The early court hearing stages remain in progress on murder charges filed against John Skelton, the father of three Lenawee County boys who have been missing for 15 years. 

A probable cause conference took place on Wednesday in the 2A District Court in Lenawee County, during which the judge scheduled a preliminary exam to start May 11. That process, during which evidence is reviewed to see if there is sufficient cause to go to trial, is currently listed in the court docket as taking up several days in this case. 

Skelton, 53, was charged Nov. 12 with three counts of open murder and three counts of tampering with evidence. Those charges were filed about two weeks before his expected release from prison on earlier charges stemming from the investigation of the whereabouts of his children. 

The boys — Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5 — were last seen alive on Nov. 25, 2010. None of them has been found, despite repeated searches in Michigan and Ohio.  

The boys were formally declared dead in March 2025, upon the request of their mother, Tanya Zuvers.

The above video originally aired on Nov. 17, 2025.