A gun retrieved from Michael McKee’s property in Illinois has been preliminarily matched to a double murder scene involving an Ohio dentist and his spouse, presenting a significant challenge for his defense team, according to legal experts.
McKee, a 39-year-old vascular surgeon from the Chicago area, is charged with two counts of premeditated aggravated murder. The charges stem from the December 30 shootings of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, aged 39, and her husband, Spencer Tepe, aged 37.
Elaine Bryant, Chief of Columbus Police, stated that several firearms were confiscated from McKee’s Rockford, Illinois property. A preliminary review using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked one of these guns to three 9mm shell casings found at the Tepe’s home.
“This presents a considerable challenge for his defense,” remarked R.J. Dreiling, a defense attorney with experience as a former prosecutor in Los Angeles. “In defending a client, exploring every possible angle is crucial, and this ballistic evidence narrows those options significantly.”
The booking photo of Michael David McKee, a 39-year-old from Chicago, who is accused of murdering Dr. Spencer Tepe and Monique Tepe. (Courtesy of Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office)
“The presence of shell casings at the crime scene that match a firearm in McKee’s possession poses serious complications for the defense,” Dreiling added. “This might lead the defense to investigate potential mental health issues McKee could have had.”
Dreiling said the forensic link is significant because it resolves one of the two central questions in any murder case: who committed the crime.
“Once you have casings at the scene that match a gun in the suspect’s possession, that’s going to present some significant issues to the defense,” he said.
Spencer and Monique Tepe were preparing to celebrate their five-year wedding anniversary. (Rob Misleh)
Investigators have also outlined a timeline of the suspect’s movements surrounding the killings, saying that they have linked the surgeon with surveillance video.
Surveillance video captured a person believed to be McKee walking through an alley near the victims’ home between approximately 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on the morning of the shootings.
License plate reader data and surveillance technology tracked McKee’s vehicle traveling roughly 325 miles from Illinois to Columbus, arriving shortly before the killings and departing soon afterward, police said.
Michael McKee appears in court at Winnebago County Justice Center, Monday, January 12, 2026, Rockford, Illinois. McKee is facing extradition to Ohio for the murder of his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband, Spencer Tepe. (WIFR via Pool)
Authorities also reported no signs of forced entry at the North Fourth Street residence. Bryant described the killings as a “targeted” and “domestic violence related” attack due to McKee’s former marriage to Monique.
Ohio dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were found shot to death inside their home in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. While their two children were discovered unharmed, authorities reportedly believe their deaths were not the result of a murder-suicide. (Athens Dental Depot)
Dreiling said the ballistic evidence, combined with cross-state travel and the absence of forced entry, strengthens prosecutors’ argument that the killings were planned in advance.
“What they’re going to be focused on is trying to see if they can put together a motive for him that fits within the context of what we know about the case.”
Recovered video shows a person of interest walking in the alley near the Tepes’ residence. (Columbus Police Department / Instagram)
In Ohio, aggravated murder convictions can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, on Jan. 10 and has waived his right to extradition. He is expected to be transported back to Franklin County, where he will face formal charges. His next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23.
The couple’s two young children, ages 1 and 4, were found unharmed inside the home following the murders.
