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

[stmarysmead]

I am rather confused about Monique buying the engagement and wedding rings. My first reaction to someone doing this would be that the lady was incredibly keen to get married. (Umpteen years ago I knew a young lady who ordered a catalogue of engagement rings to show her boyfriend - it worked!) But I can't see Monique doing that, I think it must just been that at the time she could afford it and he couldn't.

Did they buy a home in Va as they prepared to marry? The divorce papers say he got the house and she got the rings. Maybe that’s how they decided to divide two big purchases. He did the house down payment…she did the rings.

 

[BrownRice]

- project.web

Someone posted a screenshot of this on another website. I can’t cross-check with MM’s DoB but the only Michael McKee that comes up under any category using the search page here is this one, under vascular surgery.

If this is him, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t licensed – just that he hadn’t passed (possibly hadn’t taken) the board exams. The absence struck some people as unusual by the age of 39 but others felt it didn’t mean much.

Thank you. Never really understood what “board certified “ meant. Just knew you always wanted a provider that was “board certified.”

 

[BrownRice]

They were the first owners, and there was a SimpliSafe sign outside, so I think it's quite likely.

People often buy these signs without the security system. Or use the system without paying for the police notification.

 

[Alxx108]

True but I’d be a little surprised if it wasn’t. I personally don’t think I’ve ever heard of people having a sign in their yard to just fake having security. Not saying it can’t or doesn’t happen but not sure how common that is (maybe it is and I just don’t know). Forgetting to arm it every night I can see though.

moo

Having the sign but no security system was a thing in my family. Several relatives did it…possibly because the actual systems were so expensive but a sign wasn’t?

 

[NNT1]

Article about neigbor of the murderer, she says he seemed like a normal guy: Neighbor of Illinois surgeon accused of killing ex-wife, her dentist husband speaks out over his arrest: ‘I sat down with this man’

 

[MollyHarps]

Oh my goodness I just caught up. I always thought this was somebody close to the couple and I guess the ex husband was the most likely suspect.

I believe the family knew exactly who did this since day 1 hence them being very quiet (except brother in law) they were just allowing the police to gather evidence.

I also echo the posters who said it is likely colleagues knew of issues the couple were facing with somebody hence them acting so quickly when Spencer did not turn up for work.

RIP to the beautiful couple.

 

[curiouser&curiousest]

No, it doesn’t. It certainly makes it harder to get, but it does prevent someone from putting forth an insanity defense.

Source: me (forensic psychiatrist with 20 years of experience)

Ugh. Super annoying when I make a typo this way. I think most people understood it anyhow but thank you random person who msg’d me.

Should’ve read:

No, it doesn’t. It certainly makes it harder to get, but it does NOT prevent someone from putting forth an insanity defense.

Source: me (forensic psychiatrist with 20 years of experience)

 

[justtrish]

Utterly reckless. He couldn't have known whether the littles might have been asleep between their parents.

Which tells me he didn't care who he killed so long as he killed M and her new husband. IMO he'd have killed anything or anyone in his way.

There should be extra charges for orphaning babies --

Just such an utterly unnecessary crime.

Can't help but notice he opted to spare his own life. God complex.


What he did, evil.

He IS the monster in the night.

JMO

Hopefully we see more charges added because killing both parents knowing 2 children are in the house is child endangerment or something surely. He didn't know if anyone would come looking for them that same day, what if it took a day before people came looking? Now a 1 and 4 year old are home alone for how long? They could have gotten hurt during that time. IMO

 

[stmarysmead]

- project.web

Someone posted a screenshot of this on another website. I can’t cross-check with MM’s DoB but the only Michael McKee that comes up under any category using the search page here is this one, under vascular surgery.

If this is him, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t licensed – just that he hadn’t passed (possibly hadn’t taken) the board exams. The absence struck some people as unusual by the age of 39 but others felt it didn’t mean much.

Interesting. I doubt he would be granted hospital privileges at any hospital without passing his boards. Some interesting info here about the two consecutive boards he must pass within four, then 7 years.

