Jaded Evidence Interactive Investigation Case File
Spencer and Monique Tepe: The Michael McKee Case
An evidence-first record of the December 2025 deaths of Spencer and Monique Tepe and the pending prosecution of Monique’s former husband, Michael David McKee.
Franklin County, OhioLast verified: October 18, 2026Pretrial — no verdict
Case Overview and Current Legal Status
Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found shot to death inside their Columbus home on December 30, 2025, after Spencer did not report to work and a welfare check was requested. Their two young children were found unharmed. Michael McKee, Monique’s former husband, was arrested in Illinois in January 2026, extradited to Ohio, indicted, and entered a not-guilty plea.
The January 16 indictment alleges two forms of aggravated murder for each victim: prior calculation and design under Ohio Revised Code §2903.01(A), and aggravated murder during aggravated burglary under §2903.01(B). Count Three alleges aggravated burglary.
View More: How to read this case file
Verified fact means supported by a public primary record or consistent official reporting. Allegation identifies a claim in a charging document, police statement, or prosecution filing that has not been proven at trial. Defense position is included only when counsel or the accused has stated one publicly. Gaps are identified rather than filled with assumptions.
Victim Background
Monique Tepe was 39. Family descriptions published through the couple’s obituary and Associated Press reporting remembered her as a devoted mother with an energetic, welcoming personality.
Dr. Spencer Tepe was 37 and worked as a dentist. Family accounts emphasized his dedication to his patients, family, and community. Monique and Spencer married in 2020 and were raising two young children.
View More: Privacy and sourcing note
The children’s names are intentionally omitted. The page uses only biographical details that family members or reliable reporting made public and does not speculate about private family matters.
People Involved and Documented Roles
Monique Tepe
Victim; Michael McKee’s former spouse and Spencer Tepe’s wife.
Dr. Spencer Tepe
Victim; Monique Tepe’s husband.
Michael David McKee
Defendant charged in case 26CR000253.
Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney
Prosecuting authority that presented the indictment.
Columbus Division of Police
Investigating agency.
Chronological Event-by-Event Timeline
Select an event to see the supporting record, reported evidence, and any dispute or limitation.
2015–2017 — Monique Tepe and Michael McKee marry and later divorce
Public domestic-relations records and Associated Press reporting identify McKee as Monique’s former husband. Their marriage began in 2015 and the divorce was finalized in 2017.
Record basis: Court-record reporting and AP coverage.
Status / dispute: This background does not establish motive or criminal responsibility.
2020 — Monique and Spencer Tepe marry
The couple’s obituary states they married in 2020.
Record basis: Family obituary and AP reporting.
December 30, 2025 — Welfare check and discovery of the victims
After Spencer did not arrive for work, concerned callers requested a welfare check. Officers found Spencer and Monique with fatal gunshot wounds inside their home; their two children were unharmed.
Record basis: Police information reported by the Associated Press.
Status / dispute: The indictment alleges McKee caused both deaths; those allegations remain unproven.
Early January 2026 — Police release surveillance footage
Investigators released footage of a person of interest walking in an alley near the home during the estimated attack window.
Record basis: Columbus police release described by AP.
Status / dispute: Identification of the person is a prosecution/investigative claim subject to litigation.
January 10, 2026 — McKee arrested in Illinois
McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois and held pending return to Ohio.
Record basis: Illinois booking records and AP reporting.
January 12, 2026 — Extradition waived
McKee waived an extradition hearing in Illinois, clearing the way for transfer to Franklin County.
Record basis: Court proceeding reported by local and national outlets.
January 16, 2026 — Franklin County grand jury returns five-count indictment
The grand jury charged McKee with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary. Every count includes firearm-use and suppressor specifications.
Record basis: Filed indictment, case 26CR000253.
Status / dispute: An indictment is an accusation, not proof.
January 23, 2026 — Not-guilty plea entered
McKee appeared by video from the Franklin County jail and pleaded not guilty through counsel.
Record basis: Arraignment coverage carrying Associated Press reporting.
As of October 18, 2026 — Case remains pending
No public verdict, sentencing judgment, or appellate decision was located in the reviewed record. The matter remains a pretrial prosecution.
