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

[Gemmie]

Ok, maybe it’s nothing, there isn’t much info out there, that hints at any reason for this to have happened. A broken heart? A grudge? Resentment.? OK , I get that, but have we heard anything about what he did to show that over 8 years? Did anyone notice? I hear about how emotionally abusive he was when they wee married, but what’s been happening since the divorce. If she was afraid after 8 years or never thought he’d leave her alone, what was going on?

I've been pondering your exact question for a while. Their marriage was SO short (7 months), and it was SO long ago. How can someone hold onto such negative feelings against someone they loved for so long?!? To the point of wanting her, and the person she loved, killed in cold blood. I guess I don't understand because I'm not (insert whatever mental condition he appears to have), so I can't wrap my head around it.

 

[Gemmie]

Dr. Lenore Walker, forensic psychologist and domestic violence expert says that MM may have erotomania where a person gets obsessed and fixated on a person and won't let go.

Yeah, I don't know about erotomania. No disrespect to Dr. Walker but I think it's a stretch.

Erotomania, also known as de Clérambault's syndrome, is an uncommon paranoid condition that is characterized by an individual's delusions of another person being infatuated with them.
Erotomania is more common in women, but men are more likely to exhibit violent and stalker-like behaviors. The core symptom of erotomania is that the individual holds an unshakable belief that another person is secretly in love with them. In some cases, the person with the condition may believe several people at once are "secret admirers". Most commonly, the individual has delusions of being loved by an unattainable person who is usually an acquaintance or someone the person has never met.

They may also experience other types of delusions concurrently with erotomania, such as delusions of reference, wherein the perceived admirer secretly communicates their love by subtle methods such as body posture, arrangement of household objects, colors, numbers, license plates on cars from specific states and other seemingly innocuous acts—or, if the person is a public figure, through clues in the media such as coded social media posts and meaningful clothing choices. Some delusions may be extreme such as the conception, birth, and kidnapping of children that never existed or the belief that the individual was predestined or chosen by God to be with the object of their obsession. The delusional objects may be replaced by others over time, and some may be chronic in fixed forms. Denial is characteristic with this disorder as the patients do not accept the fact that their object of delusion may be married, unavailable, or uninterested. The phantom lover may also be imaginary or deceased.

Erotomania - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[turaj]

And maybe there wasnt a trigger, just hard to understand how someone does this, makes you want to search for answers.

just a guess because I don't know but I am thinking MT and ST had active social media accounts IG and more. Clearly they were very very happy and posted lots of family photos and happy moments. Pretty sure MM was following all those posts and that can add to his jealous and deadly feelings. The wedding video referring directly to their marriage and how bad it was certainly fueled this disturbed ex. They should see much of this on his phone and computers...the obsession fueled by social media and following their lives.

 

[Mica]

Judge Tarlika Nunez-Navarro joins @BanfieldonNN to break down how a clerical error mistakenly revived the divorce case between Monique Tepe and Michael McKee months before Tepe and her husband, Spencer, were killed. @TVAshleigh

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012024776982732880

I wonder if MM thought Monique initiated the revival of the divorce?

 

[Gators North]

what does that really mean? How does an experienced surgeon get that designation? What did he do? Boy like to know more about this.

Could it be because MM is involved in those medical malpractice lawsuits? IDK - just asking. MOO

 

[ttjo]

I've been pondering your exact question for a while. Their marriage was SO short (7 months), and it was SO long ago. How can someone hold onto such negative feelings against someone they loved for so long?!? To the point of wanting her, and the person she loved, killed in cold blood. I guess I don't understand because I'm not (insert whatever mental condition he appears to have), so I can't wrap my head around it.

Me either, nor can I understand a grudge for that long , festering to the point of murder while also being a surgeon.

 

[Gemmie]

My opinion only . . .

I suspect he tried to keep in touch after the divorce. Promised for the nth time that he'd change; would she give him another chance? She declined, probably blocked his emails, texts, phone calls. I bet she changed her cell number more than once to avoid his contact.

He backed off for a while, then tried communicating again. Maybe indicated they could "stay in touch" as "friends". Probably kept her posted about his career. Could he call her if he needed something? Possibly suggested getting together for coffee or something. She continually declined; he'd back off for a period of time and then try again.

