
The Skelton Brothers /// Part 1 Episode: 280 Original Release: 2-19-2019 Part 1 of 2 www.TrueCrimeGarage.com Andrew age 9, Alexander age 7, and Tanner age 5 were taken by the father from his Morenci, Michigan home during the Thanksgiving holiday visitation back in 2010. Their father John, claims the boys were abused by their mother and he was getting them out of a bad situation. However John’s story does not add up. Law Enforcement does not believe him and today John sits behind bars. This week we crack a beer and discuss this stranger than fiction true crime story.
Loading summary
Oregon Lottery Representative
In the summer, all of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video lottery or cash Pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.
Walmart Pharmacy Representative
Look, if you've got prescriptions, the Walmart app is your place to manage them, transfer your scripts, refill them and have them delivered straight to you. Migraines, managed allergies, alleviated dermatology derma delivered ding dong. Is that your pizza? Nope. Walmart Pharmacy Delivery with a refill, switch to Walmart and manage your prescriptions in the app. The Walmart you thought you knew is now new delivery not available for all prescriptions. Exclusions apply.
News Reporter
SA.
Nick
Welcome to True Crime Garage. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Thanks for listening. I'm your host Nick and with me, as always, is a man that needs no introduction, but we do a unique one every week anyway because it would just be weird not to he is the Captain.
The Captain
Yeah, but maybe I could stop coming out from behind the curtain every week because that's getting a little weird. It's good to be seen and it's good to see you. Thanks for listening. Thanks for telling a friend.
Nick
This week we are featuring Hop Solution by the amazing craftsmen and women at Bell's Brewery, Inc. Up in one of my favorite states, Michigan garage. Grade 4 out of 5 bottle caps. This is a remarkably drinkable double IPA with a fantastic hop combination and massive aromas of tropical fruit, citrus and pine and a mild caramel malt character and a dry finish. This all provides very nice balance. I want to give a quick shout out to Michigan beer expert and writer Ben Darcy and Hop Solution was brought to us by these remarkably generous garage gems. First up we have Laura in Little Rock, Arkansas and the big we like.
The Captain
Your jib to Wendy in Vancouver.
Nick
Next up, a cheers to our friend Lisa who is sipping whiskey sours in Chicago.
The Captain
And a big cheers mates to Glenn and Big Spring, Texas.
Nick
Next we have a cheers to Kisha and Redondo Beach. And last but not least we have Elliott in Portland, Oregon. So buy a round for me or the Captain or both by going to truecrimegarage.com and clicking on that donate button.
The Captain
If you'd like to support the show and get something in return. Go to the store page, buy one of our awesome T shirts and don't.
Nick
Forget all of our old episodes are available on the very free very awesome Stitcher app. All right Captain, that's enough of the business. Everybody gather round. Grab a chair, grab a beer. Let's talk some true crime.
News Reporter
Investigators from multiple agencies spent all evening here at the home in Morenci where the boys were last seen. On Thanksgiving evening. They took evidence from the home. There's also concern tonight because of a posting on Facebook from the boy's father. John Skelton's last Facebook post reads, I love my wife very much. May God and Tanya forgive me, a cryptic message that police are now trying to decipher. Meanwhile, FBI, Michigan State Police and Morenca Tennessee police brought out the chopper and searched John Skelton's home late into Saturday night. Skelton's house was the last place his three sons were seen alive. Five year old Tanner, seven year old Alexander and nine year old Andrew have not been seen or heard from since Thursday night.
Oregon Lottery Representative
Anytime you have children this old that.
Nick
Are not with a caring loved one.
Oregon Lottery Representative
I think you have to assume they're.
Nick
In some kind of jeopardy. Everybody is is still, like I said, hoping and praying and trying to remain positive. So we're hoping that the community can still stay with us and be positive and be there and be our support.
News Reporter
Police say the three little boys disappeared after a bizarre chain of events reported by their father. Morenci police say John Skelton tried to kill himself in his home on Friday, but before doing so, Skelton says he handed off the kids to a woman he met years ago on the side of the road. Skelton is telling investigators the woman, Joanne Taylor, had car trouble, so he pulled over to help her and has maintained contact with her over email. Skelton says Joanne picked up the kids Friday morning at the house before he attempted suicide. Police are not sure this story adds up.
Oregon Lottery Representative
Up to this point, we have not.
Nick
Been able to locate a Joanne Taylor or confirm that she even exists.
News Reporter
Skelton's neighbor said he recently lost his job and separated from his wife, but they didn't know his troubles had reached a boiling point.
Walmart Pharmacy Representative
If my husband was in the yard, they'd be over seeing what he was doing and helping and just seemed like a very normal family.
News Reporter
Police say they do appreciate the many tips they have received from the community. So far, though the whereabouts of little boys are not known.
Nick
The key persons in this case are John Skelton his wife Tanya, and their three sons, Andrew, Alexander and Tanner. The boys are young, ages 9, 7 and 5. And in late 2010, it's important to know that the parents, John and Tanya, are living in separate residences and in the process of ending the marriage. Let's jump right into the timeline of some of the key events in the second half of the of 2010. On Monday, September 13, 2010, John says he's leaving for work. But instead of going to work, John Skelton takes the three boys out of school. He signs them out and drives them to Florida. John's parents live in Jacksonville, Florida. Tanya finds out about this. This is because the school called her to say that they are confused about what's going on because Tanya brought the kids to school that morning and she even dropped off medicine. When dropping off the kids, they called because later John shows up and checks the boys out, telling the school that the family was going on vacation to Florida. John is weird about the whole thing when Tanya reaches out to him. This is just after noon that day and John and the kids are still in the area with the attempt of going to Florida. So they're not in Florida, they're still in Michigan at this time. He first says that they are going to Florida for a three week vacation. But he also adds that he will put the kids in school once he's down in Florida. So this doesn't sound much like a vacation to their mother, Tanya. Tanya calls an attorney and she finds out the only way she can prevent John from taking the kids to Florida is for her to file for a divorce and request emergency custody of the children. A judge signs papers granting custody to Tanya. But before John could be served the papers, he catches wind of what is going on and he orders the boys into his vehicle. Now he only gets the two oldest boys into his vehicle and John then drives those two kids down to Florida, leaving the youngest boy, Tanner, back in Michigan with his mother. The next day, John has the boys call home to speak with their mother. Now, after this phone call, Tanya jumps into action and she goes down to Florida and she gets the Jacksonville Sheriff's department involved in this whole situation. They serve John a custody order, then they have to meet with a judge. This is down in Jacksonville. This judge orders John, the boys and Tanya to return to Michigan and states that the two parents will have joint custody for the drive home until they reach the Michigan state line. There, the boys are to be in the custody of their mother, per the Michigan judge's previous order. This whole process from the Time. The boys were taken on Monday, September 13th. Until they get back to Michigan, this takes a little over a week. This was not a quick process. This was not a quick turnaround. And the mother had to go to great lengths to make sure that her two oldest sons were returned back to Michigan.
