Additional Coverage:
- Ohio dentist double murder: Fmr police chief reveals ‘multitude’ of reasons ex-husband allegedly killed couple (foxnews.com)
Former Police Chief Weighs In on Ohio Dentist Murders, Suggests Recent Trigger for Ex-Husband
Columbus, OH – A former police chief believes a recent event likely triggered the alleged double murder of an Ohio dentist and his wife by the wife’s ex-husband. Michael David McKee, 39, has been arrested in connection with the Dec. 30 deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, who were found with gunshot wounds in their Columbus home. McKee is Monique’s ex-husband, according to court records.
Monique Tepe filed for divorce from McKee in 2017, just two years after their August 2015 marriage. Since 2020, McKee has resided in several states, including Virginia, Nevada, and Illinois. He recently relocated to Chicago and was working as a vascular surgeon in the Rockford, Illinois, area.
McKee appeared in a Rockford courtroom on Monday afternoon, where he waived extradition rights. His attorney indicated that McKee intends to plead not guilty upon his return to Ohio, where he faces two counts of premeditated aggravated murder. He was booked into the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois on Saturday.
During his court appearance, McKee reportedly showed no emotion, confirming his identity to the judge with a simple “Yes.”
Authorities identified McKee by linking him to a vehicle seen in the Tepes’ neighborhood shortly before the murders and departing soon after. This vehicle was later located in Rockford, Illinois, with evidence connecting it to McKee. While McKee was employed at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, he maintained an apartment in downtown Chicago.
Jeffrey Halstead, former Fort Worth Police Chief and spokesman for Genasys, told Fox News Digital that a “multitude of reasons” could explain why McKee allegedly killed Monique nearly nine years after their divorce. Halstead, who has previously worked with Columbus police, emphasized the importance of investigators examining McKee’s online activity and any recent changes in his demeanor.
“I think what’s going to be critical for the investigators is a lot of the online search capacity, a lot, are there any recent chats? Were there any changes in the suspect’s demeanor in the last few months, last few years that could start delineating some type of frustration, revenge, outrage, jealousy, depression, anything, but usually the long-standing separation from the relationship, something had to trigger,” Halstead stated.
Halstead noted that while financial strain or jealousy often play a role in similar cases, the alleged murders of Spencer and Monique appear to extend beyond these typical motives. He reiterated his belief that a recent event must have provoked McKee.
“I think it’s going to be a recent event that triggered the anger which started this planning. It’s not random by any means. There was something that happened, whether it’s an episode or an argument or something that motivated this person to plan this and then carry it out,” Halstead concluded.
The couple was reportedly just one month shy of their five-year wedding anniversary, according to Spencer’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh.