The Three SKELTON Brothers - 9, 7, 5 yo (2010) - Morenci (on OH border, W of Toledo) MI

State law to be followed on release of Skelton documents

ADRIAN, Mich. —

Attorneys representing a Detroit television station and the Lenawee County District Court agreed Tuesday to follow state law in the release of any documents pertaining to a search of the home of the father of three missing Morenci boys.

WDIV sued the district court to gain access to search warrant documents related to the search of John Russell Skelton’s home on East Congress Street in Morenci. Skelton’s sons, Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, were last seen there on Thanksgiving.

Ashley Krueger of the Plymouth law firm Bernardi, Ronayne & Glusac told Lenawee County Circuit Judge Margaret M.S. Noe that WDIV “would like the tabulation (of items removed from Skelton’s home) to be turned over promptly.”

State law suppresses search warrant affidavits for 56 days after the warrants are executed. After that, they may be sealed if a judge agrees to a prosecutor’s request.

“We believe the statues are unclear,” Krueger said. She asked about the possibility of a time limit for when the search warrant tabulation would be released.

Lenawee County Prosecutor Jonathan Poer, who along with Adrian attorney Adrienne Iddings represented district court, said the wording “as permitted by statute” in the order covers any time limits.

Noe said for the court to go beyond the statute would be an “interpretation” of the law. She said WDIV could come back before the court if needed later.

The order stipulates that there are no orders on file to seal any documents pertaining to the Skelton case, there are no court records on file pertaining to the search warrants and that the documents will be made available according to the law.

The attorneys first met with Noe in her chambers then met with District Judge James E. Sheridan before finalizing the order in Noe’s courtroom.

The Skelton case has been before Sheridan.

Skelton, 39, is charged with three counts of parental kidnapping. He testified in a hearing on the custody order between him and his estranged wife, Tanya Skelton of Morenci, that he gave the boys to an “organization,” but has declined to name it.

Skelton waived a preliminary examination of the kidnapping charges Monday and was bound over to Lenawee County Circuit Court for arraignment and a possible trial.




http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x192072433/State-law-to-be-followed-on-release-of-Skelton-documents

Skelton waives right to arraignment

ADRIAN — A Morenci, Mich., man on Wednesday waived his right to an arraignment in Lenawee County Circuit Court on charges stemming from the disappearance of his three sons who have been missing since Thanksgiving Day.

John Skelton, 39, was not in the courtroom and did not enter a plea to the three counts of felony parental kidnapping/custodial interference before Judge Margaret Noe.

The case was transferred last week to Judge Noe after Mr. Skelton waived a preliminary exam in District Court.

The judge set a pretrial hearing for Feb. 9.

read more

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110105/NEWS02/110109815

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=13847520

Missing Morenci boys continue to generate tips, reports of sightings

Updated:

wnRenderDate('Friday, January 14, 2011 7:14 PM EST', '', true);
Jan 14, 2011 7:14 PM EST
By Colleen Wells - bio | email
Posted by Nick Dutton - email


MORENCI, MI (WTOL) - It has been nearly two
months since 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old
Tanner Skelton went missing.

The boys were last seen on Thanksgiving with their father John Skelton, who is behind bars on parental kidnapping charges.

Investigators say they still receive tips
and reports of possible sightings, but that they have not been able to
confirm if any are true.

In addition, police have not received any new information from the boys' father.

Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks continues
to lead the investigation into the boys' disappearance and remembers
the exact moment he heard they were missing.

"My initial thought was maybe they were just
with a family member or a friend," said Weeks. "But as the things
progressed Friday, to the point where we could not locate them, it
became apparent something was amiss [and] something more significant
happened."

Within hours of the boys' disappearance, hundreds of volunteers and dozens of law enforcement officials searched Morenci.

Chief Weeks says at one point 40
investigators were working the case and that more than 1,000 tips
poured in. However, Weeks says tips have diminished.

Now, eight investigators from the Morenci
Police Department, Michigan State Police and the FBI work the case and
continue to follow leads.

"I expressed that fairly early on in the
investigation, with my comments about not expecting a positive outcome.
My feelings on that haven't changed," said Weeks. "It's been
increasingly frustrating… [because] I feel like we've done everything
we can do, up to this point… We haven't seen the results we want to
see."

Weeks is regularly asked about the case, but
says that bringing the boys home is really the only way to measure
progress – and so far he has been unable to locate Andrew, Alexander
and Tanner.

Auction To Benefit Skelton Brothers Fund


Morenci Boys Missing Since Thanksgiving



MORENCI, Mich. -- An auction is planned to help boost the money in the reward fund aimed at helping bring home three missing Michigan brothers from Morenci.
The auction is planned for 6 p.m. on March 19 at Morenci Area High School. All funds raised will go to the Skelton Brothers Reward Fund.
The Skelton brothers -- Alexander, 9, Andrew, 7, and Tanner, 5, -- haven't been seen since Thanksgiving while they were in the care of their father, John.

read more>

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/26527869/detail.html

This case is not in the news enough Merm. FGS there are 3 young boys missing, may have been killed, but media are pretty quiet about it IMO.

Search warrant suppressed in Morenci kidnapping case


A district court judge has ordered the suppression of search warrant documents in the case against a Morenci man accused in the disappearance of his sons.

Read more: Search warrant suppressed in Morenci kidnapping case | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20110122/NEWS06/101220381/Search-warrant-suppressed-in-Morenci-kidnapping-case#ixzz1BmXZBMKz

Update: John Skelton says he can't turn over missing Morenci boys


A man charged with parental kidnapping after his three boys went missing on Thanksgiving told a judge Friday that he wasn't able to turn over the children.

John Skelton, appearing during a brief divorce hearing, answered "I can't" when the judge asked whether he was prepared to give the children to their mother.

read more>
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2011/01/john_skelton_father_of_missing.html

John Skelton appears in court

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i76ugNVcsMg&feature=player_embedded#

Press conference on Skelton case scheduled for Tuesday

MORENCI, Mich. —

A news conference is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in Morenci to discuss updates on the case of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton, the three Morenci brothers who have been missing since Thanksgiving.

According to an announcement today from the Morenci Police Department, police chief Larry Weeks will give an update on the status of the investigation and discuss a change in the investigative focus. Kathye Herrera, a family friend who is acting as spokeswoman for the boys' mother, will give comments on behalf of the family, and Morenci Mayor Keith Pennington will discuss the reward fund established for information leading to the boys.

The boys' father, John Skelton, is in the Lenawee County Jail on charges of parental kidnapping. The boys were reported missing after he did not return them to their mother after a scheduled visitation.
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x1896054300/Press-conference-on-Skelton-case-scheduled-for-Tuesday

Police: Skelton investigation is now being treated as a murder case


MORENCI, Mich. —

Police have switched the focus of the Skelton brothers investigation from a missing persons case to a murder case.

The announcement was made at a news conference this afternoon, 68 days after 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner were last seen at their father’s home in Morenci.

Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said the investigative team, which includes state police and FBI agents, met Jan. 19 to evaluate the evidence collected to that point.

“The decision was made by myself to shift the focus of the investigation (to a murder case),” Weeks said in a separate interview.

He then informed the boys’ family, including their mother, Tanya Skelton, of the decision.

The reasons to announce the change in the focus are threefold, Weeks said.

One reason, he said, is that as spring approaches and people return to doing things outdoors, he wants them to be aware of what they might find, and “not be thinking that they’re with an ‘organization.’”

The boys’ father, John Skelton, testified in a custody hearing in December that he gave the boys to an “organization” that he refused to name at the time.

Another reason, Weeks said, is he is being up front with those who have held out hope that the boys would be found. He said John Skelton has spread “false hope” with his statement about giving the boys to an organization.

“There’s been a lot of effort by the people in our community and surrounding areas going into locating the boys alive and well with this organization,” Weeks said. “Based on the information that we have in the investigation, it’s important that people understand where we’re at and the direction it’s going to process that information accordingly.”

Weeks also said he wants people to be aware that given the timeframe from when the boys were last seen to when John Skelton went to the hospital for treatment of an ankle injury suffered in an apparent suicide attempt — about 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day to about 1:30 p.m. the next day — the boys could have been taken a long distance from Morenci, even further than the areas searched in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties in Michigan and Fulton and Williams counties in Ohio in the week after they were reported missing.

Weeks also said John Skelton gave him the name of the alleged organization to which he gave his sons, but based on the resources available to him, he has been unable to locate a group by the name United Foster Outreach and Underground Sanctuaries.

“Obviously, based on earlier comments, we don’t believe the story about turning the kids over to an organization is a truthful one,” Weeks said.

