Ex-husband charged in murders of Ohio couple

Police sirens (Unsplash)

PHOENIX- The ex-husband of an Ohio woman was charged with the murders of her and her husband, according to court and county records.

Michael McKee, 39, was booked Saturday and is currently being held in Illinois, according to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. He is alleged to have shot and killed the couple, Dr. Spencer Tepe, a 37-year-old dentist, and Monique Tepe, 39, in their Columbus home. There were no county court records in Ohio reflecting whether McKee has an attorney yet.

Dispatchers first received calls of concern, including from Spencer Tepe’s boss, when he didn’t show up for work, which the boss said was “out of character.” Columbus police discovered the Tepes on the second floor of their home on Dec. 30 with gunshot wounds when officers conducted a wellness check. Their two young children were in the home and unharmed, police said.

Police had released security footage earlier this week of a person of interest in a dark hoodie and light colored pants who was walking in an alley near the couple’s home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. -- the window of time in which investigators believed they were attacked.

Official reports from the Franklin County Coroner’s Office won’t be completed for several weeks, but a spokesperson said in a Tuesday email that the couple died in an “apparent homicide by gunshot wounds.”

McKee and Monique Tepe married in 2015 and filed for divorce two years later, according to records from the Franklin County Clerk of Courts. McKee’s address is listed in Chicago.

Monique and Spencer Tepe married in 2020, according to the couple’s obituary.

Family members described the Tepes as extraordinary people and proud parents with joy-filled lives. Monique Tepe was a caring and bubbly stay-at-home mother, and Spencer Tepe was passionate about dentistry and taking care of his family. The couple hosted many gatherings of family and friends.

McKee’s next court date is set for Monday.

Sejal Govindarao, The Associated Press