Ohio Double Murder: Motive Still Unclear

A high-stakes legal battle is set to begin in Ohio as surgeon Michael McKee, 39, has pleaded not guilty to the aggravated murder of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her dentist husband, Spencer Tepe, in their Columbus home. The victims were shot in the early morning hours of December 30, 2025, while their two young children slept. McKee, who was arrested in Illinois, is now represented by defense attorney Diane Menashe, whose notable track record includes an acquittal in a previous Ohio medical murder case, signaling a potentially aggressive challenge to the prosecution’s evidence.

Story Highlights

Michael McKee, 39, faces four counts of premeditated aggravated murder for the December 30, 2025 shooting deaths of his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer Tepe in their Columbus home.
Police linked McKee’s vehicle to the crime scene and seized weapons from his Illinois property with preliminary connections to the murders.
The couple’s two young children, including a one-year-old in a crib, were unharmed during the early-morning attack.
McKee’s defense attorney previously secured an acquittal for an Ohio doctor charged with 14 murder counts, raising questions about the prosecution’s evidence strength.

Deadly Early Morning Attack Leaves Two Professionals Dead

Michael McKee allegedly entered the Columbus home of Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on December 30, 2025, shooting both victims to death while their children slept nearby. Friends discovered the bodies later that day during a wellness check, prompting a 911 call that launched a multi-state manhunt. The Weinland Park neighborhood crime scene revealed a calculated attack against two professionals—a dentist and his wife—who had built a life together after Monique’s brief marriage to McKee ended nearly eight years earlier.

Michael McKee, the surgeon accused of killing his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer Tepe, appeared virtually in court. His attorney pleaded not guilty, and his bond was waived. The murders occurred inside their Ohio home. pic.twitter.com/h7oqqNvcuH

— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) January 23, 2026

Vehicle Tracking and Weapon Evidence Lead to Illinois Arrest

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed investigators traced a vehicle arriving near the victims’ home before the murders and departing afterward directly to McKee in Rockford, Illinois. Officers arrested the surgeon on January 10, 2026, and seized weapons from his property that showed preliminary links to the killings. The evidence suggests premeditation, reflected in prosecutors’ decision to file four counts of aggravated murder with firearm specifications rather than standard murder charges. McKee was extradited to Ohio on January 22 and booked into the James A. Karnes Corrections Center, where he remains held pending trial.

Failed Marriage From Eight Years Ago Raises Questions About Motive

McKee and Monique married on August 22, 2015, but the union collapsed after just seven months when she filed for divorce, citing incompatibility during his surgical residency at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic. No violence was documented during their brief relationship, leaving prosecutors without a publicly stated motive for the alleged murders. Monique moved on, remarrying Spencer Tepe and building a family with two children. The couple was approaching their fifth wedding anniversary when they were killed. Family members, including Spencer’s brother-in-law Rob Misleh, confirmed the children were safe and unaware of the tragedy that unfolded around them.

High-Profile Defense Attorney Challenges Murder Case

Diane Menashe, a 27-year veteran defense attorney operating a solo firm, entered a not guilty plea on McKee’s behalf during a January 23, 2026 remote arraignment before Franklin County Common Pleas Court Magistrate Mark Petrucci. Menashe’s track record includes successfully defending Dr. William Husel, who was acquitted in 2020 of 14 murder counts related to excessive painkiller administration at Mount Carron Health System. Her involvement signals an aggressive defense strategy likely to challenge the vehicle tracking evidence and preliminary weapon links. Prosecutors face the burden of proving premeditation beyond reasonable doubt, a standard that becomes more difficult when defense counsel has demonstrated ability to dismantle seemingly strong medical-related murder cases in Ohio courts.

Community and Professional Circles Grapple With Dual Tragedy

The murders sent shockwaves through Columbus’ Weinland Park neighborhood and the medical community spanning Ohio and Illinois. Two children now face life without their parents, raising immediate custody and long-term trauma concerns for extended family members. The case also renews uncomfortable questions about professional oversight of surgeons across state lines, particularly when personal histories involve failed relationships. If convicted, McKee faces life in prison on charges that include aggravated burglary alongside the murder counts. The trial timeline remains unclear, but the case’s trajectory will test whether prosecutors’ physical evidence—vehicle movements and weapon forensics—can withstand scrutiny from a defense team experienced in creating reasonable doubt in high-stakes Ohio murder prosecutions.

Watch the report: Tepe case: Michael McKee arraignment scheduled