Early in the investigation, Weeks said he does not anticipate a “positive outcome” to the case.

So far, more than 1,000 tips have been received, Weeks said. He said a lot of those have been specific to finding the boys alive. He said he is hoping that announcing the change in the investigation’s focus will develop tips that will advance the murder investigation.

The frequency of tips called into the Morenci police at 517-458-7104 has decreased as winter weather has set in, Weeks said. Police have checked out some tips, including suspicious bags or packages, but none resulted in any leads.

Weeks said there is no timetable for when murder charges might be filed.

“The plan is to continue with our investigation, and, obviously, develop as much information as we can to support the investigation and, ultimately, when the time is right, we’ll turn it over to the prosecutor’s office for review,” Weeks said in a separate interview.

Under Michigan law, Weeks said, it is possible to charge someone with murder without a body being located. However, whether to do so is up to the prosecutor and depends on what other evidence is developed in the case.

Addressing claims from John Skelton’s family that he has accused Tanya Skelton of molesting the boys, Weeks said separately that no report claiming child abuse of any kind has been filed with the Morenci police nor was it brought up in custody hearings in Michigan or in Florida. In September, John Skelton took the boys to Florida, where his parents live, but returned them to Michigan after Tanya Skelton reported the incident to police.

http://www.lenconnect.com/topstories/x289655022/Police-Skelton-investigation-is-now-being-treated-as-a-murder-case

As this is now considered a murder investigation, that's where I will place this topic.

EXCLUSIVE: John Skelton, father of missing boys from Morenci, speaks to Action News from jail




ADRIAN, Mich. (WXYZ) - Just over two months ago three young boys went missing from Morenci. Their father, John Skelton, was the last one to see them alive.
Since Tanner, Alexander and Andrew’s disappearance we have heard Skelton utter very few words. Until now.
WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN SKELTON ON THE LEFT - THERE ARE 3 PARTS
Action News spoke with Skelton from the Lenawee County Jail Tuesday morning just as the chief of police in Morenci, where the boys went missing, announced the missing boys’ case had changed to a murder investigation.
"Just because people are saying that they're making it a murder investigation does not mean that the boys are dead," Skelton said.
John says he gave his sons Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, to a group called "Underground Sanctuary." Investigators do not believe that story.
John says he gave the kids to this mysterious group because he feared his wife, Tanya Skelton, was abusing them.
"The boys told me that Tanya was - they put it - sexing them," Skelton said. "Tried to confirm with Tanya but Tanya wouldn't have anything to do with me."
Police have cleared Tanya, 44, of any wrongdoing. And even as John makes these accusations against her, he tells us he wants to talk to his estranged wife.
"She hasn't talked to me since the 26th of November. I wish she would. I wish she would."
John says he doesn't know where the boys are now, but he's confident they are safe and that Tanya should take him at his word.
"She's not thinking for herself. She's letting people think for her. This last weekend a mutual friend said that she said she still loved me," Skelton said.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/john-skelton%2C-father-of-missing-boys-from-morenci%2C-speaks-to-action-news-from-jail

Watch Tom Wait's exclusive interview with Skelton



http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/john-skelton%2C-father-of-missing-boys-from-morenci%2C-speaks-to-action-news-from-jail

Skelton case: John Skelton tells his ‘story’ from jail
Posted on February 7, 2011 by Valhall

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/02/07/skelton-case-john-skelton-tells-his-story-from-jail/

Father of missing Morenci boys due in court Wednesday

ADRIAN, MI -- The father Morenci Police believe is behind the disappearance of his three sons is due back in court Wednesday morning.
John Skelton is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing in Lenawee County Court. He is charged with parental kidnapping in the case of his missing sons, Alexander, Andrew and Tanner. They were last seen Thanksgiving Day at their father's house.

read more>

http://www.toledoonthemove.com/news/story.aspx?id=578258

Skelton trial continued in kidnapping case


The defense attorney for the man accused of kidnapping his three boys is remaining tight-lipped.
This morning, John Skelton stood with his attorney in Lenawee County circuit court. The pre-trial hearing scheduled for today was continued.
We asked John Glaser, who is representing Skelton, why he requested additional time, and he said "No comment."
Skelton stood before Judge Margaret Noe in an orange jump suit; he was unshaven. He only said a few words, answering he was in fact John Skelton and agreeing to the adjournment.
Skelton faces three felony kidnapping counts, one for each of his sons-- Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton. The boys were last seen on Thanksgiving day. Skelton has said he gave the boys to an organization.
Last week, Morenci police chief Larry Weeks told reporters Skelton's claims are untrue. Weeks says the case is now a homicide investigation and John Skelton is the prime suspect.
Skelton will be back in court February 23 at 8:15 a.m.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7948341&rss=rss-wtvg-article-7948341

