Chicago man arrested, charged in killings of ex-wife and her husband: What we know

Police in Ohio are sharing new details about the killings of a Columbus woman and her husband, who were found shot to death inside their home on Dec. 30.

Authorities believe dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were killed by Monique’s ex-husband, Michael David McKee, 39, between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on the second floor of their house days before the new year.

McKee was charged Monday with two counts of premeditated aggravated murder.

The couple’s bodies were discovered after Spencer’s boss called police to ask for a wellness check when he didn’t show up for work.

“He is always on time, this is very out of character,” he told police, according to a 911 call recording shared on Good Morning America.

“He’s been reliable and we can not get in touch with him, his wife, his family, anybody who lives in that house,” Tepe’s boss told police.

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In a separate interaction with a different caller, a person outside the family’s home reported hearing a child yell from inside.

Another male caller — who told police Tepe, his friend, wasn’t answering his phone — contacted police and reported finding a body inside the home. “There’s blood, I can’t look,” he says.

Following the incident, their two young children, both under five, were found alive and unharmed, according to NBC News.

McKee was taken into custody in Illinois on Jan. 10, police confirmed in a Facebook post. He is currently being held in Illinois, according to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.

He has been charged with two counts of premeditated aggravated murder in connection with both deaths, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.

Investigators called the incident “disturbing.”

Police Chief Elaine Bryant told Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX earlier this week that a motive is yet to be established.

“I know it’s frustrating for people. I know they want answers,” Bryant told the outlet. “As soon as we’re able to provide more information, we will absolutely be coming back to talk about that. … But right now it’s premature for us to be able to say what the motive is.”

“We want to bring some justice to the family,” she added.

Days before McKee’s arrest, police released footage of a person of interest walking in the alley near the Tepe residence in the time frame the couple are believed to have been fatally shot.

Police have not confirmed whether McKee is the person in the video.

Last week, Tepe’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, told Good Morning America that he spent Christmas with the couple days before their deaths.

“We did Christmas night together, and then the following day we just did a kind of post-Christmas lounging and watching movies and had dinner. And the next morning they left,” he said.

“Makes no sense as to how somebody could do this. What kind of person can take two parents away from such young children, and just two beautiful people away from this earth?”

McKee and Monique were married in 2015 and filed for divorce two years later, according to records from the Franklin County Clerk of Courts. McKee’s address is listed in Chicago.

The Tepes were married in 2020, according to the couple’s obituary.

Family members in the obituary described the couple as extraordinary people, proud parents and joy-filled. Monique was a caring and bubbly stay-at-home mother, and Spencer was passionate about dentistry and about taking care of his family.

— With files from The Associated Press

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