THE CRIME PLAN: 24 HOURS BEFORE DEATH Just one day before tragedy struck dentist Monique Tepe, her ex-husband – Dr. Michael David McKee – had already adopted a shockingly scheming attitude
Charges against the man charged with murder in the killings of Monique and Spencer Tepe in their Weinland Park home were upgraded to aggravated murder Jan. 12, hours before his first scheduled hearing in Illinois.
Michael David Mckee, 39, of Chicago, is currently being held in the Winnebago County Jail in Illinois. He is now charged with two counts of aggravated murder with premeditation in the Franklin County Municipal Court.
McKee has a hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Central time Jan. 12. The hearing is likely an extradition hearing to begin the process to move McKee to Franklin County.
Aggravated murder is a more serious charge than murder. In Ohio, murder is punishable by 15 years to life in prison. The aggravated murder charge means McKee could now face a maximum sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole. He could also face the death penalty — although Ohio has not carried out an execution since 2018.
Premeditation is one of several aggravating circumstances that can justify an aggravated murder charge. To legally qualify, the killer must commit the murder with “prior calculation and design.”
McKee, Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, is charged in the Dec. 30 deaths of Monique Tepe (39) and Spencer Tepe (37). The couple was found shot dead in their home later that morning by a friend after Spencer, a dentist at an Athens dental practice, failed to show up to work.
McKee and Monique married in 2015, and Monique filed for divorce in May 2017, according to Franklin County Domestic Court records. The divorce decree was issued about a month later. The couple did not have any children together.
In a statement released after McKee’s arrest, the Tepe family thanked Columbus police for their “tireless” work to find the suspect.
“Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon,” the Tepe family said. “We thank the community for the continued support, prayers and compassion shown throughout this tragedy. As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable.”
McKee is a vascular surgeon with licenses in Illinois and California. He went to medical school at Ohio State University.
Monique and Spencer were married for about five years and had two children: a 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. The children were found unharmed in the home with the family’s Goldendoodle and are now with family.
The Lock That Shouldn’t Have Opened
In the chilling aftermath of the December 30, 2025, double homicide that claimed the lives of Columbus dentist Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband Spencer Tepe, 37, one unexpected detail has left investigators—and the public—stunned: the alleged killer’s decision to take a lock-picking course the day before the murders.
Michael David McKee, 39, Monique’s ex-husband and a licensed vascular surgeon living in Chicago at the time, was arrested on January 10, 2026, in Rockford, Illinois. He faces upgraded charges of premeditated aggravated murder in Ohio, with the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. McKee waived extradition and is awaiting transfer to face trial.
The case began when the couple was found shot to death in their Weinland Park home. Their two young children (ages 4 and 1) and family dog were unharmed inside. No forced entry was immediately apparent, but neighbors reported a “banging” door, prompting a welfare check that revealed the tragedy.
Police quickly focused on surveillance footage: grainy neighborhood CCTV captured a figure—believed to be McKee—approaching the home around 3:30 a.m. and leaving shortly after 4:00 a.m. A vehicle seen arriving just before the killings and departing soon after was traced to McKee, linking him directly to the scene despite his out-of-state residence.
But the entry method surprised even seasoned detectives.
Multiple independent sources, including tips to true crime pages and investigators, indicate McKee gained access by picking the lock—a skill he reportedly acquired in a specialized course taken the day before the murders (December 29, 2025).
This timing raised immediate red flags.
Why would a successful vascular surgeon—someone trained to save lives with precision—suddenly enroll in lock-picking instruction hours before driving hundreds of miles to Columbus? The decision appears premeditated, part of a calculated plan to enter without leaving obvious signs of break-in. No smashed windows. No kicked-in door. Just silent, skillful intrusion.
Even more damning: DNA evidence recovered at the scene reportedly matched McKee, surprising police who initially believed the killer had taken steps to minimize physical traces. Sources close to the investigation suggest the lock-picking attempt may not have been flawless—perhaps a tool was dropped, a glove slipped, or trace skin cells transferred during the tense moments inside the home.
Former law enforcement experts have speculated on air (including panels on NewsNation and Fox News) that the course enrollment could serve as powerful circumstantial evidence of intent. It points to planning: researching the home’s security, practicing the skill, then executing.
McKee has indicated through counsel that he intends to plead not guilty. No official motive has been released by Columbus police, but speculation centers on lingering resentment from the brief 2015–2017 marriage. Court records show Monique filed for divorce citing incompatibility, with family alleging emotional abuse and post-divorce threats. Her wedding vows in her second marriage (to Spencer in 2020) referenced past “wrong relationships” and “waterfalls of tears”—phrases some analysts believe McKee interpreted as public humiliation.
The lock-picking course adds a layer of cold calculation to an already tragic story.