Skelton case: John talks to media again
Posted on February 10, 2011 by Valhall

Excerpt:

Well, John Skelton, took to the airwaves again from the Lenawee County jail. This time he phoned in to Detroit Channel 4 TV station and had a 2 hour interview with reporter Sandra Ali. The station only released two brief segments of that conversation. It would be interesting to hear what other bizarre and contradictory statements John made in the rest of the 2 hours. The short segments they did release had enough to stand alone, as well as some interesting statements made for the first time by John.

READ MORE: http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/02/10/skelton-case-john-talks-to-media-again/

John Skelton Speaks With Local 4

Watch: John Skelton Interview Part 1

Watch: John Skelton Interview Part 2

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/26797186/detail.html

ADRIAN, Mich., Feb. 24 (UPI) -- The father of three missing Michigan
boys faces new charges of kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment that
carry a potential life sentence.
The charges against John Skelton were filed in Lenawee County, the
Adrian (Mich.) Daily Telegram reported. Skelton had been charged with
parental kidnapping.
Jonathan Poer, the prosecutor, would not comment on the new charges. A
court document says Skelton imprisoned each boy "with the intent to
take that person outside of this state."
Police in Morenci, where Skelton lives, said previously this month they are treating the case as a homicide investigation.
The boys were last seen Thanksgiving Day, when Skelton, 39, failed to
return them to his estranged wife. He denies harming his sons, saying
he turned them over to an organization that helps abused children.
A court hearing scheduled Wednesday was canceled because Skelton's
lawyer said he needed more time to study evidence and consult his
client.
Lenawee County is on the Ohio border. Skelton was arrested in Ohio
and areas on both sides of the state line have been searched for any
sign of the three brothers.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/02/24/Dad-of-missing-boys-faces-new-charges/UPI-92301298599179/#ixzz1FIjwazRi

Pretrial Hearing Held For Dad Of Missing Boys

ADRIAN, Mich. -- A southern Michigan man whose three young sons have been missing since Thanksgiving has been ordered back to district court to be arraigned on additional charges.
Thirty-nine-year-old John Skelton appeared in an Adrian courtroom Wednesday.
The Morenci resident has said he doesn't know the whereabouts of 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-yearold Tanner, who last were seen with him.
He told authorities he gave the boys to a group called United Foster Outreach and another called Underground Sanctuaries, organizations authorities say they can't locate.
Police in the small town near the Ohio border are treating the case as a homicide investigation.
Prosecutors added kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment charges last month.
Defense lawyer John Glaser has said he needs time to review police evidence in the matter.

http://www.wnem.com/news/27129699/detail.html

Skeltons' divorce going ahead; Judge decides case will proceed as if 3 missing boys are alive
BY MARK REITER BLADE STAFF WRITER

Excerpt:

ADRIAN -- Tanya Skelton's divorce from the man who authorities believe abducted and killed their three young sons will proceed to trial as though the boys are alive.

In a pretrial hearing Friday in Lenawee County Circuit Court, Judge Margaret Noe said custody and shared parenting of Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, are among the issues that will need to be resolved in the divorce trial.

Ms. Skelton filed for divorce from John Skelton, 39, in September, more than two months before the boys disappeared during the Thanksgiving Day visit with their father at his Morenci home. Mr. Skelton is charged with three counts each of kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment in connection with his missing sons. He pleaded not guilty last week during an arraignment in District Court. The charges carry a sentence that could keep him locked up for life. He is being held in the county jail in lieu of $30 million bond.

