ADRIAN, Mich. (WLKI)- John Russell Skelton is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on murder charges in connection with the 2010 disappearance of his three sons.
Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton were last seen on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 2010, at their father's home on East Congress Street in Morenci.
The following day, John Skelton was treated at a hospital for a broken ankle and suicidal thoughts. He later told investigators that he had given the boys to a woman named Joanne Taylor.
Over time, Skelton provided different descriptions of Taylor, at one point saying she was a friend he met online and later claiming she was connected to a secret group protecting the children. Prosecutors have argued that Taylor did not exist.
The Lenawee County Probate Court declared all three boys legally dead in March 2025. Following a two-week preliminary hearing, 2A District Court Judge Laura Schaedler found sufficient evidence to send the case forward.
Schaedler cited the lack of evidence that the boys have been alive or in contact with family since their disappearance. She also referenced medical records showing there were no insurance claims for asthma medication after November 2010. All three boys had asthma, and two reportedly required daily treatments.
The judge also cited evidence that emails purportedly sent by Joanne Taylor came from an internet address connected to Skelton.
Authorities said Skelton drove up to 88 miles on Nov. 26, 2010. He also told police he wrapped the boys in blankets, gave them stuffed animals and carried them to his van.
Skelton faces three murder counts and a felony tampering charge. If convicted, he could face three life sentences without parole, along with an additional prison term on the tampering charge.
All charges are allegations, and Skelton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
According to KPC Media Group.