The Captain
Well, it's not the best foot to start a divorce on having these kind of battles.
Nick
Yeah. And this whole battle is super weird because from both standpoints, because you have Tanya, who's kind of left there going, what's going on? Why is my soon to be ex husband just taking the kids and going down to Florida?
The Captain
Right.
Nick
And John has parents there, so I mean, he has family there, so it's not super weird on that level. But what is weird is that this was not like talked about between the two of them. I mean, to, to at great lengths. We, we do have John at some point who suggests that maybe the whole family should go move down to Florida. And Tanya says, you know, I can't really do that right now. I can't do that. Mind you, she's thinking that the marriage is ending. Why would the whole family, you know, pick up roots and go down to Florida? And the whole statement too, of, well, we're going on a three week vacation, but while I'm down there, because now, mind you, this is September, right? School starts around that time for these boys. So Tanya's wondering, what are you doing taking the kids out of school? School just started. You're taking them on a three week vacation. That's like the guy that just signs up for a new job and then goes on vacation the second week after he started working there. It just doesn't make any sense, you know, asking why would you go on this three week vacation? Yeah, I'm sure the kids would have fun down there. But he's like, oh, well, while I'm down there, I'll just sign him up for school. Well, that doesn't seem like a vacation. Who signs up people for school once they get to a new location?
The Captain
Sounds like you're moving.
Nick
Yeah. Against her best wishes. Well then on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, all three boys were living with their mother, Tanya. According to Tanya, John is still trying to determine if they could get back together. They are not living together. But Tanya believed it was in everyone's best interest that even though she had full custody at this time of the boys, that they should be allowed to visit with their father. Tanya was not really interested in getting the marriage back together. But the boys loved their father and she was not Going to deny them seeing him or staying the night at his new place?
The Captain
Well, it's kind of his new place. It's now him living at their old place without her.
Nick
Right. It's his new old place.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
So the way that this works is Tanya goes and she has to live elsewhere because they're separating. John's at the family's home with the three boys. Right now. Tanya is staying with the help of some friends. It sounds like somebody was selling a house or in the process of moving out. Regardless, she's living at this house in the same neighborhood as John and it's two blocks away. They're close enough that you can see portions of each of the properties from the other property, if that makes sense.
The Captain
Well, and this is good for them too because then they're close to their house.
Nick
Yeah.
The Captain
And it's, I believe it's a rented house, but that's the house they know.
Nick
And yeah, like you said, they know other kids in the neighborhood. This is a familiar place for them. I mean, divorce is tough on children and Tanya seems to be going above and beyond and out of her way to make it easier on the children, allowing them to see their father even though she has the custody rights.
The Captain
One, you could walk to your other house, you walk to see your mom, you could walk to see your dad. And also like I said, with it getting off to such a rocky start, maybe they said, hey, we got to do something better, you know, for the kids.
Nick
Well, Tanya also does not fear at this time that Jon would attempt to leave to Florida again with the kids as she believe it appeared that he had learned his lesson the first time and, and that he was obeying the Michigan judge's instructions. Plus Tanya was recommending to John counseling and he seemed to be open to the idea. Remember, it appears John had an interest in getting back together with Tanya. Tanya wanted counseling, both couples counseling and family counseling. And they were going to counseling sessions together. Previous to this day. Tanya has agreed to let John have the boys for the Thanksgiving Day holiday the next day, November 24, 2010. The boys are at Tanya's parents home that morning until John can pick them up later that day around 5pm John picks up the three boys around the scheduled time. From there they go to his home. John would later say, and mind you, it's a little confusing if he is referring to Wednesday or Thursday.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
But he says while the kids are with him, he cooked them one of their favorite meals, fried chicken, and baked them a cake. Then we have Thursday, November 25th, Thanksgiving my favorite day of the year. Food, football, a good amount of libations.
The Captain
Well, some bubbly, yeah.
Nick
Tanya later states that on this day she is on the phone with John, and according to her, John is asking if there is any chance that they could get back together. Tanya is giving him the old, I don't know, probably not, you know, giving him that routine. Tanya can hear her three sons in the background while talking with Jon and says it sounds to her like the boys are having a great time, they're playing and such. Later, Tanya would say she is not 100 certain that she spoke with John on this day, on this Thursday. She says there is a chance it was on Wednesday night, but, you know, with the. With the holidays going on, there's a lot going on here. So it does sound to me that she feels stronger that the conversation took place on this Thursday, regardless of which day it actually was. We do have a neighbor of John's. This is the lady, I believe she lived across the street. She tells police later that she saw all three boys playing outside that afternoon. Most reports state this is around 5pm on that Thursday, November 25th, Thanksgiving Day, Friday, November 26th, Black Friday, 1 of my least favorite days. Tanya, per the arrangements made before Thanksgiving, is scheduled to pick the three boys up at John's place at 3pm that morning. However, Tanya and John trade phone calls and text the topic. Tanya would like to pick the boys up earlier if possible. She's asking if she could get them around noon. John says he would. However, they are not at his home. Tanya says to John, what are you talking about? From my place, I can see your driveway and your van is parked in the driveway. John says friends of his came and picked him up and the boys up and they were out having fun. Now, please keep in mind as we go through this, this is Tanya and John having multiple conversations that day. Because later that day he says the boys are still with his friends, that he, John, is home and his friend is scheduled to drop the kids off at his place at 3pm so they can be picked up by Tanya at 3pm so now Tanya is asking, well, can they just drop them off to me at my place? You know, I obviously live in the same neighborhood, right? Unfortunately, regardless of all of these conversations, they never agree to a time for Tanya to pick up the boys. In fact, this is where it all falls apart. The next time Tanya talks to John, he says, I'm on my way to the hospital. I think I broke my leg. Tanya wants to know where her sons are and how Is she going to get them back? John says they are not with me. They are still with my friend and she is going to bring them back to my house. He thinks Tania wants to get in touch with this friend of John's, or at least for him to do so. But he is saying he does not have his friend's phone number on him and he doesn't know what will happen with the boys getting to Tanya's. This very obviously upsets the boy's mother and she calls her attorney. The attorney advises Tanya to wait until after the scheduled time. Wait until after 3pm before you do anything. At 3.01pm, Tanya calls the police and reports her boys as missing. So remember we said John was on his way to the hospital. This is because he called a friend to drive him there once. At the hospital, John checks himself in, seeking treatment for an ankle injury. I've seen this reported as everything from a sprained ankle, a broken ankle. It is first reported that John tried unsuccessfully to hang himself. This either in a hotel or in his home. In the course of this, he suffered the leg injury in the process. Where are the three boys? Andrew, age 9, Alexander, age 7, and Tanner, age 5. John says a friend of his, Joanne Taylor, was put in charge of returning the boys to Tanya's home. Joanne, of course, never arrives. In fact, apparently Jon knows little to nothing about this Joanne person. John was a truck driver by occupation. According to John, this is someone who he met when he came across her and Joanne's husband when they were having vehicle trouble. Their vehicle broke down and he stopped and helped them. Well, John and Joanne then became friends afterward and maintained their relationship via the Internet. Tanya does not believe John's story. In fact, she fears that her sons may be lying dead in John's home. The Morenci police search the home and they do not find the boys. What they do find is a home of broken and destroyed furniture and household items. We're talking broken glass, smashed furniture, a mattress, cut and slashed with a knife.
