Michael David McKee’s life in the years following his divorce appears to have unraveled quietly, marked by constant movement, professional instability, and, according to those who once worked alongside him, a troubling decline that would ultimately precede the violence he is now accused of committing.
McKee, 39, has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Spencer and Monique Tepe at their home in Columbus, Ohio. Police were called to a residence in the Weinland Park neighborhood at around 10 a.m. on December 30, where they discovered the couple dead from gunshot wounds. Authorities later identified McKee—Monique’s former husband—as the primary suspect in the case.
Family members of the victims say suspicion fell on McKee almost immediately. Rob Misleh, Spencer Tepe’s brother-in-law, told investigators that relatives “quickly believed” McKee was somehow responsible. Misleh described McKee as emotionally abusive during his brief marriage to Monique, adding that while he did not know the full extent of their relationship, there were clear warning signs even then.
McKee was taken into custody at the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois just before noon on Saturday, according to jail records. He now faces upgraded charges of premeditated aggravated murder in Ohio. Court documents indicate that McKee will not be transported to Franklin County by the originally scheduled court date of January 19, as officials deemed the transfer “not feasible.” That hearing has since been canceled, with a new tentative date set for January 23.
Records show that McKee and Monique married on August 22, 2015, but the relationship deteriorated rapidly. By March 2016—just seven months later—they had separated, and divorce proceedings were underway. In her initial filing, Monique cited incompatibility as the reason for the split. The couple had no children and were already living apart by the time legal paperwork was submitted.
At the time of the divorce, McKee was completing his general surgery residency at Carilion Clinic–Virginia Tech Carilion, earning approximately $51,000 a year. The pair owned a home in Roanoke, Virginia, valued at just over $219,000, which remained in McKee’s name. Financial disclosures included in the divorce filing painted a picture of separation even within the marriage: the couple had no joint bank accounts, and Monique listed the value of many of McKee’s financial assets as “unknown,” indicating she had little visibility into his finances.
Following the divorce, McKee’s professional life took him across the country. His medical career began promisingly—he completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at Ohio State University, followed by a general surgery internship and residency. He later pursued a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center. However, from 2022 onward, his career became increasingly fragmented, with medical licenses in multiple states and short-term positions in California, Nevada, and Illinois.
One former coworker told Fox News Digital that McKee’s time in Nevada, where he worked at Las Vegas Surgical Associates between 2023 and 2024, marked the beginning of a “downward spiral.” According to the source, McKee had minimal experience for the complexity of cases he was handling and was allegedly involved in several surgical mishaps, including one that led to a lawsuit. Despite this, he was reportedly allowed to continue performing high-risk procedures.
The coworker described McKee as outwardly calm and polite, noting that he never displayed obvious emotional volatility in the operating room. Still, they questioned why supervisors allowed him to operate beyond his capabilities. “It was reckless,” the source said, adding that there appeared to be a lack of oversight despite clear concerns.
By 2025, McKee was working as a vascular surgeon at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Illinois—where authorities later located the vehicle allegedly used in the Columbus killings. Charging documents state that investigators identified a car arriving in the Tepes’ neighborhood shortly before the murders and leaving soon afterward. The vehicle was later traced back to McKee, providing a key link in the case.