He was obsessed with her. We've seen the unfortunate results.

Again, just my musings.

This makes the most sense to me as to a possible reason.

 

[ttjo]

just a guess because I don't know but I am thinking MT and ST had active social media accounts IG and more. Clearly they were very very happy and posted lots of family photos and happy moments. Pretty sure MM was following all those posts and that can add to his jealous and deadly feelings. The wedding video referring directly to their marriage and how bad it was certainly fueled this disturbed ex. They should see much of this on his phone and computers...the obsession fueled by social media and following their lives.

And that makes sense to me, I saw a picture of them (Spencer and Monique) I dont want to post, and she was stunning, I can see how that might eat at MM

 

[turaj]

Could it be because MM is involved in those medical malpractice lawsuits? IDK - just asking. MOO

could be. I will say most doctors that have practiced for say 5 years or more have probably been involved in malpractice suits. We are living in a litigious world. The insurance means that most people are now seeing PAs rather than Mds. Some lawsuits are really valid but many frivolous. Just the deal when you are a doctor.

 

[turaj]

And that makes sense to me, I saw a picture of them (Spencer and Monique) I dont want to post, and she was stunning, I can see how that might eat at MM

I think the investigation will show he was following every post she made. I assume all the accounts are frozen and not available to the public anymore. If this actually goes to trial (I doubt it) could be very interesting. With her brother being the videographer I imagine he documented many events in her short life.

 

[Seattle1]

I wonder if McKee was notified by the court that a new hearing date had been set in their divorce case before the clerical error was corrected?

The divorce case between accused killer surgeon Michael McKee and his slain ex-wife Monique Tepe — which was finalized years ago — was mistakenly revived just months before McKee allegedly gunned down Tepe and her new husband in their Ohio home.

McKee and Tepe were married in Aug. 2015 before they officially divorced in May 2017, but the case received a new hearing that appeared on the docket in June 2025, according to USA Today.

It showed a trial date set for September, however, court officials later confirmed that the revival of the case was a clerical error with the docket number and the September date was canceled, the paper reported.

More at link:


Clerical error reopened Ohio newlywed's divorce case just months before slayings: docs

Nobody was noticed, and the error all happened on the same date (hearing, continuance, and suspended action). Also, the history on the parties the Court file is from 2017, so they wouldn't even have a current address to Notice either of the parties. There was no reason to update their history -- the divorce decree was final, Court costs paid, and case terminated/file closed.

 

[academyrd]

MSN

As Ohio dentist's daughter, 4, says 'goodbye' to mom and dad, relative says 'they shine through her' (exclusive)​

As the parent of a 4 year old and 1 year old, this makes me want to throw up.

 

[ttjo]

Nobody was noticed, and the error all happened on the same date (hearing, continuance, and suspended action). Also, the history on the parties the Court file is from 2017, so they wouldn't even have a current address to Notice either of the parties. There was no reason to update their history -- the divorce decree was final, Court costs paid, and case terminated/file closed.

Exactly. Thats why I didnt think this was a trigger, but now watch… how many videos will come out to say “ did a divorce action trigger a murder” one already came out.

 

[tlcya]

Nobody was noticed, and the error all happened on the same date (hearing, continuance, and suspended action). Also, the history on the parties the Court file is from 2017, so they wouldn't even have a current address to Notice either of the parties. There was no reason to update their history -- the divorce decree was final, Court costs paid, and case terminated/file closed.

agree, I think given how many times addresses had change in the interim it is unlikely the court had accurate contact information for either ex spouse. Which makes me wonder, did MM have some reason to look at the docket for his long dissolved marriage and see the erroneous entries adding and then removing the court dates and misunderstand what he was seeing? ie. I'm a already in the middle of this malpractice suit and now my ex is coming after me again - insult to injury, pushing him over the edge?

Or is the divorce case error just a red herring that is entirely coincidental?