The Captain
Right. And it's not clear if the stuff was, like, smashed on that Wednesday and Thursday or if it's been smashed for a while.
Nick
Friday night at 11pm, an Amber alert goes out for the three missing Skelton boys. The following is an Amber Alert issued for the three sons of John and Tanya Skelton of Morenci. Police are searching the neighborhood now. The FBI is on the way. An Amber Alert has been issued for three young boys in Lenaway county who are believed to be in extreme danger. Andrew ryan Skelton Age 9. Alexander William Skelton, Age 7, and Tanner Lucas Skelton, Age 5, were reportedly last seen Friday at 2:30pm With Joanne Taylor, a woman who their father, John Skelton, met on the Internet. The suspect was to return the children to their mother, but the children have been missing since. Taylor is believed to be a resident of either Jackson county or Hillsdale county and drives a silver van. Police say the father of the three boys has been hospitalized following a suicide attempt. The missing children are all described as white males. Andrew is 4 foot 1 inch tall, weighs 57 pounds and has brown eyes and hair. Alexander is 3 foot 9 inches tall, weighs 45 pounds, has brown eyes and hair and has a scar on his hairline and on his chin. Tanner is 3 foot 6 inches tall with blue eyes and blonde hair. The Morenci Police Department is investigating and was to hold a news conference today. If you have any information regarding the three missing children, the alleged abductor or the suspect's vehicle, please call 911-The Morenci Police Department at 517-458-2323 or Lenaway County Dispatch at 517-263-0524. At 1:30am early Saturday morning, the Morenci police chief contacted Tanya. She was asked to get to the police department and as soon as possible to discuss the situation. This is because the local authorities want to try to get a handle on what was going on before the feds came in. As you heard in the Amber Alert.
The Captain
They also stated that they contemplated even doing an Amber Alert because that would set off everything. You're going to have all these searchers come in, you're going to have FBI come in. Would this help or hinder what they're trying to do?
Nick
Well, and we've seen this in plenty of other cases before where you have to get certain information out to the public because you do need the public's help. Especially when you're looking for three missing persons, possible abductor, and you have a description of the abductor's vehicle. But then the problem with that is when you are racing for time, when you feel like you are in a race against time to find these three missing children, you run into the problem of could you be getting just frantic tips from the public?
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Tips that aren't valuable to the actual case. With summer in full swing, you start to feel that familiar urge to refresh your closet. But why waste money on pieces you'll only wear once or for just one season? That's where Quint comes in their clothes are timeless, feel luxurious, look elevated and the quality is way beyond what you'd expect for the price. Think 100% European linen tops starting at $30, washable silk dresses and skirts and soft cotton sweaters. Versatile warm weather pieces you'll reach for again and again. I love shopping. Quince.com Garage use the garage for free shipping on your order. For summer I got the mesh performance training long sleeve tee for the gym, for the beach or poolside. I love the 100% European linen relaxed short sleeve shirt and for a nice sit down dinner or a night out on the town, I like the long sleeve version of the 100% European linen relaxed shirt. Shop Women, Men, home, baby, kids, travel and gifts@quince.com Garage gifts are great through Quint because they have the 365 day return policy. Give your summer closet an upgrade with quints. Go to Quince.com Garage for free shipping on your order and and 365 day returns. That's Q U-N-C-E.com Garage to get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Quince.com Garage NetCredit is here to say.
NetCredit Representative
Yes because you're more than a credit score.
Nick
Apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day.
NetCredit Representative
Loans offered by Netcredit or lending partner banks and service by Netcredit applications subject.
Nick
To review and approval.
NetCredit Representative
Learn more@netcredit.com partner net credit credit to.
IXL Representative
The people Whether your child is trying to catch up, stay sharp or get a head start for the fall, IXL can make learning a seamless part of summer. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on math or diving into Social Studies. IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US and is a great tool to keep learning going. IXL is personalized learning that is trusted by parents and educators. More than 17 million students have already tried, used and benefited from IXL and that's grade levels pre K through 12th grade plus. IXL has Spanish for all ages. Whether you're looking to stay on track, get ahead or get caught up, IXL can help. I know many who have benefited from their experience with ixl. IXL is a path to success. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and True Crime Garage listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com garage visit ixl.com garage to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. You know what doesn't belong in your epic summer plans? Getting burned by your old wireless bill. While you're planning beach trips, barbecues and three day weekends, your wireless bill should be the last thing holding you back. Make the switch to Mint Mobile With Mint, you can get the coverage and speed you're used to, but for way less money. And for a limited time, Mint mobile is offering three months of unlimited premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. So while your friends are sweating over data overages and surprise charges, you'll be chilling. Literally and financially. Making the switch to Mint Mobile is a no brainer. You get the same great service that you're used to at a fraction of the cost. I am saving $25 across two lines by making the switch to Mint Mobile this year. Skip breaking a sweat and breaking the bank. Get this new customer offer and your three month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mint mobile.com tcg that's mintmobile.com tcg upfront payment of $45 required equivalent to $15 a month limited time new customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.
The Captain
All right, we're back. Cheers mates.
