3 Michigan brothers missing for nearly 15 years declared dead by judge at mom’s request

AjudgedeclaredthreeMichiganbrothersdeadWednesday,nearly15yearsaftertheydisappearedatThanksgivinginasmall-towntragedythatremainsunsolveddespiteanexplicitbeliefbyinvestigatorsthattheirfatherisresponsible.LenaweeCountyJudgeCatherineSalagrantedarequestbyTanyaZuvers,themotherofAndrew,AlexanderandTannerSkelton,andsetthedateofdeathasNov.26,2010.“ThisisacaseofterribleandlongstandingimpactonthecommunityofLenawee,”Salasaid.“Nocondolenceswilleverbeenoughforsuchlosssuffered.”Butatthesametime,thejudgerejectedarequesttoalsoacknowledgethattheboys’father,JohnSkelton,murderedthechildren.“Tomakesuchafinding,thecourtwouldonlybejoiningthosevoicesofferingsuchspeculationandtheorygiventhelackofinformation,”Salasaid.Skelton,53,hasnotbeenchargedwithkillinghissons.ByNovember,heisexpectedtocompletea15-yearprisonsentenceforhisfailuretoreturntheboystoZuvers,theonlyconvictionsofar.ZuverstestifiedMondaythataformal