The probable cause affidavit accuses Michael McKee, 39, of threatening his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and entering the Columbus home she shared with her husband weeks before the couple was fatally shot on Dec. 30. Security footage reportedly shows McKee inside the residence on Dec. 6 while the Tepes were at the Big Ten Championship. McKee pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and burglary after his Jan. 10 arrest and is held without bond; he faces a possible life sentence if convicted. The couple's two young children were found unharmed, and authorities say the gun used was equipped with a silencer.
Surgeon Accused Of Killing Ex-Wife And Her Husband Allegedly Threatened Her, Entered Their Home Weeks Before Slayings
Spencer and Monique Tepe were found dead from gunshot wounds in their home in Columbus, Ohio. (Rob Misleh)(Rob Misleh)
Newly obtained court records allege that an Illinois vascular surgeon accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife and her husband made explicit threats to the woman and entered the couple's Columbus, Ohio, home weeks before the couple was found dead.
Allegations From The Probable Cause Affidavit
A probable cause affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court quotes a witness saying Michael McKee, 39, told the victim, Monique Tepe, that he could "kill her at any time and would find her and buy the house right next to her." The affidavit also attributes another remark to McKee: "She will always be his wife."
Another witness reported that Monique had told them McKee had choked her and "forced unwanted sex." Those claims are part of the affidavit and remain allegations.
Security Footage And Timeline
Court documents say security video captured McKee entering the Tepes' Columbus home on Dec. 6 while the couple was away at the Big Ten Championship game in Indiana. Officials say he left several hours later. The affidavit does not detail what, if anything, occurred inside the house during that visit.
Michael McKee appears in court from jail over closed-circuit TV on Friday. (Adam Cairns / USA Today Network via Imagn)(Adam Cairns)
The victims, Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband, Spencer Tepe, 37, were found dead at the home on Dec. 30. Authorities say the firearm used in the shootings was fitted with a silencer. A friend discovered the couple after checking on them and finding Spencer in a pool of blood, according to a released 911 transcript. The couple's two young children were found in the home unharmed.
Charges, Arraignment And Background
McKee, a vascular surgeon who was employed at an Illinois hospital at the time of his Jan. 10 arrest, has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder and burglary. He is being held without bond and faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted. McKee was married to Monique Tepe for about two years roughly a decade ago; divorce records cited "incompatibility."
McKee's attorney declined to comment. Relatives of the victims have described the killings as devastating; one relative characterized McKee as emotionally abusive. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant has called the deaths a "targeted attack."
Family Statement: "While no outcome can ever undo this loss, our family is committed to seeing this tragedy fully and fairly brought to justice, and to honoring Spencer and Monique by protecting the future of the children they loved so deeply."
All allegations in court records remain unproven. The investigation and court proceedings are ongoing.
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