Nick
Cheers to you Captain. John's Story John Skelton's story or stories regarding the location of the three boys is a very difficult portion of this case. Yeah, what is not difficult but is scary is law enforcement worked to track John's cell phone and if his phone was moving at any point during the times when the boys were in his care. So here's the scary part. On Friday. So the same day that the boys would later be reported missing, early Friday morning, we know John's phone was on the move. At 4:29am John's cell phone was approximately three miles from his home on Congress street and moving at about 5am his phone is near Holiday City, Ohio and Pioneer, Ohio. So Holiday City is a tiny little town in northwest Ohio near the Michigan Ohio state lines.
The Captain
Yeah.
Nick
Holiday City is about seven or eight miles south of Michigan. And by everything that's out there, John traveled straight from his house to this area.
The Captain
This is a place that he would have drove through multiple times when he was a trucker.
Nick
Yeah. And if you check the approximate travel time on any directions or maps application you get, depending on the route, it's about a 24 to 25 mile one way trip that would take about 30 to 32 minutes of travel time, which matching up perfectly with what the cell phone evidence shows. 4:29am he is just about three miles from his house and then 31 minutes later, his phone is in Holiday City, Ohio. Then at 6:46am According to the evidence, he, his cell phone is back at his house. So what we have here is John, assuming he is with his phone, he is in this Holiday city location for 70 some minutes and with no reason to be there, and then he returns home where later we are told, after several communications with Tanya, he attempts to commit suicide, fails, injures himself and calls a friend to take him to the hospital.
The Captain
Yeah, your marriage is falling apart, you don't have custody of your children. Well, you have part time custody of your children, you lose your job and then something happens over this Thanksgiving and you go to a town in Ohio that you're familiar with.
Nick
Right.
The Captain
But your story to the police is this person that you know that you gave your kids to, they met you, they met you at your house, they picked them up from your house.
Nick
Right.
The Captain
This doesn't make a lot of sense at all.
Nick
Well, that's a big part of the difficulty with his story and with this case. So then the difficult thing becomes when did he hand his children over to this woman? And just how complicated is his story and could it possibly be true? Well, there was this report, a possible.
News Reporter
Sighting at this donut shop in Sandusky, Ohio. The three skeleton boys may offer the first glimmer of hope that the brothers are still alive. Shop worker Sandy Jones says she thinks she saw Tanner, Alexander and Andrew in the store three days after Thanksgiving.
NetCredit Representative
The two older ones are really, they didn't act like they wanted to come through that door when they first came in.
News Reporter
Sandy says that three were with a woman, that they looked tired and hungry. The woman who was with the boys even called Tanner by name.
NetCredit Representative
They kind of huddled together. The younger one kind of looked up and was looking around. He just didn't know what he wanted at first. Like he wanted everything. And she kept saying, just pick out your donut, Tanner. Just pick out your donut. That's how Louis, I know his name. And then it was funny when I saw the newspaper, I'm like, that's too much of a coincidence.
News Reporter
Jones says she didn't know about the story until she saw it in the paper after the holiday weekend. She then told her co worker and.
NetCredit Representative
I said, stephanie, these little boys, I swear were in the donut shop.
News Reporter
The owner of the donut shop is a Former police officer. After Jones and the owner talked it over, they filed this report, but not until several days after the sighting.
NetCredit Representative
I thought I was going crazy, so I waited and talked to him. And he. The owner, Terry, and he was like, you know what? They do look like them. And we. We went around about the name again, and then we didn't know what to do because we didn't have. We didn't know the car or license plates, and we didn't know if it could be any kind of help or not. And the more we thought about, the more we like, no, we need to call because it's a chance that could have been them.
News Reporter
As for the woman, Joan says she was disheveled.
NetCredit Representative
She was about 5 foot 5, 5 foot 6. Like I said, she looked like she was in her 40s. She looked very tired, haggards. She had dark, scraggly hair that looked like it had just been dyed.
News Reporter
So, of course, police are working to confirm this tip. The boy's father, John Skelton, was caring for the boys when they went missing back on Thanksgiving. His extradition hearing is scheduled for December 14th. Governor Granholm is already expediting.
The Captain
All right, so I know you're all chuckling, but grow up. Yes. A former police officer owns a donut shop, but grow up.
Nick
If you're laughing about that and you can't. You can't hear it on the clip, that portion of the clip that we played. But at the very tail end of that, when he's done giving the report and he's going to turn it back over to the, you know, the people in the studio, The. The news studio, he says, joanne, that's the. The news anchor's name. So kind of some ironic things inside that story itself. So.
The Captain
Well, let's just go over this eyewitness account. Do. Is. Do we believe this at all?
Nick
Well, so it's interesting for a few different reasons. Right at one, it's a sighting of three boys at a donut shop. This is the house of donuts in Sandusky, Ohio. It's not terribly far from Morency, Ohio. It's about 100 miles east. It's more east than southeast, but it's technically southeast. And Sandusky is right on Lake erie, so about 100 miles away, three days after Thanksgiving or three days after they went missing. I'm a little uncertain of that point, but of that portion. But they're with a woman. So there's some things that are lining up here to John's story. Three boys, not two, not one. You know, no other people reported with them. Not a little girl, not a grown man, not anybody else. Three boys that this woman at the donut shop believes to be of the appropriate age of the missing children. With a disheveled looking woman who looks tired and the kids look tired as well. Tired and hungry.
The Captain
Yeah, it seems more believable to me because, yes, one there with a woman, but that she's saying one of the kids names and that the person behind the counter picked up on that.
Nick
Yeah, yeah. And it must have. I mean, the three kids as well as the woman must have stuck out like a sore thumb to this eyewitness because she's kind of recalling this after the fact. She was unaware at the time that there were missing people that could have been, you know, in the general area of where this donut shop, 100 miles away, not terribly far.
The Captain
Right. But this is also one of the problems with the Amber Alert is that you will get so many sightings and that could be a bad thing because when they should maybe be looking closer, like this search, to me doesn't make a lot of sense. They're searching so much of the hometown, they're searching the house. But we have cell phone ping technology that puts them in a whole nother state and a whole other area that's very rural. And we lose track of his cell phone pings for about an hour and 45 minutes. So the phone either dies or gets turned off. And we're in an area that there's acres upon acres upon acres. This would be a perfect dumping ground if you're trying to hide bodies.
