Michael David McKee, 39, a Chicago physician charged with the premeditated shooting deaths of his former wife and her husband in their Columbus, Ohio home, waived his right to an extradition hearing Monday in Winnebago County, Illinois, where he has been jailed since his arrest Saturday. McKee appeared expressionless in a yellow jumpsuit and wrist shackles before Judge Donald Shriver, who did not set a return date but scheduled a Jan. 19 hearing to confirm the status of the transfer. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate his return to Franklin County, where the trial will take place, according to Tom Jakeway, trial court administrator for the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois.
McKee faces charges of premeditated aggravated murder in the Dec. 30 deaths of Monique Tepe, 39, whom he divorced in 2017, and dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe, 37, in a case that drew national attention for nearly two weeks before his arrest capped an investigation spanning multiple states.
Michael David McKee, 39, a physician from Chicago charged with the premeditated shooting deaths of his former wife and her husband, waived his right to an extradition hearing Monday in a Winnebago County, Illinois courtroom, clearing the way for his return to Ohio to face trial.
McKee appeared expressionless, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit with shackles at his wrists, as Judge Donald Shriver presided over the brief proceeding. The judge did not set a specific date for McKee’s return to Ohio but scheduled a Jan. 19 hearing to confirm the status of the transfer. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate McKee’s return to Franklin County, where the trial will take place, according to Tom Jakeway, trial court administrator for the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois.
McKee has been charged with premeditated aggravated murder in the Dec. 30 shooting deaths of Monique Tepe, 39, whom he divorced in 2017, and dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe, 37, inside their Columbus home. He was arrested Saturday, nearly two weeks after the killings drew national attention.
Discovery and Investigation
Columbus police discovered the couple’s bodies on the second floor of their home on Dec. 30 during a wellness check prompted by Spencer Tepe’s unexplained absence from the Athens dental practice where he worked, about 75 miles southeast of Columbus. His manager told police his failure to appear was “out of character.”
The Franklin County Coroner’s Office said the couple died in an apparent homicide by gunshot wounds; official reports are not expected to be completed for several weeks.
Investigators found no obvious signs of forced entry at the home, recovered no weapon, and said murder-suicide was not suspected. Nothing appeared to have been stolen. The couple’s two young children and their dog were left unharmed.
Police released security footage last Tuesday of a person of interest in a dark hoodie and light-colored pants walking in an alley near the couple’s home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Dec. 30, the window investigators identified as the likely time of the attack. The footage generated dozens of tips and extended the search across multiple state lines to McKee’s Chicago apartment, where he was arrested Saturday.
Background
McKee and Monique Tepe, then-Monique Sabaturski, married in 2015 and filed for divorce two years later, according to Franklin County court records. Monique Tepe married Spencer Tepe in 2020, according to the couple’s obituaries.
In a statement, the family said McKee’s arrest was “an important step toward justice” and expressed trust in the legal process.
“Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind,” the statement said. “We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world.”
Spencer Tepe was a graduate of Ohio State University, a member of the American Dental Association, and had been involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Monique Tepe was described by family as a loving mother, an avid baker, and a thoughtful planner.