COLUMBUS, OH – Friends and family are mourning Monique Tepe, a mother of two whose life was cut short in a brutal act of violence that has shaken her Columbus neighborhood. Tepe, 39, was found dead in her home alongside her husband Spencer Tepe, 37, on the morning of December 30, 2025. Authorities allege her ex-husband, Michael McKee, is responsible for the double homicide.
Monique’s loved ones remember her as a vibrant and resilient woman who rebuilt her life after enduring years of harassment and abuse. She was parenting two young children with her husband, Spencer, when their lives were ended in an attack that left the children physically unharmed, but forever traumatized.
Detectives responded to the Tepe residence after Spencer, a local dentist, missed a scheduled day of work without notice—a departure from his usual reliability. When officers arrived before 10 a.m., they discovered both adults inside the home, each fatally shot. The children, ages not released, were present but unhurt.
The investigation quickly focused on Monique’s ex-husband, McKee, 39, who, according to police documents, had a troubling history of violence and threats against Monique since their divorce in 2017. Friends told investigators that McKee repeatedly threatened her safety, once chillingly declaring he “could kill her at any time.” The couple’s brief seven-month marriage was marked by what Monique described to friends as forced sex, strangulation, and continuous intimidation.
Surveillance footage from the neighborhood provided a crucial break in the case. Detectives identified a uniquely marked silver SUV connected to McKee circling the area around the time of the killings. The vehicle’s license plates were reported stolen from both Ohio and Arizona, adding to the suspicious circumstances. Investigators traced the SUV to various addresses linked to McKee.
Further evidence places McKee near the crime scene on multiple occasions. On December 6, the silver SUV was spotted again in the vicinity of the Tepe home, despite McKee reportedly being off the work roster at a Chicago hospital where he practiced as a vascular surgeon. Around the same time, friends recalled Monique appearing distressed during a trip to Indiana, attributing her mood to ongoing tensions with her ex-husband.
Digital tracking played a role in the investigation as well. Authorities determined that McKee’s cell phone showed no activity for 17 hours encompassing the timeframe during which police believe the murders were committed, suggesting efforts to create an alibi.
On January 9, law enforcement seized McKee’s SUV in Chicago, noting recent alterations that appeared to cover identifying features visible in the surveillance footage. McKee was taken into custody the next day and soon extradited to Ohio’s Franklin County, where he remains jailed without bond.
He faces four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary. At a recent court hearing, McKee’s attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
As the legal process moves forward, the memory of Monique Tepe endures among her community—both for her courage in the face of intimidation and the tragedy that befell her family. Authorities continue to work with family members and support professionals to ensure the well-being of her surviving children in the aftermath of the crime.