Five years before they were found dead, Monique and Spencer Tepe exchanged heartfelt vows at a small, private ceremony on Jan. 31, 2021 — about a month after their official marriage on Dec. 13, 2020. The celebration took place at a house Spencer had recently purchased a few blocks from their alma mater, Ohio State University.
Vows and Family Moments
During the ceremony Monique grew emotional as she recounted a difficult dating history that preceded meeting Spencer. She told him that from the start she knew he was special and reflected on the "countless bad Bumble dates, wrong relationships, and waterfalls of tears" that led her to him. She affectionately called Spencer her "lobster," praised his "beautiful heart," and closed her vows:
"I will love you forever, and I'm so lucky to be Mrs. Tepe."
Spencer returned the sentiment, calling Monique "Mo-Mo," describing her as his best friend and promising to support, believe in and encourage her. He pledged to provide for her, to keep working on their relationship, and to do his best to keep making her laugh:
"I vow to never stop loving you... I love you."
Video obtained by PEOPLE shows a warm evening of dancing and toasts, including an emotional speech by Monique's sister, Amanda, who described how Spencer made her sister truly happy and welcomed him into the family.
Winnebago County Sheriff's OfficeMichael David McKee
Investigation, Arrest and Charges
More than three years after Monique's divorce from her first husband, Michael McKee, police say Monique and Spencer were killed in that same house on the early morning hours of Dec. 30. Federal agents arrested McKee on Jan. 10 in Illinois; he was booked in the Winnebago County Jail and later extradited to Ohio.
Local prosecutors say McKee is expected to be arraigned on two counts of aggravated murder with premeditation. An arrest warrant filed in Franklin County Court states investigators identified a suspect through neighborhood video surveillance and traced that person to a vehicle that arrived shortly before the homicides and departed soon after. Police say they have evidence placing McKee in possession of the vehicle around the time of the killings.
Authorities arrested McKee roughly 450 miles from Columbus while he was driving to the medical office where he works in Rockford. He has not spoken publicly about the case; according to PEOPLE, McKee declined to speak with detectives after his arrest and invoked his Fifth Amendment right. At a Jan. 12 court appearance in Winnebago County, his public defender said McKee waived an extradition hearing and planned to plead not guilty to the Ohio charges.
Note: The investigation is ongoing and the described allegations are the subject of criminal charges. McKee is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