Nick
Well, I thought that we. The downtime, let's call it, of the cell phone information or evidence.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Is closer to like 70, 75 minutes because we, we have to factor in the travel time that's involved on the way to this location and then on the return trip to his home.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
So we have that cell phone moving, as you say. And, and as we know, the interesting thing here, and you and I, I agree with you, because on the surface it's like, well, why are they. I mean, they got hundreds of searchers looking at his neighborhood, looking in the general vicinity of his home. I mean, we even have helicopters flying over and they did thermal searches as well. You know, that's where they're going to be looking for any indication thermally of where they could find these boys if they were being hid somewhere. But I think what we can deduce from this information that we have, not knowing exactly what tactics police and searchers are going to actually implement is the Amber Alert and the phone call from the police chief to Tanya to the boy's mother, where we know the feds are coming in. We know the FBI is coming in. So what I believe we have here is a couple of things. Let's not just limit ourselves to one search area. I believe the feds, the FBI, was brought in because we do have information that there's a possibility that these kids were taken against their will, be it with their father or. Or anyone else. And they were taken possibly across state lines from Michigan to Ohio.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Therefore, now we have an FBI situation. Kidnapping across state lines, that's a double whammy for the FBI. So you bring them in, and maybe they are the ones that are in charge of searching the area that is across the state line, where on the local level, where you have local jurisdiction, you can then police search, grid search the neighborhood of John Skelton.
The Captain
Well, the area in Ohio, it'd probably be better if you just search by helicopter and maybe some kind of infrared.
Nick
Yeah, the thermal. Yeah, infrared. So the other thing, too, to keep in mind here is as suspicious as the movements of his cell phone are, because of how early in the day that is, that doesn't seem to be typical routine. He has no reason for being in that area.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
As suspicious as it seems, you also have a bunch of information saying, well, his cell phone was in the general area of his home for a much longer period of time when he had the children. So you can't overlook searching that immediate area.
The Captain
Right. Well, and then also, it's not clear if he left with his vehicle or did he get into somebody else's vehicle. There's a situation where he says, this lady came and picked him up from me. Oh, by the way, I went with them for a while.
Nick
Yeah.
The Captain
And then she brought me back home. But also around this point, isn't this where he starts stating, hey, I wanted to give them to this woman because my wife was abusing them?
Nick
Well, that's where I think we need to go through his story a little bit, as well as some background information on the Skelton family. Right. Because let's say that sighting that we. The clip that we just played. And I got it. I got to tell you, Captain.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Hearing that, I'm hopeful that there. There's information in that sighting that that.
The Captain
Eyewitness told us sounds more legitimate than most.
Nick
Gives me cause for hope. Gives me cause to believe that her story is. Is spot on.
The Captain
Yeah. Makes me want donuts.
Nick
So if we are to believe that this sighting is real. And, and, and she was correct that she did see the three boys. Then we have to believe John's story.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
His explanation regarding the whereabouts of the three boys. And here's what I, here's what I will say to try to sum this up as best as I can. Having looked at this for, for a while now, I don't feel like I can say that it's a changing story regarding John's story in a sense that it contradicts his original story.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
But John's story to me seems more to evolve rather than to change completely. So he first tells Tanya he gave the kids to a friend of his name, Joanne, and she was in charge of driving the boys to Tanya's home. He gave them to Joanne because he was going to commit suicide. That's the first story. Then we hear John tells investigators he gave the boys to a foster care home, an underground foster care home because their mother Tanya was abusing the boys. This is where we need the background information on the Skelton family. So this is both John's and Tanya's second marriages, right? They've both been married before John and Tanya. They had their first child together after one year of marriage. So Andrew is the oldest, nine years old at the time of the disappearance. He's described as very smart and great in school. He loves video and computer games and is very competitive when playing. He is very inquisitive and out of all the boys, he is the most timid and quiet. Then you have Alexander, who was born just about two years after Andrew. He was seven at the time of the disappearance. Alexander is the daredevil of the boys and he has a few stitches to prove it it. He enjoys riding and jumping on his bike, playing in the dirt, starting water fights. He's the one described as, quote, always getting into trouble. But they say when it comes down to it, he is a lover. And Alex loves cell phones. Working or not, real or fake, he loves cell phones or the idea of a cell phone. He often would play with a cell phone that were no longer in service. He enjoys charging them and using the camera feature. Tanner is the little one, the littlest one. And he was born just two years after Alexander. And Tanner is by far the storyteller of the three boys. He has a great imagination, gets that from his father. He can tell the most far out stories or tell something that really happened. He will get you to believe it and then we'll tell you, no, it really didn't happen. And he'll he'll laugh at you.
The Captain
Right. Like he's pranking you.
Nick
Yeah. Tanner doesn't like tomatoes. He will not eat anything if there are tomatoes in it or around it, including ketchup. Tanner really looks up to all of his siblings. He doesn't want to be left behind, so he is always trying to keep up and do what everyone else is doing. Now, John and Tanya were married for 10 years before this all went down. John was married before and had a child. Tanya speculates that John may have freaked out when it was likely that she and John were going to get a divorce and she was going to get custody of the kids she cites. That's what happened in his first marriage. Tanya's story is more complicated. Tanya was married before and had two daughters in that previous relationship. These two daughters are very, very close to Tanya to this day, but are much older than her three boys. Tanya's first marriage ended because of criminal charges. Tanya had some kind of inappropriate actions and behavior with a 14 year old boy. When charged, she pled guilty and she did serve time in prison for this offense.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
And she is a registered sex offender in the state of Michigan.
The Captain
Yeah.
Nick
According to everything I could find. This is not something that Tanya hid from John. He knew about her background before they got married. He knew about it before they had children.
The Captain
Yeah.
Nick
So this is why that doesn't.
The Captain
It's good that she didn't hide that from him. But at the same time, it's like that's. That's a very odd situation and very gross situation.
Nick
Well, yeah. Yeah. And you know what's difficult for. For me as I sit here in this garage chair after we've covered so many cases and, and I've been so hardcore of saying, you know, once a child molester, always a child molester. And, you know, that. That I may have put myself in a difficult position when discussing this case because I feel like. I feel like we should. I feel like we should give her credit for not being. For not hiding this from him. You know what I mean? It deserves some credit because we have seen situations where.
The Captain
Well, she has to register where she lives.
Nick
Yeah.
The Captain
Stuff like that.
Nick
So he's gonna find out eventually.
The Captain
She might not be able to find out. And it's one of those things where. Look, I mean, it's a. It's a crime against a child. The boy was 14 years old.
Nick
Mm.
