Father of Three Michigan Boys Missing Since 2010 Now Charged With Murder

Earlier this week I wrote about how John Skelton was set to be released from prison later this month.

Get our free mobile app

Back in 2010 Skelton took his three young boys for the Thanksgiving weekend and all three of them went missing.

For many years police and family searched for 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton along the routes traced by his phone’s tower pings.

Despite searches of woods and water, and numerous public tips, the boys were never found.

Earlier this year, a judge grant­ed the boys’ mother, Tonya Zuvers, her request to declare the three boys legally dead.

Read More: 25 Things Michigan Is Known And Famous For

Zuvers shared with Wood TV How difficult a decision this was:

This decision came after much thought and discussion with my family and friends. It did not come lightly and was definitely a difficult decision to make, No parent wants to lose a child, but to have to have the courts step in and declare them deceased is just unfathomable.

Police have said that they believe the boys’ father killed them, but because of a lack of evidence they could never charge him with their murders.

The father ended up pleading no contest to three counts of unlawful imprisonment and was sentenced to prison for 10-15 years.

John Skelton Charged With Murder

A major update in the case came this week as Skelton was charged with murder … a few weeks before he was set to walk free in the deaths of his three sons.

According to Wood TV, court documents from Lenawee County District Court show the charges were filed Wednesday.

He now faces three counts of open murder and three counts of tampering with evidence.

Previously police were not able to charge him with the murders because they didn't have enough evidence.

Read More: Michigan Restaurants Guy Fieri Has Visited With The Food Network

There are no details yet on what evidence they might have found, but hopefully it's enough to finally put this terrible case to rest and give the boys family some closure.