The chilling phrase “HE COULDN’T STOP LOOKING AT HER” has taken on a sinister meaning in the wake of a brutal double homicide that shocked Columbus, Ohio, and drew national attention. It stems from a joyful wedding anniversary video posted by Monique and Spencer Tepe, a seemingly happy couple celebrating their milestone. Investigators and those close to the case believe this innocent public display of love may have triggered a long-simmering obsession in Monique’s ex-husband, Michael David McKee, spiraling into what authorities allege was a calculated act of violence that ended two lives on December 30, 2025.

Spencer Tepe, 37, was a respected dentist who commuted daily to his practice in Athens, Ohio, while maintaining a warm family life in Columbus’ Weinland Park neighborhood. Monique Tepe, 39, was described by friends and family as radiant, kind, and deeply devoted to her two young children—a four-year-old and a one-year-old—who were found unharmed in the home after the tragedy. The couple had built a stable, loving household, surrounded by community ties, pets, and the simple joys of parenthood. They had just marked their fifth wedding anniversary weeks earlier, sharing heartfelt moments online that captured their affection and contentment.

The anniversary video, widely circulated after the murders, featured Monique speaking warmly about her husband. She described how Spencer “couldn’t stop looking at her,” his gaze filled with admiration and love during their special day. The clip showed laughter, tender glances, and the kind of genuine connection that many envied. Posted publicly, perhaps on social media or YouTube, it celebrated not just their marriage but the life they had created together after Monique’s previous chapter ended.

That previous chapter involved Michael David McKee, a 39-year-old vascular surgeon. Monique and McKee had married in August 2015 in what appeared to be a promising union. However, the relationship unraveled quickly, lasting less than two years. They divorced in May 2017 with no children from the marriage. Details of the split remained largely private, but reports suggest tensions that never fully faded for McKee. Over the nearly decade since, he had moved on professionally—relocating multiple times, including to Chicago where he lived in a penthouse condo and worked at hospitals, including one in the Rockford area. Yet beneath the surface of his career success, something unresolved lingered.

In the months leading up to the killings, a peculiar court clerical error briefly reopened the long-closed divorce case between Monique and McKee. A hearing was mistakenly scheduled in June 2025, only to be canceled and attributed to an administrative mistake. Family members and observers later speculated whether this glitch—perhaps notifying McKee or drawing his attention back to old records—stirred dormant emotions. Combined with the timing of the anniversary video surfacing or being viewed by him, it may have reignited deep-seated resentment, jealousy, or obsession.

The night of December 29 into December 30 unfolded quietly in the Tepe home on North Fourth Street. Between approximately 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., intruders entered without signs of forced entry—suggesting either familiarity or careful planning. Spencer and Monique were shot multiple times in what appeared to be a targeted, personal attack. No struggle was evident in initial reports, and the murder weapon—a firearm reportedly equipped with a suppressor or muffler—was not left at the scene. The couple’s two young children remained physically safe and unharmed inside the house, along with the family dogs, a detail that underscored the precision and intent behind the violence. Neighbors, alerted perhaps by unusual sounds or routine welfare concerns, eventually prompted a response that led to the grim discovery.

Police launched an intensive investigation, reviewing surveillance footage from the neighborhood that captured a suspicious vehicle and person of interest in the area around the time of the murders. The footage showed eerie glimpses of activity near the home, heightening the sense of a calculated approach. Detectives traced leads swiftly, focusing on connections to Monique’s past. By early January 2026, suspicion centered on McKee. Authorities tracked his movements, linking him to the crime through vehicle surveillance, potential forensic evidence, and other investigative threads.

McKee was arrested on January 10, 2026, near a hospital in Rockford, Illinois, where he had worked. He waived extradition during an initial court appearance and was set to face charges in Franklin County, Ohio. Prosecutors moved quickly: on January 16, a grand jury indicted him on four counts of aggravated murder (with firearm specifications, including use of a suppressor on some counts) and one count of aggravated burglary. The charges carry severe penalties, including life imprisonment with parole eligibility only after decades if convicted. Police recovered what they believe to be the murder weapon during a search of McKee’s Chicago residence, further tying him to the scene.

While authorities have not publicly detailed a full motive—likely reserving it for trial—those analyzing the case point to a pattern of unresolved obsession. Forensic experts and criminologists interviewed in media discussions described it as a possible “emotional execution,” rooted in long-held resentment toward Monique’s new life and happiness. The anniversary video, with its emphasis on Spencer’s adoring gaze and the couple’s bliss, may have symbolized everything McKee felt he had lost or been denied. Comments from friends and analysts highlighted how such public displays of marital joy can inflame individuals unable to move on, turning fixation into fatal action.

The Tepe family released poignant statements expressing devastation while remembering Spencer and Monique as loving parents and community pillars. Friends described them as a “phenomenal couple” whose lives were cut short just as they approached another milestone. The children, now in the care of relatives, represent the heartbreaking human cost beyond the statistics.

The case has sparked broader conversations about domestic violence legacies, the dangers of unresolved post-relationship fixation, and how digital footprints—like anniversary videos—can unintentionally become catalysts in troubled minds. It also raises questions about clerical errors in court systems and their potential to reopen emotional wounds.

As legal proceedings advance, with McKee awaiting trial in Ohio, the community of Columbus continues to grieve. The joyful image of a couple who “couldn’t stop looking at each other” now stands in stark contrast to the violence that ended their story. What began as a celebration of love may have, tragically, become the spark for a spiral into darkness—one that investigators believe culminated in murder.