In a gut-wrenching twist that has left the nation reeling, authorities in Columbus, Ohio, have uncovered a hidden listening device—allegedly planted by the suspect under a seat or within the home—that recorded the final, heart-shattering moments of Spencer Tepe’s life. The 37-year-old dentist, a devoted husband and father, faced his killer in the dead of night on December 30, 2025, and uttered words that will haunt anyone who hears them: he begged the intruder to end his own life instead, pleading desperately to spare his wife Monique and their two young children sleeping just down the hall. Tragically, no miracle intervened. Both Spencer and Monique, 39, were shot multiple times in their Weinland Park home, leaving their little ones—ages 1 and 4—unharmed but forever orphaned in the most unimaginable way.

The discovery of this secret recorder adds a layer of profound sorrow to an already devastating case. What was intended perhaps as a tool for surveillance or control became an unintended witness to Spencer’s ultimate act of love—a selfless sacrifice that went unanswered. The audio captures the raw terror and unconditional devotion of a man fighting not for himself, but for the family he cherished. In those final seconds, his voice cracked with urgency: “Kill me… please, take my life… spare my wife and our kids.” The silence that followed speaks volumes—no compassion, no hesitation from the attacker who had come prepared to destroy everything.

Investigators quickly zeroed in on Michael David McKee, Monique’s 39-year-old ex-husband, a vascular surgeon from the Chicago area. The couple’s brief marriage years earlier had reportedly been marred by turmoil, with family members describing patterns of emotional control that Monique escaped when she divorced him and later found happiness with Spencer. McKee was arrested in Illinois just days after the killings, facing upgraded charges of premeditated aggravated murder. Surveillance footage from a nearby alley captured a hooded figure—believed to be him—arriving around the time of the attack and leaving shortly after. Multiple firearms, including one preliminarily linked to the crime scene, were recovered from his property, painting a picture of a targeted act rooted in lingering obsession and domestic violence.

The Tepe family home, once filled with laughter from two small children and the warmth of a blended family rebuilding their lives, now stands as a silent monument to unimaginable loss. Spencer, known for his empathy and joy in fatherhood, and Monique, a loving mother who had finally found peace, were stolen in an instant. Their children, miraculously spared physical harm, now face a future without the parents who would have done anything to protect them—as Spencer’s recorded plea so painfully proves.

As the case moves forward, with McKee waiving extradition and indicating plans to plead not guilty, the community grapples with the “why.” How could jealousy twist into such cold brutality? The hidden device’s audio serves as a haunting reminder: love can be fierce even in the face of death, yet sometimes evil prevails without mercy. The nation mourns, holding tight to loved ones, forever changed by this tragedy.