DETROIT -- A judge declared three Michigan brothers dead Wednesday, more than 14 years after they disappeared at Thanksgiving in a small-town tragedy that remains unsolved despite an explicit belief by investigators that their father is responsible.

A Lenawee County probate judge is poised to decide Wednesday whether she will declare three brothers missing for 14 years dead. Probate Judge Catherine Sala said Monday she plans to make her ruling from the bench on the request to declare dead Andrew,

Lenawee County Judge Catherine Sala ruled on the matter, declaring Andrew, Alexander, and Tanner Skelton dead, 14 years after they were last seen in Morenci, Michigan.