Tragic Double Homicide in Columbus: Ex-Husband Arrested in Chicago
In a shocking case that has rocked the Columbus, Ohio community, a respected Chicago vascular surgeon has been arrested for the alleged murder of his ex-wife and her dentist husband. Michael David McKee, 39, was taken into custody in Chicago on Saturday in connection with the deaths of Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband Spencer Tepe, 37. The couple was discovered in their Weinland Park home on the morning of December 30 after Spencer failed to show up for work, both having suffered fatal gunshot wounds. This tragedy occurred just as the couple was approaching their fifth wedding anniversary, leaving their two young children orphaned but physically unharmed in the home.
The investigation moved swiftly as authorities pieced together evidence linking McKee to the crime scene. Surveillance footage captured McKee’s vehicle arriving near the Tepe residence shortly before the estimated time of the murders—between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on December 30—and departing shortly afterward. Additional video showed an unidentified person, later alleged to be McKee, walking in an alley near the home during the critical timeframe. These recordings provided crucial evidence that led to the arrest warrant being issued on Saturday, culminating in McKee’s apprehension in Illinois. He was booked at the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office before noon, facing two counts of murder, and now awaits extradition to Franklin County, Ohio, with a hearing scheduled for January 12.
The relationship history between McKee and Monique Tepe adds a complex layer to this case. The pair were married from 2015 until Monique filed for divorce in 2017. According to reports from the Columbus Dispatch, the divorce proceedings appeared to be amicable, with McKee living in Virginia when the dissolution was finalized. No children resulted from their marriage, though Monique later built a new family with Spencer, including their two young children who were found unharmed in the home after the murders. Police have not yet publicly disclosed a motive for the killings, leaving the community to question what could have triggered such violence years after an apparently peaceful separation.
McKee’s professional background stands in stark contrast to the violent crimes of which he is accused. As a vascular surgeon with active medical licenses in both Illinois and California, he represents a highly educated and respected member of the medical community. He graduated from medical school at Ohio State University, establishing ties to the Columbus area beyond his former marriage. Reports indicate he also has family connections in Zanesville, Ohio, located east of Columbus, suggesting deeper roots in the state despite his current residence in Chicago. His position at a medical facility in Rockford, Illinois, is where authorities eventually located his vehicle as part of their investigation.
The murder of the Tepes has sent shockwaves through multiple communities, affecting Spencer’s dental practice patients, colleagues at both Spencer and McKee’s medical facilities, and the couple’s extended family and friends. Family members have expressed their grief to local media, highlighting how the couple was about to celebrate a milestone anniversary when their lives were tragically cut short. The presence of the children in the home during or after the murders adds another devastating dimension to the case, raising questions about what they might have witnessed and the long-term psychological impact this trauma will have on them as they grow up without their parents.
As the legal process moves forward, many questions remain unanswered. Authorities continue to investigate potential motives and collect additional evidence that will be presented at trial. The extradition process will bring McKee back to Ohio to face justice in the same community where the victims lived and worked. Meanwhile, family members are left to care for the orphaned children and navigate the painful aftermath of this tragedy. This case serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly lives can be shattered by violence, and how relationships that once seemed amicable can potentially harbor hidden tensions with devastating consequences.