Vascular Surgery Qualifying Examination - American Board of Surgery

The Vascular Surgery Qualifying Exam, a multiple-choice exam, is the first of two exams required for board certification in vascular surgery.

www.absurgery.org

​

The admissibility period for the VSQE begins immediately upon completion of training. Candidates are strongly encouraged not to delay in applying for and taking the VSQE for the first time as delays may adversely affect performance.

• Candidates will have no more than seven academic years following residency to complete the certification process (i.e., pass both the VSQE and VSCE).
• The seven-year period begins immediately upon completion of vascular surgery training.
• Upon application approval, applicants will be granted up to four opportunities within four years to pass the VSQE.
• If a candidate delays in applying for the VSQE after the completion of training, or does not take the VSQE when offered, they will lose exam opportunities.

This exam is offered only once per academic year. During the exam admissibility period, individuals who postponed or were unsuccessful will be contacted each year regarding the next exam; a new application is not necessary.

The above limits are absolute. Individuals who exceed any of the above restrictions will lose their admissibility and must pursue a readmissibility pathway to re-enter the certification process.

 

[COSCitizen]

Oh my goodness I just caught up. I always thought this was somebody close to the couple and I guess the ex husband was the most likely suspect.

I believe the family knew exactly who did this since day 1 hence them being very quiet (except brother in law) they were just allowing the police to gather evidence.

I also echo the posters who said it is likely colleagues knew of issues the couple were facing with somebody hence them acting so quickly when Spencer did not turn up for work.

RIP to the beautiful couple.

I wonder if the police regarded the BIL being verbal about everything except MT's ex as providing a smoke screen about the ongoing investigation. He provided plenty of red herrings and kept non-LE investigators from door stepping the real POI while LE got their ducks in a row.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

My thinking is that the killer is someone that has been inside before and knows the layout of the home. It likely could have been someone that previously stayed overnight at that home.

There

He probably knew the dog if it’s 10 years old - may have lived with him before they divorced. That’s why he probably didn’t fear it.

The dog had been Spencer’s.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Source?

The wedding video for one.

 

[STLSuperstar]

Since she left him after just 7 months, it sounds like something drastic like a DV, substance abuse, or mental health thing on his part. I can imagine that when this came out to his family, friends, etc., it shattered the image of success and perfection he wanted to project. And it sounds like he may have lost touch (been ostracized?) by family after and had little social life. People keep asking, why 10 years later? Well, he may have had another holiday alone and blamed her for ruining his whole image/reputation, thinking that the failed marriage (and whatever allegations about him that came from that) made him lose his family and friends. Not true of course. Just saying. It may be broader than just control. He could be blaming her for being so alone and isolated for so many years.

 

[su5ie]

I agree that picking the lock is most likely. Guessing the code is still possible though, codes can be changed without much time or effort. It’s also possible the keypads that were on the doors when it was built were upgraded by the victims at some point and they would (presumably) pick their own codes at that point vs sticking with the manufacturer presets.

Window is unlikely to me as from the exterior you’d need to damage the screen to do so and you can’t shut a window and return the screen from outside. My experience only, though.

Someone mentioned using a blue light or black uv light to prehaps see numbers frequently pressed

 

[stmarysmead]

Since she left him after just 7 months, it sounds like something drastic like a DV, substance abuse, or mental health thing on his part. I can imagine that when this came out to his family, friends, etc., it shattered the image of success and perfection he wanted to project. And it sounds like he may have lost touch (been ostracized?) by family after and had little social life. People keep asking, why 10 years later? Well, he may have had another holiday alone and blamed her for ruining his whole image/reputation, thinking that the failed marriage (and whatever allegations about him that came from that) made him lose his family and friends. Not true of course. Just saying. It may be broader than just control. He could be blaming her for being so alone and isolated for so many years.

Sometimes something as basic as this happens: she has a job and family in Columbus. He ‘matches’ for a residency in Virginia. Living with someone who is in residency is a challenging, lonely situation. They are either not home or studying. She hates it. Goes back to Columbus, her old job, friends and family.

It happens. And often, the ‘resident’ is too busy to work on the relationship and just lets it go. Uncontested….

We just don’t know. Yet. Just offering another idea.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Vascular surgery requires a fellowship beyond general surgery, That used to be a 5plus 1 deal but now there are some 5 year combined tracks. I’m not sure what Carilion offers.

