EXCLUSIVE: John Skelton, father of missing boys from Morenci, speaks to Action News from jail

ADRIAN, Mich. (WXYZ) - Just over two months ago three young boys went missing from Morenci. Their father, John Skelton, was the last one to see them alive.

Since Tanner, Alexander and Andrew’s disappearance we have heard Skelton utter very few words. Until now.

WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH JOHN SKELTON ON THE LEFT - THERE ARE 3 PARTS

Action News spoke with Skelton from the Lenawee County Jail Tuesday morning just as the chief of police in Morenci, where the boys went missing, announced the missing boys’ case had changed to a murder investigation.

"Just because people are saying that they're making it a murder investigation does not mean that the boys are dead," Skelton said.

John says he gave his sons Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, to a group called "Underground Sanctuary." Investigators do not believe that story.

John says he gave the kids to this mysterious group because he feared his wife, Tanya Skelton, was abusing them.

"The boys told me that Tanya was - they put it - sexing them," Skelton said. "Tried to confirm with Tanya but Tanya wouldn't have anything to do with me."

Police have cleared Tanya, 44, of any wrongdoing. And even as John makes these accusations against her, he tells us he wants to talk to his estranged wife.

"She hasn't talked to me since the 26th of November. I wish she would. I wish she would."

John says he doesn't know where the boys are now, but he's confident they are safe and that Tanya should take him at his word.

"She's not thinking for herself. She's letting people think for her. This last weekend a mutual friend said that she said she still loved me," Skelton said.