A respected surgeon is accused of using cold, calculated stalking—and a silencer—to wipe out an Ohio family and leave two children alive inside the home.
Story Snapshot
- Illinois vascular surgeon Michael McKee, 39, is charged with aggravated murder in the Dec. 30, 2025 killings of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband, dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe, in Columbus, Ohio.
- Investigators describe a targeted domestic-violence attack with no signs of forced entry or robbery, and reports say a silencer was used.
- A probable-cause affidavit unsealed in late January details prior stalking, including video that allegedly places McKee on the property weeks before the murders.
- Authorities say McKee’s vehicle and other evidence were tracked from Ohio back to Illinois; a gun linked to the homicides was reportedly found in his Chicago condo.
A “Targeted Attack” Leaves Two Children Unharmed—but Orphaned
Columbus police say Monique Tepe and her husband, Dr. Spencer Tepe, were found shot to death inside their Weinland Park home on Dec. 30, 2025, after officers conducted a well-being check. The couple’s two young children were inside the residence and were not physically harmed. Police leadership has described the killings as a targeted incident tied to domestic violence rather than a random crime, underscoring how personal obsession can turn lethal.
Michael McKee, an Illinois vascular surgeon, was arrested Jan. 10, 2026, at a Chick-fil-A in Rockford, Illinois. A Franklin County grand jury later indicted him on four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary. McKee was extradited to Ohio after spending about 10 days in an Illinois jail, and he entered a not guilty plea through his attorney during his first court appearance in Ohio. Authorities say he is being held without bond.
Unsealed Affidavit Points to Stalking, Planning, and a “Phone Left Behind”
A probable-cause affidavit unsealed Jan. 27, 2026 added new detail to the state’s theory of premeditation. The filing describes surveillance and other evidence suggesting McKee stalked the Tepes’ home weeks before the killings. Reports say video captured him entering the property on Dec. 6, 2025 while the couple was away at the Big Ten Championship game in Indiana. The affidavit also describes a long period of phone inactivity around the time of the murders, consistent with the phone being left elsewhere.
That timeline matters because it supports a prosecution narrative of advance planning rather than a spontaneous confrontation. Police have said there were no signs of forced entry and no apparent robbery, indicators that investigators often treat as consistent with a known attacker. Reports also state a silencer was used during the killings, a detail that—if proven in court—would align with a deliberate attempt to reduce noise, delay detection, and increase the odds of escape.
How Investigators Say They Tracked the Suspect Across State Lines
Charging documents and reporting describe a chain of evidence that prosecutors will likely lean on heavily at trial. Investigators say security footage placed McKee near the home around the time of the killings and that vehicle tracking connected travel from the Columbus area back toward Illinois. Authorities also reportedly recovered a gun linked to the homicides from McKee’s Chicago condo. Those facts, if admitted and validated in court, would give jurors physical and circumstantial anchors beyond motive claims.
Police officials have also kept parts of the investigation close, saying they are focused on securing a conviction. From a public-safety perspective, that restraint can be legitimate in an active case. From a public-trust perspective, the challenge is that communities want transparency when a high-status professional is accused of an execution-style double murder. Court filings and evidentiary hearings will determine which claims stand up under cross-examination and forensic scrutiny.
Domestic Violence Reality Check: Warning Signs, Institutions, and Accountability
The affidavit and reporting include allegations that Monique previously described abusive behavior during and after the marriage, including claims of strangulation, non-consensual sex, and threats that he could kill her. Friends and family reportedly suspected McKee early because of those prior statements and the history of conflict. Those allegations remain unproven in a criminal court, but they highlight a recurring problem: credible warning signs can exist long before violence escalates, and systems often struggle to intervene decisively.
Conservatives tend to emphasize personal responsibility and the basic duty to protect families and children from predators—especially when threats are documented and patterns repeat. This case also raises uncomfortable questions about how well elite institutions vet and monitor professionals whose public success can mask private volatility. The legal process will test the evidence, and the public should insist on due process while still demanding that prosecutors and courts treat domestic-violence-driven homicide with maximum seriousness.
Tepe Murders: Accused Killer Surgeon Planned Crime in Advance, Stalked Home Weeks Before Double Slayings https://t.co/D5wXR1Ts9s via @crimeonlinenews
— Crime Online (@crimeonlinenews) January 27, 2026
For now, the key facts are these: two parents are dead, two children survived, and an accused suspect with medical credentials sits in jail awaiting the next phase of the case. The upcoming hearings will determine what evidence jurors will see, how investigators explain the alleged stalking and travel timeline, and whether prosecutors can prove premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt. Until then, families across the country are left with the same sobering lesson—when a threat is specific and personal, it must be taken seriously.
Sources:
Surgeon Michael McKee faces murder charges in ex-wife’s, husband’s death; set to be arraigned Friday
Surgeon Michael McKee faces murder charges in ex-wife’s, husband’s death; set to be arraigned Friday
