An Illinois man is facing charges for the December murders of Ohio dentist Spencer Tepe, and his wife, Monique Tepe.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 39-year-old Michael David McKee is currently behind bars, facing two counts of murder, according to Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that he’ll remain behind bars in Winnebago County until extradition to Franklin County, Ohio.
He’s scheduled for a hearing on January 12.
The Tepe Couple Murders
FOX News Digital reports that McKee, of Chicago, is accused of fatally shooting the Tepe couple inside their residence off of North 4th Street on December 30.
A family friend became concerned when Spencer failed to show up to his Athens dental practice, and contacted police for a welfare check.
“We’re very, very concerned because this is very out of character, and we can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing,” the friend said.
The Tepes, according to police, were shot in the upstairs area of their home. Their two children, ages 1 and 4, were found unharmed inside the residence.
Police initially responded to a home several streets away, following the welfare check call. However, they believe that the couple had already been dead for hours before receiving the call.
Authorities issued a warrant for McKee’s arrest on January 10, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Spencer and Monique were a few weeks shy of celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary when the killings occurred.
Records from the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas court named McKee as Monique’s former husband.
Police identified a vehicle in the victim’s neighborhood shortly before the murders, which left shortly after.
Security footage obtained from an alley near the home showed a man, believed to have been McKee, walking away from the home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
However, according to an arrest complaint obtained by USA Today, police believe the murders occurred at 3:52 a.m.
Investigators later found the vehicle in Rockford, Illinois. They also found evidence that McKee had access to the vehicle.
About Michael David McKee
Monique and Tepe married in 2015, but by March 2016, filed for divorce, according to court records. At the time of the divorce, McKee was in Virginia, reportedly in a medical residency program.
Court records indicated that they had obtained a “mutual restraining order,” which prevented access from each other’s access to bank accounts and from harassing each other.
DailyMail reports that Monique owed McKee $1,281.59 back for “miscellaneous debt.” She also reportedly paid the filing fee to obtain a private judge, in order to expedite the proceedings in a private manner.
Their divorce finalized in 2017. According to NBC News, they did not have any children together.
McKee attended medical school in Ohio and at the time of his arrest, had active licenses as a vascular surgeon in Illinois and California.
He was employed as a vascular surgeon at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois, at the time of his arrest.
McKee had also been named as one of numerous physicians facing a personal injury lawsuit in Nevada, where his medical license had elapsed in 2025.
He has no criminal history, aside from traffic tickets, and has no infractions with his medical career.
Family Reacts
“Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon,” Spencer’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, said in a statement following the arrest.
“Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind. We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world.”
Loved ones described the couple as devoted parents who were happy, warm, and lives their days “filled with joy,” according to a family statement.
A neighbor told DailyMail that Spencer Tepe was a “great dude, great guy, very friendly, great part of the neighborhood.”
A funeral visitation for the couple has been set for Sunday in Upper Arlington, Ohio.
Check back for updates.
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[Featured image: Spencer and Monique Tepe/GoFundMe]