Chicago physician accused of killing ex-wife and her husband after police trace a vehicle seen near the Columbus crime scene.
COLUMBUS, OH — A Chicago doctor accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife and her husband in their Columbus home is due in court in Illinois after detectives said neighborhood surveillance helped identify his vehicle and track him across state lines. Michael David McKee, 39, was arrested Saturday in the Rockford area and faces aggravated murder charges in Ohio.
Police say Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband, dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe, 37, were found shot to death on Dec. 30 in the city’s Weinland Park neighborhood. The killings prompted a multiagency search that intensified when investigators released images of a person seen near the house around the time of the shootings. According to court filings, tips and footage led detectives to a vehicle that arrived shortly before the killings and left minutes after, setting off a trail that ended in northern Illinois. McKee, Monique Tepe’s former spouse, was taken into custody on Jan. 10 and is being held pending extradition to Ohio.
Investigators were called to the couple’s home after one of them failed to appear for work the morning of Dec. 30. Officers discovered the bodies on the second floor and found two young children unharmed inside, along with a family dog. Police Chief Elaine Bryant called the case “disturbing,” saying the department’s homicide unit worked through the holiday week to interview neighbors, gather video and analyze records. Authorities said there were no signs of forced entry or theft and emphasized that the attack appeared targeted. In the days that followed, Columbus police released a short video clip showing a figure walking in an alleyway between about 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., the window when detectives believe the shootings occurred.
From that video, detectives canvassed the neighborhood for additional footage and captured images of a vehicle entering the area shortly before the suspected time of the killings and leaving soon after. Investigators documented unique characteristics of the vehicle and traced it through city and private cameras to routes leading out of Columbus. A law enforcement task force then worked with agencies in the Chicago region to locate the vehicle in Rockford, roughly 80 miles northwest of Chicago. The registration and other records, detailed in court documents, pointed to McKee, a vascular surgeon who lives in Chicago. He was arrested without incident. Officials say the motive remains unknown; autopsies confirmed both victims died of gunshot wounds.
Relatives described the couple as devoted parents and engaged community members. In a statement through a family representative, they thanked Columbus detectives and assisting departments for the arrest, saying it was an “important step” toward accountability. Colleagues at the dental practice where Spencer Tepe worked said he was expected in the office on Dec. 30, and concern grew when he did not arrive for morning appointments. Neighbors in Weinland Park told reporters the block is a close-knit mix of students and families; several said officers collected doorbell and business camera footage up and down the alley behind the Tepes’ home. Police have not said whether a weapon has been recovered or whether anyone else is suspected.
Public records show McKee and Monique Tepe married in 2015 and divorced in 2017. She later married Spencer Tepe in 2020 after both completed degrees at Ohio State University, according to friends and colleagues who spoke outside the practice. Authorities say the couple’s two children were in the house the night of the shootings and are now with family. Detectives have not announced any prior calls for service at the address or any recent restraining orders. Officials emphasized that, beyond the immediate family, there is no known threat to the neighborhood. The house sits a few blocks from North High Street and is surrounded by a web of cameras that police say proved crucial in the investigation.
Prosecutors in Franklin County charged McKee with premeditated aggravated murder. He is being held in Winnebago County, Ill., where an extradition hearing is expected early this week. If a judge signs the papers and McKee waives further challenge, deputies could transport him to Columbus within days to face arraignment in Franklin County Municipal Court. Investigators said they are continuing to process digital evidence, canvass for additional video from the Dec. 30 timeline, and wait for final autopsy and ballistics reports. Police said any potential additional charges would be presented to a grand jury after the case returns to Ohio courts.
On the block where the couple lived, neighbors placed small bouquets on the front steps Sunday and tied white ribbons to a nearby fence. “They were kind. They waved to everyone,” said Tessa Morgan, who lives two doors down and recalled officers visiting homes to request video. A coworker of Spencer Tepe described the office mood as “quiet and stunned,” saying patients had been reaching out with condolences. Outside Columbus police headquarters, a spokesman said detectives logged dozens of tips once the clip of a person in the alley circulated last week, adding, “Public cooperation moved this case forward.”
As of Monday, McKee remained in Illinois custody while Ohio authorities prepared travel paperwork and prosecutors consulted with the victims’ relatives. A court appearance in Rockford is expected later today, Jan. 12, with the timing of any Ohio arraignment dependent on the extradition process. Police said they will provide updates after the hearing and once additional forensic testing results are in.
Author note: Last updated January 12, 2026.