Father of 3 boys missing from Morenci in 2010 up for parole
Sarah RahalA father of three Michigan brothers who have been missing since 2010 has served a decade in prison and is up for parole, officials said.
John Skelton, 48, is tentatively scheduled for a parole hearing the week of July 27, a spokeswoman with the Michigan Department of Corrections told The Detroit News on Friday. The hearing will be conducted via teleconference.
Skelton is housed at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia where he is serving 10 to 15 years for unlawful imprisonment.
The review is conducted by the parole board. One member will interview Skelton and provide a report that will be reviewed by the three-member panel put to a vote.
The Department of Corrections said the earliest Skelton could be released is Nov. 29; his maximum discharge date would be Nov. 29 in 2025.
His three sons went missing from Skelton's Morenci home in November 2010: Tanner, Alexander and Andrew Skelton were 5, 7 and 9 years old at the time.
The brothers were last seen in Skelton's backyard on Thanksgiving when they were supposed to be returned to their mother. They were reported missing the next day.
Skelton has given conflicting accounts of what happened to his children, including giving them to a group to protect them from their mother.
Police scoffed at the notion another person could be involved and believe he killed the children during a custody fight.
Despite the passage of time, Morenci hasn’t forgotten the missing brothers.
The boys' mother, Tanya Zuvers, frequently updates her Facebook page dedicated to finding them. She wrote a book on her search for the boys titled "76 Minutes."
Zuvers, who couldn’t be reached for comment, posted in February on National Missing Person's Day with photos of what the boys may look like 10 years later.
"THANK YOU... to all of you in Facebook Land that have shared, messaged, commented and just PRAYED for Andrew, Alexander & Tanner... My family & I are truly blessed to have each & every one of you in our lives. God Bless and find a positive in each day!!!" she wrote.
srahal@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @SarahRahal_