Michigan Mother Seeks Legal Declaration of Death for Three Skelton Brothers Missing Since 2010
The Disappearance of the Skelton Brothers Grips Michigan for 15 Years
The story of the Skelton brothers—Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner—has weighed heavily on a Michigan community since Thanksgiving weekend in 2010. Tanya Zuvers, their mother, never got to tuck her sons in again after they stayed with their father, John Skelton, for the holiday. The boys were just 5, 7, and 9. By Sunday, John didn’t bring them back, and soon after, he changed his story again and again, leading authorities and the boys’ desperate family on an excruciating search that has lasted almost a decade and a half.
Investigators launched a massive effort from the moment the boys were reported missing. Local police, FBI agents, and hundreds of volunteers combed through Morenci, Michigan, and surrounding areas looking for any trace—clothing, shoes, toys. But nothing turned up. Over the years, authorities have said John Skelton is responsible for what happened, but there’s never been enough hard evidence to charge him with murder. Instead, in 2011, John was convicted of unlawfully keeping the children from their mother, a crime that landed him a 15-year prison sentence. He’s stuck to strange stories ever since, including claims about giving the boys to a secret organization for protection—stories investigators have repeatedly dismissed as fabrications.
Legal Declaration of Death: Seeking Closure and a Path Forward
Now, Tanya Zuvers is asking a legal declaration that her children are dead. It’s a heartbreaking step, but one that comes after years of agony and uncertainty. This process requires a court hearing, and the case is now moving through a Michigan probate court. The hearing that began in March 2025 has brought investigators and family members to the witness stand, sharing memories and recounting years of sorrow, hope, and the persistent unknown. Stories about what Thanksgiving means now—a day marked by an empty space and unanswered questions—echo across the testimony.
Legal experts say families sometimes reach for these legal declarations when all leads run dry. The declaration can make it possible to file civil lawsuits related to wrongful death, and in some cases, resolve issues of insurance, inheritance, and custody. For families like the Zuvers, it can also signal a turning point from the hope of a miracle return to a pursuit of closure. During testimony, the immense emotional toll became clear; relatives described how the loss carved a permanent gap in daily life, school events, birthdays, and more.
No one has forgotten the missing sons or stopped wondering whether there’s a secret out there waiting to spill. Morenci, the town where the boys disappeared, still feels the ache—memorials spring up around each anniversary, tying the hope for answers to every new lead.
John Skelton, the boys’ father, remains in prison. He’s never revealed details about their fate, leaving a chilling silence at the core of this enduring mystery. Law enforcement continues to invite tips and information, still clinging to the slim possibility of a breakthrough, even after 15 difficult years. Meanwhile, Tanya’s request is a stark, painful acknowledgment that time and silence weigh heavy—forcing a family and community to seek whatever closure the law can grant in the shadow of profound loss.