ADRIAN, Mich. — A pretrial hearing was held Thursday at the Lenawee County District Court as the mother of three brothers who went missing from Morenci, Mich. more than a decade ago hopes to have them legally declared dead.
A Michigan judge approved Tanya Zuvers' petitions to declare Alexander, Andrew and Tanner Skelton dead and her request for a trial.
Roland Parrill, owner of The Dairy Depot in the heart of the Morenci, said the case as a whole has been shocking for the community.
"Big shock, especially in a small town you would never think anything like that would happen," he said.
He said even though it's been 14 years since the Skelton brothers went missing, it's still the talk of the town.
"Every once in a while, they'll bring it up," Parrill said. "Especially now that they want to declare the children dead has been kind of a topic."
Parrill said he was part of the initial search crew when the brothers went missing. While he hopes they are found, he thinks Zuvers' petitions are a good move for the family.
"It needs to be done," he said. "That way there can be some sort of closure with them."
In court on Thursday, the judge approved the boys' mother, Tanya Zuvers, petitions.
A judge sentenced John Skelton to 10-15 years in prison in 2011 after he was convicted of three counts of unlawful imprisonment, one for each son. He has been eligible for parole several times throughout his sentence, but the board has denied that application each time.
"I can't see where he didn't do it," Parrill said. "I just can't fathom that."
John's maximum sentence is set to expire on Nov. 29, 2025.
Morenci resident Nancy Webster said a concern of the community is John being released from prison.
"I'd be worried," she said. "Who knows what he'll do."
Zuvers and her attorney declined to comment after the pretrial hearing.
The trial date to declare the brothers legally dead is scheduled for July 29 at 9 a.m.