In a dramatic courtroom development that has gripped the nation, Michael David McKee, the ex-husband of slain Monique Tepe, has vehemently rejected every accusation linking him to the brutal shooting deaths of his former wife and her current husband, Spencer Tepe. The couple was found dead in their Columbus, Ohio home on December 30, 2025, in what authorities quickly labeled a targeted domestic violence attack. Two young children—one aged four and the other just one—were left unharmed but traumatized, crying beside their parents’ bodies alongside the family pet.

McKee, a 39-year-old vascular surgeon formerly based in Chicago and Illinois, faces charges of aggravated murder with premeditation and aggravated burglary involving a firearm suppressor. He was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, shortly after the killings, following a swift investigation that traced his vehicle to the vicinity of the crime scene and identified a gun recovered from his residence as matching ballistic evidence from the scene. Police footage captured a figure walking through a nearby alley in the dark hours before the murders, adding to the mounting case against him.

During recent court proceedings, McKee’s defense team issued a firm denial on his behalf, insisting he had no involvement in the deaths. Sources close to the case indicate his attorney plans to enter a not guilty plea, arguing that while past marital tensions existed, they do not equate to motive or proof of murder. The couple’s brief marriage from 2015 to 2017 ended in a peaceful divorce on grounds of incompatibility, with no children together and no public record of violence at the time.

Yet, the courtroom atmosphere turned icy when prosecutors presented chilling evidence dating back three years—details that reportedly left everyone in attendance momentarily speechless. Family members of Monique Tepe have long alleged that McKee exhibited emotionally abusive behavior during their marriage, including repeated threats to her life that left her terrified. These claims, resurfaced through witness statements and old records, painted a picture of deep-seated resentment that allegedly lingered long after the divorce. Monique reportedly confided in loved ones about the trauma, which continued to affect her even in her happy remarriage to Spencer in 2020.

Investigators linked McKee directly through vehicle movements near the Weinland Park home right before and after the shootings, surveillance video of a suspicious individual, and the firearm connection. Columbus police emphasized the attack as premeditated and targeted, with no signs of forced entry or robbery—pointing to intimate knowledge of the victims’ lives.

The case has drawn widespread attention due to its tragic elements: a loving family destroyed just days after celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, two orphaned children, and the shadow of alleged long-term abuse. As the trial unfolds, McKee remains in custody, with extradition waived and proceedings moving forward in Franklin County. The resurfaced evidence from years prior has intensified scrutiny on whether past patterns foreshadowed this horrific outcome.

Family and friends remember Monique as a warm, patient mother and Spencer as a dedicated dentist and community member. The shocking courtroom silence underscores how old wounds and new horrors can collide in devastating ways, leaving a community searching for justice amid profound grief.