Did Michael McKee Kill Monique and Spencer Tepe? Accused Killer Charged With Two Counts of Aggravated Murder

Michael David McKee, the man accused of murdering his ex-wife and her new husband, has been hit with upgraded charges just hours before his first court appearance. Prosecutors in Illinois have now charged the 39-year-old vascular surgeon with two counts of aggravated murder, a more serious allegation than the initial murder charges he faced over the killing of Monique Tepe and her husband, prominent Ohio dentist Spencer Tepe, in their Columbus home.

Court records show the upgraded charges were filed on Monday, ahead of McKee's scheduled hearing in Winnebago County at 14:30 ET. He is expected to be extradited to Franklin County, Ohio, where he will face the new counts. If convicted, McKee could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, and the aggravated murder specification also leaves open the possibility of a death sentence, although Ohio has not carried out an execution since 2018.

The Ohio Murders

McKee was arrested on Saturday in Rockford, Illinois, and is currently being held in the Winnebago County jail, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities allege he fatally shot Monique and Spencer Tepe inside their Columbus home on 30 December. It remains unclear whether McKee has retained an attorney to represent him in Ohio, based on available court records.

Police were first alerted when dispatchers received multiple calls of concern, including one from Spencer's employer, who reported that the normally punctual dentist had failed to show up for work and had not called ahead, behaviour described as "out of character". Columbus officers performed a welfare check at the couple's address and discovered the pair on the second floor with gunshot wounds. Their two young children, aged one and four, were found inside the home unharmed.

Investigators said dispatch received at least four calls around 09:00 local time, including one from a man outside the house who reported hearing children inside. Another friend of Spencer's told police they had seen a body in the home before emotionally breaking down, according to incident details. A police report noted that three 9mm shell casings were recovered from inside the property.

Investigators identified McKee through neighbourhood video surveillance footage, according to the arrest warrant. A vehicle was then linked to McKee that the detectives say arrived just prior to the murder and left shortly after.

Officials confirmed that McKee was tracked down and arrested in Rockford.

McKee and Monique Tepe were previously married in 2015 and divorced two years later, as per the Franklin County Clerk of Courts. Online licence records found that McKee is a doctor specialising in vascular surgery and holds licences in California and Illinois, and an expired license in Nevada.

The Tepes' Family Response

Monique and Spencer Tepe married in 2020 and were widely described by family as devoted parents and warm hosts who loved gathering relatives and friends at their home. Loved ones called Monique a caring stay-at-home mother and described Spencer as a dedicated dentist and family man whose life was centred on his wife, children, and patients.

Following McKee's arrest, the family issued a written statement calling the warrant 'an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer'. 'Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon," they said, adding that they were grateful to the Columbus Police Department, its investigators, and assisting agencies whose "tireless efforts helped to capture the person involved'.