The Captain
So that's. That's awful.
Nick
Yeah.
The Captain
And. But at the same time, she. In this case, she is a victim or possibly is a victim. And so you don't want to have it come across as victim blaming.
Nick
Right. Well, but ultimately, this is why John tells law enforcement he gave the boys to someone else to raise, either because he feared losing them in the divorce or because he was planning to commit suicide and Tanya was abusing the boys. He didn't want them to live out the rest of their days with her.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
So now John, following his treatment for his injured leg, he was sent to a facility for evaluation. Once released there, he is immediately taken into custody and held in jail. Because of the situation with the missing boys. John's parents talk to him and they believe his side of the story. In fact, at some point, they say that John told them previously about possible abuse in the household. Hence, that's his reasoning for wanting to take the boys to Florida to set up a new life there. The police don't believe him. They publicly announce that they are unable to confirm that a Joanne Taylor even exists at all.
The Captain
Well, what we do know is his mother believes him, the father believes him.
Nick
Yes.
The Captain
And his sister believes him. They believe that. That John is telling the truth.
Nick
Correct. Right. And not only does the. Not only does law enforcement come out and announce that we don't believe that he gave his sons to this Joanne Taylor person.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
We can't confirm that she even exists. The difficult thing about that for law enforcement is you're kind of sitting on a fence there. Right. Not so much in that statement, but in the course of your investigation, because you have to be sitting there wondering, well, crap, just because we can't confirm that this person exists doesn't mean that his story's not true. What if he gave them to someone claiming to be Joanne Taylor?
The Captain
Right.
Nick
So the other thing, though, too, that they announce is that they fear that John has done something terrible, terrible with the children. They don't believe that the outcome. They publicly state this. They don't believe that the outcome is going to be a good one. Meaning we should be looking for bodies. And of course, they had good reason to.
The Captain
Yeah.
Nick
And I think the first part of that good reasoning behind that comes from the cryptic Facebook post by John on that Wednesday, on Wednesday, November 24, that said, May God and Tanya forgive me. Well, that doesn't sound promising, does it?
The Captain
Right. But you wonder if that is implying towards the suicide, that he eventually is going to try to commit this.
Nick
Yeah, that's a good point. That's a very good point.
The Captain
Because some religions claim that taking your own life is a sin. So maybe he's confessing his sin to his. His God and his Wife.
Nick
Well, and the other thing, too is keep in mind if it was an asking for forgiveness because of the suicide or the attempted suicide, from every indication I could find, it seems like John was still very much in love with Tanya during this time that he was focused on trying to get the family back together or get his marriage back together. So you could be very right that it could be for asking for forgiveness for that act. Or I guess in a sense, it could be asking for forgiveness for giving the children away and then committing suicide.
The Captain
Right. Both.
Nick
Right.
The Captain
Yeah. And the thing too is you could love your wife, but know that she is sick on some level and that she's molesting the boys, then you don't want her to be around. But that doesn't mean. That doesn't mean he can just shut off all the feelings that he had for her. I mean, I would. I mean, it would be seconds. Oh, you're molesting kids. Oh, no feelings for you anymore. You can die in. Rot in hell.
Nick
Yeah. So. So may God and Tanya forgive me. That was the John Skelton's Facebook message to the world two days before he unsuccessfully tried to hang himself. It was also two days before the disappearance of his three children.
The Captain
Right. Again, is he say. Is he also apologizing for him murdering the children?
Nick
Right.
The Captain
I mean, we didn't bring up that aspect. Well, and that's what I think most people take it as that. That he's apologizing for murdering the children and then also trying to take his own life.
Nick
Well, and I think that's the. The common initial reaction that most would have. I know that that's the initial reaction I had right. Now, the other reason to believe that this outcome is not going to be a good one, as law enforcement stated, is what they found on John's computer. So the night before the boys disappeared. Now, keep in mind at this time, John is considered by law enforcement and by his own admission to be the only adult in the home. In his home with the computer that we are going to talk about at the time of these two searches.
The Captain
Okay.
Nick
And this is not verbatim, but one search was something to the effect of how to break a neck or can you break someone's neck using your hands? Another. I mean, that's dark as hell. And again, not very promising.
The Captain
Well, right, but let me. Hold on. I'm going to play a little devil's advocate here.
Nick
Yes, sir.
The Captain
The. The night, which we think was the Wednesday, or maybe it was the Thursday, he claims that he made the boys his favorite Dinner and that they got fried chicken and he made a cake because it's going to be one of the boys birthdays soon. And then they watched a karate movie.
Nick
Now kung fu.
The Captain
Well, well, they said karate movie. So I was actually guessing that they probably watched Karate Kid or something. But think about this way. You're watching Karate Kid, you're watching some kung fu movie. You see a guy maybe break somebody's neck with some move and then you Google search it.
Nick
Well, that's his explanation. That's what John's explanation is when he's confronted with this information.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Why would you look that up if you didn't do something terrible to these boys? Well, we were watching a karate movie or a kung fu movie. What he fails to provide, and I get, I shouldn't fault him too much for this, but again, I've never been in a room being questioned about a.
The Captain
Triple homicide that you're going to admit on air.
Nick
What he, what he is, what he fails to provide in his defense is the title of the movie that he claims they were watching.
The Captain
Yeah, but anybody that has kids knows that sometimes you throw on a movie or a movie's on TV and kids are watching it, they seem entertained. And you're in the kitchen cleaning dishes and you're not really part of the movie watching process. Process.
Nick
Right.
The Captain
So I'm saying, so it's like then if you went, oh well, what were they watching? Well, I'm not really for sure because I wasn't really watching. I was doing the dishes or I was cleaning the house or whatever was going on.
Nick
Well, this seems like an awfully violent movie to be allowing your three children under the age of 10 to watch.
The Captain
Oh, come on.
Nick
What do you mean?
The Captain
Everybody watched? You know.
Nick
You don't think that's a fair assessment of this situation?
The Captain
No, I think, I mean that'd be like telling children they shouldn't watch WWE or something.
Nick
Well, but I'm, I'm stating we also.
The Captain
Don'T know the title of the movie. So if they're watching Karate Kid at the age of under 10, I'd say go, go for it.
