Ex-Husband Arrested After Ohio Dentist and Wife Found Murdered

Authorities say a bitter past may have collided with a quiet suburban morning, ending in the brutal killing of an Ohio couple just before New Year’s Eve.

Michael David McKee, 41, was taken into custody this week after investigators tied him to a vehicle seen circling the Columbus neighborhood where Monique and Dr. Spencer Tepe were shot to death inside their home on December 30. Police say McKee once shared a marriage — and a tense history — with Monique. Now he stands accused of ending her life.

McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, far from the upscale Columbus subdivision where the dentists’ bodies were discovered. Officers found evidence linking him to the vehicle spotted on multiple cameras around the time of the murders. Detectives say the SUV arrived moments before the shooting and sped away shortly after.

A senior law enforcement source told us, “This suspect didn’t leave much behind verbally. But the surveillance trail was loud and clear.”

Police performed a welfare check after Dr. Tepe failed to show up for work. What they found stunned even veteran investigators. Spencer, 37, had multiple gunshot wounds. His wife, Monique, 39, was shot at least once in the chest. Both were pronounced dead at 10:11 a.m.

Two small children were discovered inside the home. They were unharmed but terrified, according to court documents. The children are now staying with family.

A neighbor described hearing “a strange, heavy sound” the night before. Another said, “They were a sweet couple. Always together. This is unreal.”

Police spent days reviewing neighborhood security footage. The break came when detectives noticed a single vehicle making repeated passes down the quiet street. Tracking the car across state lines led them to Rockford, where McKee had allegedly been in and out of the SUV before and after the killings.

Detectives say the timeline was tight. “He knew exactly when to come and when to leave,” one investigator said. “This wasn’t random.”

McKee and Monique Tepe married in 2015 and divorced two years later. Records show no shared children and no ongoing custody disputes. Still, a source familiar with the case told us tensions “never fully disappeared,” though the motive remains officially unconfirmed.

The Tepe family released a statement as news of McKee’s arrest spread.

“Today’s arrest represents an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer,” the family wrote. “Nothing will undo this devastating loss. But we are grateful to investigators who refused to rest until they found answers.”

They added, “Our focus now is on protecting the two children left behind. Monique and Spencer brought so much light into the world. We will honor that light.”

Columbus police say the investigation is ongoing.

“We don’t want to compromise the active case,” the department said. “Information will be released as appropriate.”

McKee is scheduled to appear in court Monday. Prosecutors are expected to lay out additional details that have not yet been made public.

As the community mourns the loss of two well-known dental professionals, many are left wondering what could drive a man hundreds of miles to allegedly kill his former spouse — and the husband she built a new life with.