MORENCI, Mich. — More than a decade after Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton vanished from their father’s care in Morenci, the case returned to court Monday as a judge granted a delay in John Skelton’s murder case so attorneys can review the extensive discovery amassed in the long-running investigation.

Public defenders for Skelton told the court they need additional time to work through the evidence, saying the volume of material will take weeks to evaluate. They requested at least four weeks, but the judge granted three, citing the upcoming Christmas holiday, and scheduled the next hearing for Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. The Dec. 1 hearing previously on the calendar will no longer take place.

During Monday’s proceeding, the judge also noted that prosecutors expect the preliminary examinatio

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