Nick
Yeah, but it can't be Karate Kid. And I'll tell you why. Because of what John says in his defense. He says the reason why that there was a search on his computer for the phrase how to break a neck or can you break someone's neck using your hands. The they're watching a karate type kung fu type movie.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
And in the movie somebody breaks someone's neck just with their hands. You Know, like, what is that Steven Seagal Van Damme kind of move there? And he says that it was at the kids asking him, or not believing that that was realistic what they were seeing on tv, you know, oh, you can't break somebody's neck with your bare hands. Or, or dad, can you actually do that? And so he says, I Google searched it with the boys.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
To see if that was even a real thing. Which sounds like I, I know Mr. Miyagi was pretty tough on those teenagers for beating up Daniel's son, but I don't remember any necks being snapped.
The Captain
I think he twisted one of their necks. I believe he did. And then again, you're talking about kids under the age of 10. They're coming up. They don't have to see something verbatim to come up with a question. Oh, we saw this guy twist this guy's neck. Hey, did he break his neck? I don't know. Can you break somebody's neck by twisting it?
Nick
Right.
The Captain
I don't know. Let's ask dad. That's all I'm saying. So we have no clue what the title is. We don't have a clue how violent it was. But again, I wouldn't say that Karate Kid, for example, would be like a movie I wouldn't want a 10 year old to watch. Maybe blood sports, something different. But you know, they're also little boys. That's what kind of movies that they like.
Nick
Yeah, no, I'm not saying that you not to let young children watch Karate Kid. I love the original Karate Kid, the first one. One of my favorite movies. And my father, who's pretty strict with what I could watch when I was little, sometimes his judgment was a little cloudy, or my understand. Understanding of his judgment was a little cloudy because I recall watching Conan the Barbarian when I was in the Destroyer when I was very little. And that's a pretty violent movie. Very violent.
The Captain
But how you turned out.
Nick
So the other thing here is there's another search on the computer, and that is for something to the effect of rat poison or can rat poison kill a human? Okay. Also very dark. Dark as hell, not very promising. Again, John's explanation for this is this search on the computer was again at the request of his three children, that during the course of that same movie, somebody is killed by poisoning or rat poison, according to the movie that he's watching with the kids. And so they search this to figure out if that can actually happen.
The Captain
Yeah, well, my big problem with this search there, buddy, is you made chicken, you made your boys Favorite meal. Seems like if you're going to make your boys favorite meal, you're going to make a cake, Right. For their birthday. These are things that are pretty simple to get them to eat. Did you make these favorite things for them on purpose so you can put poison in there? And then you took their bodies once they were poisoned, you took their bodies in the morning when nobody else was up and you drove out to some field somewhere and you dumped them off. That makes a lot of. Of logical sense to me.
Nick
Well, and then on top of that, think about the state of the home when it was found. When they entered the home, it was. It looked like it was destroyed, like somebody just in a tornado of rage just went through their upending furniture and in tossing things and cutting things and breaking and smashing things. Is that a very, you know, trite, juvenile, lame attempt at hiding some evidence or at least confusing the scene, you know?
The Captain
Right. Or were you losing your shit for so long that you're busting plates? You know, when you got mad at them because. Because you couldn't control them because you weren't being such a good parent and everything in your life is crumbling and you're. This guy seems so worried about getting back together with somebody that didn't seem to give a shit about him. It's like you could. You could take that time and refocus on being on a better father. Refocus that on your career or whatever. Yeah, but there's also guys that get into the state. Guys and girls will get to the state where they're so desperate to be with somebody that everything is collapsing around them and that's all that matters. So is every time that you called her that she said that she didn't want to get back together? Are you going into some other room and smashing up or punching your hole through the wall or. Or smashing some dishes or whatever.
Nick
Right.
The Captain
And. And are you. Who knows? So, yeah.
Nick
And did that. That tornado of rage, did that take place after the phone call? Remember, Tanya says that he. At some point, John speaks with her on the phone and says, are you sure there's no chance that we can get back together?
The Captain
Right.
Nick
You know, did that occur immediately after that or a result of something else? And from the outside looking in, it appears like, you know, like you said, Tanya may care for him on some level, but it appears that she only cares for him as being the father of her three boys.
The Captain
Right. But this moron can't see that. And let me just give you some advice. Everybody out there, if you're with somebody and they don't know if they want to be with you. Here's what you do and here's what you do. Every time, 100% of the time you go, okay, well, I'm going to go over here and work on myself. I'm going to focus on myself. Because if they come back, you're going to be a better person anyways and you're going to be better for them. And if they don't come back, you're already going to be working on yourself. And it just seemed like this guy's world is collapsing. And we've seen. I was actually just listening to a show the other day where they're talking about the suicide rate for men jumps up dramatically after losing a job. And so I would argue that if this guy is suicidal that he's possibly also homicidal.
Nick
Yeah, yeah. I mean, here's some advice for the flip side of that coin. If you are with somebody and they love you completely, just let yourself go. 100%, just let yourself completely go. So regarding the things as for like Homer Simpson, just let yourself go, don't.
The Captain
Ever listen to him.
Nick
Regarding the things to kind of back up law enforcement statement of not feeling like we're going to have a good outcome in this situation, there's another item, and this is another cryptic message, if you want to call it that, but this is in the form of what John Skelton tells his pastor, Donna Galloway. Remember, he's locked up shortly after the boys go missing, shortly after his failed suicide attempt. And when he spoke, when Donna Galloway spoke to him, his statement, John's statement refers to when it comes to the time frame in question that we're all wondering about, John says there is a blank spot in his brain. It was like a big dark hole. Now, without going too far into that as to what that could mean, because with a lot of John's statements, all we're left with saying is, well, what could this mean? It doesn't. Straight up, it's not, it's not straight into the point.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
This is. There's a big blank spot in my brain. There's a big dark hole. What does that mean?
The Captain
Well, it sounds like OJ actually.
Nick
Yeah.
The Captain
You know, in OJ's book where he is confessing to the murders, he states, oh, well, then I blacked out. Then when I come to there they were dead, blood everywhere. It's like, did he have a blackout for hours?
Nick
Right.
The Captain
I mean, do we have any evidence of him using drugs or possibly alcohol?
Nick
It's from the information I could find, he was a drinker. I don't think he was a, a big, big drinker. No indication of drug use that I could find. But again, this is not a promising statement. And like you said, you referenced O.J. we've, we've read several stories where somebody later states, for some reason, you know, I feel like it did something bad. I just don't know what it is. I can't recall what it is. There's a period of time I don't know what I was doing. I don't know if I was awake. I don't know if I was asleep, you know, so this is another dark, very dark statement.