Very few Drs own their own practices right out of fellowship these days. More commonly, they join group practices that have a path to being a ‘partner’ or co-owner in time. It would seem like the accused graduated Med School in 2017…that would put him in his first real job in 2022. He would not be carrying any ownership financial responsibility….and since he appears to have changed jobs,would not yet be a ‘partner.’

Also, most vulnerable specialties have employer malpractice to the hilt.

Changing jobs is not necessarily a negative in any way. Certain specialities are in high demand and sort of like football today, if you have a prestigious resume or are in a field with more jobs than docs… you will still be ‘pursued’ in those cases.

IMO. therefore, there is no sign of any professional breakdown…yet. I don’t see him as ‘down and out.’ So, I’m curious about another trigger. He doesn’t seem to have tried to get a job near Columbus if obsessed with her…and there are many in his specialty. So what was the trigger?

As far as the divorce, at the end of MedSchool, you enter The Match. You hope to match with one of the residencies in yr specialty that you want…but you both must pick each other. If you don’t match, at the conclusion, you move on to what is still open. I wonder if she wanted to stay in Columbus, but he didn’t match. Or he did match where HE wanted to go in Va…but that meant leaving her family, her job, and the city she loved?

So he goes to Va and that’s the end of a long romance and marriage. Three years later, she finds a new husband who will drive 1 1/2 hrs to let her live in the city she loves. He does not try to locate where he can stalk her, or try to win her back. So what set him off after 8 long years?

When was the wedding video put online…before or after the murders?

Before, I believed, BIL mentioned change in number of views.

 

[tlcya]

I cannot believe it was the ex husband. I am gobsmacked. They divorced nearly a decade ago lived in separate states had no children in common. Like what the heck was his motivation. Is he some sort of injustice collector?

 

[Elisaa444]

Vascular surgery requires a fellowship beyond general surgery, That used to be a 5plus 1 deal but now there are some 5 year combined tracks. I’m not sure what Carilion offers.

Very few Drs own their own practices right out of fellowship these days. More commonly, they join group practices that have a path to being a ‘partner’ or co-owner in time. It would seem like the accused graduated Med School in 2017…that would put him in his first real job in 2022. He would not be carrying any ownership financial responsibility….and since he appears to have changed jobs,would not yet be a ‘partner.’

Also, most vulnerable specialties have employer malpractice to the hilt.

Changing jobs is not necessarily a negative in any way. Certain specialities are in high demand and sort of like football today, if you have a prestigious resume or are in a field with more jobs than docs… you will still be ‘pursued’ in those cases.

IMO. therefore, there is no sign of any professional breakdown…yet. I don’t see him as ‘down and out.’ So, I’m curious about another trigger. He doesn’t seem to have tried to get a job near Columbus if obsessed with her…and there are many in his specialty. So what was the trigger?

As far as the divorce, at the end of MedSchool, you enter The Match. You hope to match with one of the residencies in yr specialty that you want…but you both must pick each other. If you don’t match, at the conclusion, you move on to what is still open. I wonder if she wanted to stay in Columbus, but he didn’t match. Or he did match where HE wanted to go in Va…but that meant leaving her family, her job, and the city she loved?

So he goes to Va and that’s the end of a long romance and marriage. Three years later, she finds a new husband who will drive 1 1/2 hrs to let her live in the city she loves. He does not try to locate where he can stalk her, or try to win her back. So what set him off after 8 long years?

When was the wedding video put online…before or after the murders?

Their wedding video according to (BIL) Rob's YT account was put out 4 years ago. On that account the Tepe's wedding video is there along with other wedding videos he has done.

Moo; Moo.

 

[Seattle1]

And more details.
125k loss in a year. Thats a big hit.

Except I don't believe the shooter was the seller. Per the complaint, this is his current address.

 

[ElizaKate]

So the evidence of domestic violence in the marriage between MT and MM was there in the divorce case records all along? I hadn't seen any mention of this previously.

Case number: 17 DR 001691

[Edited to clarify: @legalmomma has explained this is a mandatory fee in Ohio divorces to fund shelters. Not indicative of domestic violence in the marriage]