A friend of Monique Tepe told PEOPLE that her ex‑husband, Dr. Michael McKee, monitored her life after their 2017 divorce and could not accept her happiness with new husband Spencer Tepe. Monique and Spencer, who married in 2020 and had two young children, were fatally shot in their Columbus home on Dec. 30, 2025. McKee was arrested Jan. 10, 2026, and indicted Jan. 16 on four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery; he is awaiting extradition from an Illinois jail. The friend described McKee as controlling and manipulative but said there was no direct evidence of stalking reported to them.
Friend Says 'Controlling' Doctor Couldn't Accept Ex‑Wife's New Marriage — McKee Indicted After Columbus Couple's Fatal Shooting
Schoedinger Funeral & Cremation Service; Winnabago County Sheriff's OfficeMonique and Spencer Tepe, Michael McKee
A friend of Monique Tepe told PEOPLE that her ex‑husband, Dr. Michael McKee, closely monitored her life after their 2017 divorce and could not accept that she had moved on. The friend described McKee as controlling and said Monique’s happiness with her new husband, dentist Spencer Tepe, "destroyed his fragile little ego."
Monique and McKee married in August 2015, but the relationship began to deteriorate after the couple relocated to Virginia for McKee’s medical residency. The friend said Monique — a self‑described "family girl" who relied on nearby relatives and friends — was unhappy being nearly five hours away from her support network. The couple divorced in 2017, less than two years after their wedding.
Courtesy of Rob MislehMonique Tepe and Spencer Tepe.
After the split, Monique later met Spencer Tepe through a dating app and married him in 2020. Friends and family described the couple and their two young children as joyful and close. The friend told PEOPLE, "Everything you see is completely true because that's who they were. That's how much love and pride and joy they had for one another."
Fatal Shooting and Arrest
On Dec. 30, 2025, Monique and Spencer were found fatally shot inside their Columbus, Ohio, home, just a few blocks from their alma mater. Their two children, ages 4 and 1, were asleep in separate bedrooms at the time. Authorities arrested McKee on Jan. 10, 2026, and a Franklin County grand jury indicted him on Jan. 16, 2026, on four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.
WBNS 10TV/YouTubeMichael McKee
McKee is currently being held at the Winnebago County Jail in Illinois awaiting extradition to Ohio. Police told PEOPLE that he invoked his Fifth Amendment right and declined to speak with investigators after his arrest.
Allegations of Control and Monitoring
The friend recounted that McKee repeatedly asked mutual acquaintances for updates on Monique’s life after their divorce. While rumors circulated about possible stalking, the friend said, "we've been talking about it, but none of us ever actually saw any evidence of this," and added that Monique never reported being followed or threatened.
“He thought she could not live without him. That she needed him. So for her to thrive [in her new marriage], that just destroyed his fragile little ego,” the friend said.
The friend also alleged that McKee could be manipulative and adept at exerting control without making it obvious. They said Monique’s isolation during the residency — living alone nearly five hours from family and friends — contributed to the marriage’s breakdown.
Friends and family continue to remember Monique and Spencer as a proud, loving couple. The investigation and pending extradition are ongoing as Ohio authorities prepare to pursue charges against McKee.
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