Tanya Zuvers Asks Judge to Declare Missing Sons Dead

Tanya Zuvers stood in court with a heavy heart. She made one request. She asked the judge to declare her three missing sons legally dead. Her sons disappeared nearly 15 years ago. She waited, hoped, searched, and suffered. Now, she wants closure.

She said, “Any loving father would not have killed them. I owe them the respect.” She wants official death certificates. She wants a proper headstone. She needs to let go of the endless waiting. The legal process is another painful step. The judge now has to decide.

Tanya Zuvers Describes the Pain of Living Without Answers

The Skelton brothers vanished in 2010. Their father, John Skelton, had them for Thanksgiving weekend. He never returned them. Police searched everywhere. They checked Michigan, Ohio, and beyond. They found nothing.

Investigators believe Skelton knows the truth. He never admitted to harming them. Skelton never revealed where they went. He is finishing a 15-year prison sentence for not returning the boys. He could walk free in November. Tanya believes the worst happened long ago.

Tanya Zuvers Hears Police Confirm Their Belief in Her Sons’ Death

Larry Weeks was Morenci’s police chief at the time. He led the original investigation. Weeks told the judge he believes the boys are gone. He said, “We never found them. But everything points to the same conclusion.” The judge, Catherine Sala, will decide whether to grant the legal declaration.

Police searched far and wide. They dug through an Ohio campground. They tested bones found in Montana. Every lead ended in heartbreak. Tanya says, “If my boys were alive, they would have reached out by now.”

Tanya Zuvers Faces Her Ex-Husband’s Silence and Evasion

John Skelton appeared in court through video. He looked uninterested, unwilling to help. Skelton said nothing useful. He claimed his testimony didn’t matter. His past tells a different story.

In 2010, his marriage to Tanya was falling apart. They lived separately. She trusted him to bring the boys back after Thanksgiving. He never did.

Police found disturbing clues in his home. A noose, broken glass, and cut appliance cords. The Bible with a marked verse. A letter filled with hate toward Tanya. Everything pointed to something dark.

Tanya Zuvers Seeks Justice While Town Honors Her Sons’ Memory

Investigators tried to break Skelton’s silence. Former FBI agent Corey Burras reviewed the case. He said, “His words and actions told us everything we needed to know.”

Skelton spoke to church leaders about taking his children to a better place. He searched online for lethal substances. His prison conversations stopped when the boys were mentioned. Detective Jeremy Brewer visited him many times. Skelton never talked about his sons.

Morenci refuses to forget. The town put up a plaque in a local park. Their names are etched into stone. Faith, hope, and love are written beneath them. But Tanya gave up hope long ago.