OH - Spencer and Monique Tepe found shot to death at home 2 children unharmed, Columbus, 30 December 2025 *ex-husband arrested*

[shonyakay]

Was it confirmed that the Tepe's had guests in their home in the previous days/evenings during the holidays? If so, could they have deactivated the system due to all of the guests coming and going.
We know that he probably entered through the back of the house via the alleyway so he may have never seen a security sign.
Just a thought.

 

[tricia]

FYI Brian Entin is an approved source on Websleuths

 

[browneyes]

Good work to the detectives working on this case, and for owning your mistake regarding the welfare check and not hiding it.

Here’s hoping the dispatchers get much required training - they are public servants, after all.

I think the detectives did a great job. Caught the murderer,
911 dispatchers do need more training.
.

 

[moonglow123]

Honestly, he definitely could've stalked them in the past and perhaps used some kind of long lens camera to see what code they entered. Or something nefarious like that. Sounds outlandish, but he definitely seemed very consumed by Monique and it's not out of the realm of possibility.

I asked awhile ago in this thread if someone scoping out their home would attract much attention, and posters that live nearby said it's a very heavily trafficked area and someone walking by or driving by or being parked there etc. wouldn't attract much notice at all. :/

As others said, would explain how LE pinned down exact time of the crime. If he used one of the keypads to enter. But who knows. Very creepy to think about the planning he must've done.

 

[Gemmie]

Spitballing here, but I heard that he told the kids to go into a room with the dog (it was on a podcast and don't recall which one). Is it possible he tricked them, once in presented the gun, then they obeyed his commands? Have they confirmed where Monique's body was found? How far away from Spencer? I gave my theory of how, but obviously conjecture.

I wouldn't think the kids would be downstairs around 3am, just because someone came to the door (if that's what happened). And let's say they were.... I'd think one of the parents, more likely Monique because she knew her ex better than anyone, would have been the one to say "Go upstairs". I can't see a parent allowing young children to come downstair and hang out and have the ex be the one that says "go upstairs". That's just not sounding right to me.

 

[Gemmie]

I think the detectives did a great job. Caught the murderer,
911 dispatchers do need more training.
.

And caught him with the quickness!!

 

[Feriel93]

Someone is another thread mentioned that there’s a YouTube video out there on how to basically override the keypad lock they had so I think that’s what he could have done. Or he made some calculated guesses for a bit. There’s also a video of him walking back the same alley 30 mins later and imo that’s a decent amount of time. He could have easily spent over 10-20 mins just trying to gain access to the house.

 

[LAborn]

I wouldn't think the kids would be downstairs around 3am, just because someone came to the door (if that's what happened). And let's say they were.... I'd think one of the parents, more likely Monique because she knew her ex better than anyone, would have been the one to say "Go upstairs". I can't see a parent allowing young children to come downstair and hang out and have the ex be the one that says "go upstairs". That's just not sounding right to me.

I don't know the layout. So all bedrooms are on the second floor and living room, kitchen on 1st? I figured the kids were in their bedroom asleep. I don't see parents doing that either. Any movement would be only by force. jmo

 

[Cassie P]

Exactly. I suppose like anything else, having extensive background "experience" is required to pull off such a feat as modern-day murder without a hitch. McKee's a newbie, and unless he simply didn't care about getting caught, his lack of planning is perplexing for anyone who's ever watched a case of Forensic Files.

We know the time of murder I think. Do we know the time the killer got to the property? That would give us an idea of how long it took for him to gain entrance to the home.

I think getting around the lock would have taken some time.
Could he have entered the home another way?
Or did he tamper with the locks the day before?

 

[PipeyRella]

Someone is another thread mentioned that there’s a YouTube video out there on how to basically override the keypad lock they had so I think that’s what he could have done. Or he made some calculated guesses for a bit. There’s also a video of him walking back the same alley 30 mins later and imo that’s a decent amount of time. He could have easily spent over 10-20 mins just trying to gain access to the house.

where did you see this additional alley footage 30 min later?

 

[ttjo]

DBM already posted above it was a link to practise in Rockford

 

[Janitor101]

Someone said he looks like a Lego man.

This is absolutely horrible. I wish he would have went on living his life and left this family alone. I'm sure she wasn't the reason for his failures in life.

I think he's storing a load of nuts in that jaw!

 

[LAborn]

Someone is another thread mentioned that there’s a YouTube video out there on how to basically override the keypad lock they had so I think that’s what he could have done. Or he made some calculated guesses for a bit. There’s also a video of him walking back the same alley 30 mins later and imo that’s a decent amount of time. He could have easily spent over 10-20 mins just trying to gain access to the house.

The video that was released before is indeed the ex?

 

[Elisaa444]

Spitballing here, but I heard that he told the kids to go into a room with the dog (it was on a podcast and don't recall which one). Is it possible he tricked them, once in presented the gun, then they obeyed his commands? Have they confirmed where Monique's body was found? How far away from Spencer? I gave my theory of how, but obviously conjecture.

That was on a 911 call. I just heard it on Youtube "Plunder" ; the video is titled "Tepe Case 911 Call "Oh My God..Come downstairs..."

moo; moo.

 

[Gemmie]

A lot of good info on Monica's ex, Michael David McKee:

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/10/michael-mckee-tepe-murders-ex-husband-columbus-ohio/88119793007/

 

[Tillicum]

I have to wonder what his parents thought. Especially if he did visit them for the holidays. Were they suspicious? Did they recognize him in the surveillance video?

 

[OhioGuy]

As for access to the house, I’d be stunned if they let him in so I’m writing that off pretty much entirely.

My guess is that he was obviously hell bent on doing this and maybe access simply came easier than he expected. Maybe he tried the anniversary date on the keypad and lucked out. Maybe he knows a PIN his ex wife used often. Maybe he picked the lock or used some of the techniques mentioned earlier in this thread. But I suspect if none of that worked, he may have been fine with busting a window and taking his chances.

 

[getthefax]

T

A lot of info on Monica's ex:

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/10/michael-mckee-tepe-murders-ex-husband-columbus-ohio/88119793007/

This is an excellent resource with a TON of information. Thanks, @Gemmie !!

 

[seasideForest]

This is so weird. And surprising....the last person I would have thought of doing it.

Never got over divorce? I dont get it. Why?

In addition to what @stg wrote, if emotionally difficult stuff happened in childhood like parents divorcing or a parent disappearing, especially without the child being supported emotionally that could 'aid' a person in being 'injustice collector' and not getting over something like a divorce years later. I'm not excusing the ex at all - if you know you have problems in this kind of area, you need to get help before you ruin other people's lives or even your own. It's hard / impossible to get over hurt and pain cognitively, so it's not something anybody else can get logically. IMO

 

[Feriel93]

As for access to the house, I’d be stunned if they let him in so I’m writing that off pretty much entirely.

My guess is that he was obviously hell bent on doing this and maybe access simply came easier than he expected. Maybe he tried the anniversary date on the keypad and lucked out. Maybe he knows a PIN his ex wife used often. Maybe he picked the lock or used some of the techniques mentioned earlier in this thread. But I suspect if none of that worked, he may have been fine with busting a window and taking his chances.

Yes for sure. If he was out walking in the middle of the night and drove hours for this, the lock was the least of his worries. I’m just surprised he didn’t care enough to stage it as a robbery. He was up there on the list of suspects early on for even people in this thread. It’s just crazy to me how he knew he would be at the top of the suspect list and didn’t make LE’s
job too hard in connecting him to the scene . I’m also curious about DNA evidence in the house that would link him. So far, it seems like the vehicle is the biggest one and it will be interesting to see how he can explain that bit.