Record basis: Review of the indictment, prosecutor materials, clerk resources, and current reporting.
Status / dispute: Hearing dates can change. The official docket controls.
Investigation and Evidence
Surveillance footage
Police released alley footage and later said they believed the person shown was McKee. The defense may challenge identification, completeness, timestamps, and foundation.
Classification: Investigative claim; video itself should be evaluated in court.
Vehicle-location evidence
Police said McKee’s vehicle was identified traveling near the Tepe residence. Public reporting does not substitute for the underlying extraction, license-plate data, or authentication records.
Classification: Investigative claim; underlying data not included in the public indictment.
Firearm and ballistic evidence
Police said a firearm recovered from McKee’s Illinois residence was linked to evidence from the scene. The public indictment alleges firearm use and a suppressor but does not contain the laboratory methodology or report.
Classification: Investigative claim and charging allegation.
Indictment and specifications
The five-count indictment alleges prior calculation and design, felony-murder aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, firearm use, and use of a muffler or suppressor.
Classification: Primary court record; allegations only.
Phone and digital records
News reports have discussed digital-location issues, but no complete extraction report, warrant return, or expert testimony has been made part of the source set reviewed for this page.
Classification: Reported investigative area; not presented here as proven fact.
Autopsy and scene findings
The deaths were publicly described as homicides by gunshot wounds. Full autopsy and scene reports are not reproduced here because complete official copies were not located in the reviewed public record.
Classification: Cause-of-death reporting; detailed findings not independently verified.
Evidence boundary: The indictment states the charges but does not lay out the state’s entire evidentiary proof. No public trial testimony has occurred, and the defense has not yet tested police claims through cross-examination at trial.
Prosecution and Defense Theories
| Prosecution / investigating-agency position | Defense position |
|---|---|
| The state alleges McKee purposely killed Monique and Spencer with prior calculation and design and also killed them while committing or fleeing aggravated burglary. Police have publicly pointed to surveillance, vehicle-location information, and a firearm recovered in Illinois. | McKee has pleaded not guilty. No detailed public defense theory was located in the reviewed filings. The defense retains the right to challenge identity, intent, entry into the residence, forensic methodology, digital evidence, admissibility, and the state’s ability to prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt. |
Trial Testimony and Courtroom Developments
The verified public courtroom development is McKee’s January 23 not-guilty plea following extradition. The indictment places potential punishment, if convicted, between life with parole eligibility after 32 years and life without parole, according to the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney.
No trial testimony is available because no completed trial was identified. Readers should use the official clerk docket for the latest hearing schedule rather than relying on older media dates.
View More: What is not yet available
No verified trial transcript, admitted exhibit list, jury instructions, verdict form, sentencing entry, or appellate record exists in the sources reviewed as of the cutoff date.
Verdicts, Sentencing, and Appeals
No verdict has been returned. McKee has not been sentenced, and there is no appeal. The case remains pending; the presumption of innocence applies.
Unresolved Questions
- What portions of the surveillance record will the court admit, and how will the state authenticate them?
- What do the complete vehicle and device-location records show?
- What does the final ballistics report conclude, and what testing methods were used?
- What evidence supports the alleged suppressor specification?
- Will the state present a motive theory, and what admissible evidence supports it?
- What pretrial suppression or evidentiary rulings will shape the trial?
Court Records and Source Documents
January 16, 2026 — Redacted five-count indictment
State of Ohio v. Michael McKee, Franklin County Common Pleas Court, case 26CR000253. Five-page court filing: four aggravated-murder counts and one aggravated-burglary count, with firearm and suppressor specifications. The indictment contains allegations, not findings of guilt.
- Franklin County grand-jury indictment — State of Ohio v. Michael McKee, 26CR000253 (PDF)
- Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney — indictment announcement
- Franklin County Clerk of Courts
- Associated Press — arrest and early investigation
- Associated Press — police description of surveillance, vehicle, and firearm evidence
- Spencer and Monique Tepe obituary
View More: Source hierarchy
Primary court filings and agency releases are prioritized. Credible reporting is used for context and for proceedings not yet available through public online court records. If sources conflict, the conflict is noted and the underlying filing should control.