A surgeon who took an oath to do no harm allegedly used newfound knowledge to breach a home, end two lives, and leave two orphaned children—all while the world watched the flickering “R” of a neon sign in another story, but here, the real signal was a quiet click in a lock that should have stayed shut.
Investigators say more evidence—an “avalanche,” according to one attorney—is forthcoming, including possible digital trails (repeated searches of the couple’s names, wedding video views) and transfer DNA.
For now, the question lingers: How does a doctor go from healing bodies to mastering the art of silent entry? And why the day before?
The answer may come in court. But the lock he picked that night opened more than a door—it cracked open a motive investigators believe was years in the making.
Justice for Monique and Spencer is moving forward. The children they left behind deserve nothing less.
CHILLING DETAIL EMERGES — Monique Tepe’s ex-husband Michael David McKee, a doctor, allegedly signed up for a highly unusual training course just 24 HOURS before the incident. Police say the course title was deliberately withheld — but its purpose raised eyebrows after DNA was later found. The timing alone stunned investigators
The 24-Hour Lesson That Changed Everything
CHILLING DETAIL EMERGES — Monique Tepe’s ex-husband Michael David McKee, a respected vascular surgeon, allegedly signed up for a highly unusual training course just 24 hours before the December 30, 2025, double homicide that claimed the lives of his ex-wife Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband Spencer Tepe, 37.
Police have deliberately withheld the exact course title from public releases, but multiple independent sources close to the investigation—speaking to true crime pages, podcasters, and local media—confirm it was specialized instruction in lock-picking (or a closely related skill for non-destructive entry). The timing has stunned investigators and raised immediate questions about premeditation.
The murders occurred in the early morning hours at the couple’s Weinland Park home in Columbus, Ohio. No forced entry was reported—no smashed windows, no kicked doors. The front door featured both a keypad system and a traditional lock-and-key mechanism. Yet the killer gained access silently, executed the shootings (multiple wounds to each victim, with time of death pegged at approximately 3:52 a.m.), and vanished.
Neighborhood CCTV captured a figure—believed to be McKee—approaching around 3:30 a.m. and departing shortly after 4:00 a.m. A vehicle traced to McKee was seen arriving just before and leaving soon after the estimated time of death.
McKee, 39, was arrested on January 10, 2026, in Rockford, Illinois, where he was taken into custody without incident. He waived extradition and faces upgraded charges of premeditated aggravated murder in Ohio—charges that carry the possibility of life without parole or the death penalty.
The lock-picking course enrollment on December 29—mere hours before the drive from Illinois to Ohio—appears to be a key piece of circumstantial evidence pointing to planning. Sources indicate McKee may have practiced or prepared specifically for breaching a secured residence without obvious damage.
Even more shocking: DNA evidence recovered inside the home reportedly matched McKee. Investigators were surprised by the trace—perhaps a glove slipped during the tense entry, a tool mishandled, or skin cells transferred in the struggle. Police had initially believed the perpetrator took steps to avoid leaving physical traces, making the DNA find a critical breakthrough.
Why would a highly trained surgeon—someone who spent years mastering precision in the operating room—suddenly pivot to learning covert entry techniques the day before? The question hangs heavy.
Background on the relationship adds layers of possible motive, though police have not officially confirmed one. McKee and Monique married in August 2015 after meeting at Ohio State University (where both attended undergrad and medical school). The marriage lasted less than two years; Monique filed for divorce in 2017 on grounds of incompatibility. Family members have alleged emotional abuse and post-divorce threats, including written communications where McKee reportedly referred to her as still his wife and insisted she would “never get rid of him.”
Monique rebuilt her life: remarried Spencer in 2020 (near their fifth anniversary at the time of the killings), built a dental practice, and raised two young children (ages 4 and 1), who were unharmed in the home during the attack.
In her wedding vows to Spencer—publicly shared and viewed widely—Monique spoke emotionally about past “wrong relationships” and “waterfalls of tears.” At the time, it was seen as romantic vulnerability. In hindsight, some analysts suggest McKee may have interpreted it as public rejection, fueling years of resentment.
The course decision adds chilling calculation to the narrative: a man who took an oath to heal allegedly used new knowledge to enter a home uninvited, end two lives, and orphan two children.
Police describe an “avalanche” of forthcoming evidence, including possible digital footprints (repeated searches of the couple’s names, views of the wedding video) and transfer forensics.
McKee has indicated through counsel he intends to plead not guilty.
For the Tepe family, the children left behind, and a shocked community, the 24-hour window between signing up for that course and the murders represents more than coincidence. It represents intent.
The lock he allegedly learned to pick opened a door. It also cracked open a motive that may have been building for nearly a decade.
Justice moves forward. But the questions remain: How does a doctor go from saving lives to studying silent entry? And what other signs were missed along the way?
