1A – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ David Panian (March 7, 2025). "Judge rules missing brothers as dead: Three Skelton boys have been missing since 2010". Detroit Free Press. p. 10A – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Max Reinhart (November 17, 2025). "Authorities say John Skelton killed his three sons in 2010". The Detroit News.