READ MORE: http://toledoblade.com/Courts/2011/03/19/Skeltons-divorce-going-ahead.html

Judge allows mother of missing Morenci boys to sell home


ADRIAN — Following a brief court hearing, a judge granted a request by Tanya Skelton to be allowed to sell the home that she once shared with her husband, John, now a suspect in the disappearance of their three young sons.
Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Noe granted the request although neither party will benefit from the sale — the deal will be structured in such a way that the buyer of the home on East Congress Street will assume the debt on the home.
Monday’s hearing was the first step in the divorce trial that Judge Noe has said will proceed like the three boys — Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5 — are still alive, although authorities have said that they believe the boys are dead and that their father is the prime suspect.
Ms. Skelton filed for divorce from John Skelton, 39, in September, more than two months before the boys disappeared during the Thanksgiving Day visit with their father at his Morenci home. Mr. Skelton is charged with three counts each of kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment in connection with his missing sons. He has pleaded not guilty. The charges carry a sentence that could keep him locked up for life. He is being held in the county jail in lieu of $30 million bond.
During Monday’s hearing, Mr. Skelton seemed most interested that unspecified personal property that belongs to him that may be in the home not be disposed of, but Ms. Skelton’s attorney, David McFarland, said his possessions have long ago been removed from the home. With the decision about selling the home, the only issues remaining to be settled in the divorce will be custody of the three boys, and parenting time.
The search for the boys shifted to a murder investigation on Feb. 1 when Morenci police Chief Larry Weeks announced that evidence indicated there was little hope they would be found alive.

http://toledoblade.com/Courts/2011/04/04/Judge-allows-mother-of-missing-Morenci-boys-to-sell-home.html

6 months of hope for missing boys brings only agony

Tanya Skelton of Morenci sits at her parents' home with three
candles for her missing sons: Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton. Six
months after their disappearance, their mother is still searching for
answers. "There's no closure," she said. / May 9 photo by ANDRE J.
JACKSON/Detroit Free Press

