Police say a single mistake ultimately led investigators to Michael McKee, the surgeon accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband, Ohio dentist Spencer Tepe.
Authorities allege McKee believed he could carry out the killings without drawing suspicion. Instead, investigators say his own actions left behind evidence that pointed directly back to him.
The couple was discovered shot to death inside their home after a welfare check was requested when Spencer failed to show up for work. Their two young children were inside the residence at the time and were found unharmed.
According to police, surveillance footage and license plate reader data showed a vehicle registered to McKee traveling near the Tepe home around the time of the murders. Once detectives learned of McKee’s prior marriage to Monique, the information immediately raised red flags.
Investigators say the vehicle’s presence could not be explained away as coincidental.
Police later located the same vehicle in Illinois, near the hospital where McKee worked. Authorities said the cross-state travel matched the suspected timeline of the killings and further strengthened the case against him.
McKee and Monique Tepe had been divorced for several years and did not share children. While a motive has not been publicly disclosed, police said there were no signs of forced entry and no indication the attack was random.
“This was targeted,” authorities said.
McKee was arrested in Illinois and charged with two counts of murder. He is currently awaiting extradition to Ohio. Investigators have declined to release further details, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
Police say the investigation remains active as they continue to reconstruct McKee’s movements before and after the shootings. What ultimately led to his arrest, authorities said, was not a confession or eyewitness — but a critical mistake that placed him near the crime scene when he should not have been there.