The Captain
Well, you'd think they'd be able to test for fluids found at the scene. And you would assume that if he, let's say he did try to poison these kids, that a lot of the reaction would be throwing up, that we'd at least have some evidence of that happening at the house. I mean, yes, you could clean that up, but it didn't look like he cleaned up much in that house.
Nick
Right. So there must not be any evidence of that. And they did. I mean, they've searched that place from top to bottom.
The Captain
Well, and what's. Also, it's a small town, so they probably know all his whereabouts because of the cell phone pings, and they probably know everything he probably purchased. So I'd be interested to know if he even purchased poison or. It's a kid. Again, it's a logical answer. You're. You're watching a movie with your kids, they ask you a question, hey, can you, can you twist somebody's neck and kill them?
Nick
Right?
The Captain
No, you can't, or yes, she can. Then you go, oh, we saw this day on the movie. Can you kill somebody with rat poison? It might not even be in the movie. I mean, this is the kind of questions that kids come up with. I mean, anytime I pick up my nephew and it's like it's a 10 minute drive, I think he asked me 20 questions that are impossible to answer. You know, so it's so weird because it's a logical answer, but on the flip side, it's a logical explanation.
Nick
What, what could have happened to these poor boys?
The Captain
Exactly. Exactly.
Nick
Yeah, well, you referenced that this is a small town. Just to give those of you out there that are not familiar with this, because I wasn't super familiar with this area either. Well, with this town of Morenci, I've been to Michigan. I go to Michigan twice a year. Great state. Best place to go in summertime is Michigan, in my opinion. But Morenci is like a town of like 2, 000 people. It's a town that's like two square mile, you know, two miles by two miles by two, you know, it's a two square mile town, right? Tiny little town. Everybody's got to know everybody's business. And like you said, had he purchased anything that would go along with those searches on his computer with what their suspicions were, if they would have found any signs of vomiting or certain fluids inside that home, be it blood or anything like that, he probably would be facing murder charges or something to that effect.
The Captain
Right.
Nick
Because they already got this guy locked up. And then the other thing regarding the cell phone movements on that day in question, that early morning Friday, that, that you have pointed out, that I have pointed out is so suspicious. John has an answer for everything John says regarding his cell phone going to Holiday city early Friday, November 26th. Well, that's easily explained because someone I know, a friend of mine, borrowed my vehicle. I forgot that my cell phone was in the vehicle. Who was your friend who borrowed your vehicle? Can we talk to them? And then John says, I can't tell you who that is.
The Captain
We're just getting started with this case, so tune in tomorrow. We'll see you back in the garage. Until then, be good, be kind, and don't litter.
Walmart Pharmacy Representative
At Strayer University, we help students like you. Go from Will I to why not? For over 130 years, we've been innovating higher education to make it more affordable, accessible and attainable so you can reach your goals. Go from thinking, can I? To Yes, I can and keep striving. Visit Strayer. Edu to learn more. Strayer University is certified to operate in Virginia by Chev and its many campuses, including at 2121 15th Street north in Arlington, Virginia.
Podcast Summary: True Crime Garage – "The Skelton Brothers /// Part 1"
Introduction
In the July 1, 2025 episode of True Crime Garage, hosts Nic and the Captain delve into the harrowing case of the Skelton Brothers, a true crime story that intertwines family turmoil, mysterious disappearances, and baffling investigative twists. This episode, the first part of a two-part series, meticulously unpacks the events leading up to the disappearance of three young boys and the subsequent investigation that captivated communities and law enforcement alike.
Case Background
Key Individuals:
Family Dynamics: John and Tanya had been married for ten years, bringing together their blended families—John's from a previous marriage and Tanya’s two older daughters. The relationship was strained, culminating in separation and joint custody arrangements amidst ongoing divorce proceedings.
Timeline of Events
September 13, 2010: John Skelton abruptly removes his three sons from school under the guise of a family vacation to Florida, a plan that raises immediate suspicions given the children's ages and the timing at the start of the school year. Tanya discovers the situation when the school contacts her about the unexpected trip arrangements.
Post-Removal Actions: Tanya files for emergency custody to prevent John from taking the children to Florida. A judge grants her custody, but John intercepts the custody order and takes only the two eldest boys, leaving Tanner with Tanya in Michigan.
November 23-25, 2010: Despite prior custody agreements and arrangements, tensions escalate as John and Tanya attempt to negotiate further time with the children. On Thanksgiving Day, November 25, after a series of uncoordinated and conflicting communications, the three boys disappear from John’s residence. John claims he was en route to the hospital after a failed suicide attempt, but inconsistencies in his story and the absence of the boys lead to immediate police involvement.
Investigation Efforts
Search Operations:
Amber Alert Issuance:
Eyewitness Sighting:
Analysis and Insights
Host Discussions: Nic and the Captain dissect the inconsistencies in John’s narrative, questioning the plausibility of his claims about handing the boys over to Joanne Taylor—whose existence remains unverified—and the sudden move to Holiday City, Ohio. They explore the possibility of John’s statement evolving rather than changing outright, suggesting a facade to mask darker motives.
Suspicious Activities:
Psychological Insights: The hosts ponder John’s cryptic Facebook post, “May God and Tanya forgive me,” interpreting it as a potential foreshadowing of a tragic outcome, whether it be his suicide attempt or something more sinister involving the children.
Notable Quotes
Conclusions
The episode paints a chilling picture of a family in turmoil, with John Skelton's erratic behavior and questionable decisions casting a long shadow over the disappearance of his sons. The combination of unverified accounts, suspicious digital footprints, and the eye-witness donut shop sighting deepens the mystery and fuels speculation about the true fate of Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner Skelton.
Law enforcement remains skeptical of John's explanations, particularly due to the lack of evidence supporting the existence of Joanne Taylor and the alarming searches conducted on his computer. The hosts emphasize the critical nature of the cell phone data and its implications for tracking John's movements, suggesting that despite extensive local searches, the children could potentially be concealed in a vast, rural landscape, complicating the investigative efforts.
Transition to Part 2
As the first part of this two-part series concludes, Nic and the Captain leave listeners on a cliffhanger, indicating that the investigation is far from over and promising further exploration into the chilling details and possible resolutions of the Skelton Brothers' disappearance in the upcoming episode.
Join Nic and the Captain next week as they unravel the remaining threads of this perplexing case, seeking justice for the Skelton family and uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of three innocent children.
Connect with True Crime Garage
For more detailed discussions and archives of unsolved and cold cases, visit truecrimegarage.com and subscribe to the True Crime Garage podcast on your favorite streaming platform.