The ex-husband of Monique Tepe, accused of killing her and her husband Spencer Tepe, will soon be back in Ohio to face aggravated murder charges.
Michael David McKee, 39, of Chicago, is being held in the Winnebago County Jail in Illinois. He is now charged with two counts of aggravated murder with premeditation in the Franklin County Municipal Court after upgraded charges were filed by Columbus police. McKee had initially been charged with two counts of murder.
McKee, a vascular surgeon, appeared in handcuffs and a jail jumpsuit during a Jan. 12 hearing, The Dispatch’s sister paper, The Rockford Register Star, reported. Through an attorney, McKee indicated his intent to remain silent and plead not guilty to the charges against him.
McKee’s attorney said, according to the Register Star, that the doctor would waive an extradition hearing, meaning he will be brought back to Franklin County. His attorney said the transfer back to Ohio is expected to happen this week.
When McKee returns to Ohio, he will be taken to the Franklin County jail and then make an initial appearance in Franklin County Municipal Court.
Aggravated murder is a more serious charge than murder. In Ohio, murder is punishable by 15 years to life in prison. The aggravated murder charge means McKee could now face a maximum sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole. He could also face the death penalty — although Ohio has not carried out an execution since 2018.
Premeditation is one of several aggravating circumstances that can justify an aggravated murder charge. To legally qualify, the killer must commit the murder with “prior calculation and design.”
McKee, Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, is charged in the Dec. 30 deaths of Monique Tepe (39) and Spencer Tepe (37). The couple was found shot dead in their home later that morning by a friend after Spencer, a dentist at an Athens dental practice, failed to show up to work.
McKee and Monique married in 2015, and Monique filed for divorce in May 2017, according to Franklin County Domestic Court records. The divorce decree was issued about a month later. The couple did not have any children together.
In a statement released after McKee’s arrest, the Tepe family thanked Columbus police for their “tireless” work to find the suspect.
“Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon,” the Tepe family said. “We thank the community for the continued support, prayers and compassion shown throughout this tragedy. As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable.”
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