A Chicago vascular surgeon is now at the centre of a chilling double homicide investigation in Ohio, accused of murdering his ex-wife and her new husband in what authorities suggest was an act of long-simmering resentment.
The Crime Scene and Victims
Dr. Spencer Tepe, 37, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, were discovered dead in their Columbus, Ohio, home on December 30, 2025. The couple had recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary. Their two young children were found unharmed inside the residence. Police reported no signs of forced entry and did not recover a weapon at the scene.
Monique Tepe was previously married to the accused, Dr. Michael McKee. She had filed for divorce in 2017, and reports at the time indicated the separation was amicable. She married Dr. Spencer Tepe, a dentist, in 2020.
The Investigation and Arrest
Investigators quickly identified a person of interest from CCTV footage captured in a nearby alley around the time of the killings, which are believed to have occurred between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Police tracked a vehicle seen in the area to Rockford, Illinois, which was allegedly registered to McKee.
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, commenting on the case, suggested the suspect had stalked the couple for days and had intimate knowledge of the home's security. "They had staked out the location well. It was also very clear they knew where the camera locations were because they evaded a lot of camera coverage," Coffindaffer told NewsNation.
McKee was arrested and appeared emotionless in a Rockford court on Monday, January 12, 2026, answering questions with simple "yes" and "no" responses. He is now awaiting extradition to Ohio to face murder charges.
Motive and a Family's Fear
While detectives have not officially stated a motive, experts and the victims' family point to deep-seated bitterness. A relative of Monique Tepe told the Daily Mail that McKee's arrest came as no surprise. "It was absolutely not a shock to anybody — we had all expected it," the relative said, adding the family had been fearful but did not want to compromise the investigation.
Former Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead, analyzing the case for Fox News, said the motive likely went beyond common post-divorce issues. "This does not look like it would be the case here... investigators are gonna have a lot of digging to find out potential motive other than just an ex-husband or jealousy," he stated, noting the trigger was not random.
Dr. Michael McKee, a graduate of Ohio State University's medical school, held licenses in Illinois and California and had moved between several states since 2020. His placid professional demeanour allegedly masked what one source described as a "grey, throbbing muscle of anger and resentment."