The yellow ribbons are still everywhere.Some are faded,
falling down around pillars. Others hang brightly on street signs and
trees. They are symbols of a community missing three of its own: Andrew,
Alexander and Tanner Skelton.It has been six months since the young Morenci brothers disappeared.The
home where they were with their father, John Skelton, before they
disappeared has been in foreclosure, and Tanya Skelton, the boys'
mother, said a judge gave her authority to sell it for what's owed.After
her sons went missing, Tanya Skelton said, she discovered much of the
property in the home was destroyed. Cords were cut off appliances,
Christmas decorations were broken and a china cabinet John Skelton
bought when they purchased the home was smashed.John Skelton remains in jail, charged in his sons' disappearance.Earlier this month, crime scene tape still fluttered in front of the home.Tanya Skelton is still searching for answers."There's nowhere to go," she said. "There's no closure."
Disappearance of brothers lingers on Morenci residents' minds
It was a warm, sunny day in Morenci.Kids played outside on that afternoon earlier this month, swinging on swings, kicking around a ball and giggling.Signs of stress over the disappearance of three young brothers are fading for the city's most delicate residents."Kids are resilient," said Mary Fisher, principal of Morenci Elementary. "We don't have any children not being children."But a dark cloud lingers over this small town.It
has been six months since Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton -- ages
9, 7 and 5, respectively -- went missing. They were last seen in the
custody of their father, John Skelton, who is facing kidnapping and
unlawful imprisonment charges. If convicted, he could face up to life in
prison on the kidnapping charges.
Police encourage more searches
In February, Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks called the case a murder investigation.Earlier this month, he said he's been doing case preparation, and Skelton has a court hearing coming up in early June.Weeks
said he couldn't comment on the details of the case, but he said more
than 1,000 tips have been logged. Weeks said each tip is assessed and
vetted -- from sightings to psychics, including mediums or people having
visions or dreams.In the days after the boys went missing,
masses of volunteers helped search vast swaths of land, particularly in
northwest Ohio. Since then, Weeks said, authorities have searched
particular areas based on tips, and he's still encouraging residents to
search their own properties.This week, a case in Maine sparked attention locally.Tanya
Skelton, the boys' mother, said Wednesday she was comforted to find out
a boy's body found along a rural road in Maine was not one of her sons.
Some thought a computer-generated image released by authorities
resembled Tanner, but Tanya Skelton said authorities told her that her
DNA was not a match.Asked whether she was relieved, she said: "Very much so."Weeks
said the community is moving forward but not forgetting about the boys.
When police are called out on routine runs, he said, it's not uncommon
for residents to still ask whether it's related to the boys."I think it's always there," Weeks said.
Time is the enemy as mom seeks answers
For Tanya Skelton, work at a local greenhouse has been therapeutic,
especially on Mother's Day, when she helped other families choose
flowers and plants.Flower shopping is something she has done with her boys in the past, she said."Snapdragons
are fun," Tanya Skelton said in an interview with the Free Press
earlier this month. "And the boys always loved those because you can
make them talk. If you squeeze them on the side, they open."For
Tanya Skelton, other family members and the community, there have been
few answers. Tanya Skelton said that, at times, it feels like time has
gone by quickly, but at other times, it feels like it has been forever.
"Which is hard and frustrating," she said.John Skelton has told
police his sons are with an organization, which police have said they
haven't been able to locate. The boys were in his custody when they
disappeared.The home where her boys were last has been in
foreclosure, said Tanya Skelton, who is in the process of getting
divorced from John Skelton. She said she has been given authority by a
judge to sell the home for what is owed, and some people have expressed
interest in buying it.She went through the house a day after the
boys went missing and noticed things were destroyed, including a china
cabinet and mattress. Over time, the level of destruction surfaced, as
appliances were discovered with their cords removed and Christmas
decorations were found ruined, placed back in the boxes they were kept
in and back in the room where she stored them."There was very little that was salvageable," Tanya Skelton said.Roxann
Skelton, John Skelton's mother, said her son told her he destroyed
appliances because he believed his wife or someone else was removing
property from the home.She says she doesn't believe her son hurt
her grandchildren, saying he maintains that he knows who his children
are with but not where they are. Roxann Skelton, who lives in Florida,
said she wants the person who has the children to anonymously send her a
dated picture of the boys to ease her mind."So I can physically see proof my boys are fine," Roxann Skelton said.The past six months, she said, have been difficult.Every Tuesday, she said, her son calls her from jail. They have only 15 minutes to talk, and the cost is steep."I want to be there to do something for him," Roxann Skelton said, crying. "And I can't do nothing for John."Closure has been elusive for all family members.Tanya Skelton said she knows what police have told her, but she can't give up the belief that her sons could come home safe."As their mom," she said, "I can't lose hope."
Town not willing to give up on the boys
Residents around town aren't willing to lose hope, either.Missing
persons signs still hang all over. At a pizza shop on Main Street, on a
sign just inside the front door, was penned: "Keep the boys in your
prayers! Andrew, Alex and Tanner." At a hair salon, three electric
candles burned in the window.Tanya Skelton said she has received
support from the community and her family. Recently, she received gifts
for Mother's Day. In March, thousands of dollars were raised at a
fund-raiser for the Skelton Brothers Reward Fund.At the Morenci Pub, locals still chatter at the bar about the case, and many say they still believe the boys are alive."We just pray every day," said Marsha Pierce, the bar's owner. "Even though they say they are gone, we don't believe it."
http://www.freep.com/article/20110519/NEWS06/105190685/6-months-hope-missing-boys-brings-only-agony?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Tanya Skelton granted divorce from John Skelton
Jun 07, 2011

ADRIAN, MI (WTOL) - Tanya Skelton has been granted a divorce from estranged husband John Skelton.

Also during the proceeding, Tanya Skelton was granted sole custody of her three missing sons --Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton-- if and when they are found.

After the proceeding, Tanya Skelton's mother said the divorce is one positive step forward. She added that now is the time for prayers that the three boys are found.

There was no discussion of the location of the boys during this court appearance. The judge made clear to both parties that this was the divorce case and not the case of the missing children.

John Skelton is also being arraigned in a separate court case on Wednesday. He's being charged with felonious kidnapping for the disappearance of his three sons, who have been missing since Thanksgiving of 2010.

Lawyers for Skelton have waived an appearance for the arraignment. A pre-trial hearing will then be scheduled.



http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=14851939

Search yields no items in missing Michigan boys case





3:48 PM, Jul. 11, 2011
MORENCI, Mich. - A southern Michigan police chief says a weekend sweep for evidence linked to the months-old disappearance of three young brothers didn't turn up anything of use to the investigation.

Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks said in a statement Monday that reports of items being found Saturday related to the Skelton case are inaccurate.
Weeks says "none of the items collected were confirmed as having any connection with" the case.
Nine-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton have been missing since Thanksgiving when their father, John, didn't return them to their mother, Tanya, after a scheduled visitation.
Weeks says some bones were found during the weekend search, but they appear to have belonged to an animal.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110711/NEWS01/107110345/1002/NEWS01