(WXYZ) — John Skelton, the father of three brothers who went missing in Lenawee County in 2010, has been charged with murder.
Skelton, 53, was charged Thursday in Lenawee County court with three counts of open murder and three counts of tampering with evidence.
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Earlier this year, a judge ruled that the three brothers – Andrew, Alexander and Tanner – were legally dead. It came after a request from the boys' mother, Tana Zuvers. Their death date was set as Nov. 26, 2010.
“This is a case of terrible and longstanding impact on the community of Lenawee,” Lenawee County Judge Catherine Sala said. “No condolences will ever be enough for such loss suffered.”
Watch below: John Skelton appears at hearing to declare 3 sons dead
Skelton was set to be released from prison later this month after searching 15 years for his failure to return the boys to Zuvers.
Skelton and Zuvers were having problems and living apart in Morenci. The boys were supposed to go back to their mom the next day. Instead, they were gone.
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They have not been found, despite countless searches of woods and water in Michigan and Ohio and tips from across the country.
Police said Skelton fed them a long string of lies about the boys' whereabouts, sending investigators to an old schoolhouse in Kunkle, Ohio, and a dumpster in Holiday City, Ohio.
Police said claims that the boys were handed to other people for their safety also turned out to be false.
He also declined to participate in the hearing, saying, "Anything I say isn’t going to make a difference."