 

[acutename]

I've been pondering your exact question for a while. Their marriage was SO short (7 months), and it was SO long ago. How can someone hold onto such negative feelings against someone they loved for so long?!? To the point of wanting her, and the person she loved, killed in cold blood. I guess I don't understand because I'm not (insert whatever mental condition he appears to have), so I can't wrap my head around it.

supposedly they were together in college before the marriage, so the 7 mos is not the full extent of the relationship, FWIW

 

[acutename]

Could it be because MM is involved in those medical malpractice lawsuits? IDK - just asking. MOO

lawsuits do not seem to be big or moving forward but my guess is that MM was a perfectionist so they might have irritated him but hard to connect them to M&S. Just think he was jealous of their happiness. IMO. They are a family- he is not.

 

[acutename]

Excellent post

Forgiveness and letting go in the healing sense is forgiving your own self for your weakness or whatever you feel is making you hold on to resentment and negative feeling

For example an abused man or woman may forgive their own vulnerabilities or their limitations in speaking up for oneself

The mistake most people make is that they think its about forgiving the other person ,moving on is about your own journey not about others outside of yourself . Forgiveness won't change your abuser but forgiving and accepting yourself will change prospective for you so you can heal

Of course you can choose to forgive your abuser but you don't have to in order to grow in your own confidence and spirituality

I think that ideally, in a marriage, people "put all their eggs in one basket" (sic) and fixate on the other person in a good way. If the marriage goes awry and one person thinks he's still in it (!) and is obsessive and a perfectionist and gets violent.... well, you get this. Maybe he had no feelings for anyone else. You know how slightly creepy it is when some one has a "type" and their subsequent partners/spouses look scarily like the predecessor? Maybe all his dreams and mental future were stuck on Monique and he was too stubborn to try any therapy- or worse, maybe he did try and it did not work. Current US society says there are lots of fish in the sea; move on. Some religions/cultures have had much stricter "rules" and no divorce, honor killings, etc. so while this is a major crime,it is not like it is unprecedented in human history unfortunately. IMO

 

[Gemmie]

supposedly they were together in college before the marriage, so the 7 mos is not the full extent of the relationship, FWIW

Thanks. I'm curious how long they dated, and whether or not they lived together out of wedlock. Just a guess on my part that they didn't, or Monique might have left before a marriage proposal.

It's also my opinion that people are on their best behavior when courting, and some (not all) can change for the worse (showing their true colors) once they 'trap' the person they desire. Red flags might have been pink flags, making it hard for you to think the worst when you're wanting to think the best about people. There can be a lot of "Nah..." when your gut is trying to warn you, unfortunately.

And I have to get this off my chest. I've been using a wrong name for her in my posts, and I HATE getting names wrong. I apologize to Monique, family and loved ones, and anyone here who I might have offended.

 

[osu]

I wonder if MM thought Monique initiated the revival of the divorce?

I was wondering the same?
Or maybe he thought that since he was now established as a vascular surgeon, with a much higher income than when they were married, that Monique was initiating a new hearing seeking a monetary settlement from that divorce?

 

[Charlot123]

.

Excellent post

Forgiveness and letting go in the healing sense is forgiving your own self for your weakness or whatever you feel is making you hold on to resentment and negative feeling

For example an abused man or woman may forgive their own vulnerabilities or their limitations in speaking up for oneself

The mistake most people make is that they think its about forgiving the other person ,moving on is about your own journey not about others outside of yourself . Forgiveness won't change your abuser but forgiving and accepting yourself will change prospective for you so you can heal

Of course you can choose to forgive your abuser but you don't have to in order to grow in your own confidence and spirituality

With my own journey, I have great exercises to not keep me “linked” to old situations. So, no.

Nor I am unhappy if something didn’t work out before. I just never repeat the same mistake (a business venture, for example) because I don’t believe people ever change.

Here is a very theoretical example: let us say, you have an awesome secretary, great worker, but caught her stealing money from your purse. You will never leave purse in her vicinity, right? You could still allow her do some other things or fire - your choice - but cut her off the money part totally because people don’t change.

It is an extreme example. I had something similar with dad’s caregiver but chose to keep her. I just had to safeguard the money and his property part. I was right in the long run, btw, as she was the best caretaker. Ever.

This being said, I would accept 50% of the blame as it was my mistake to leave money in her presence! But to me, “forgiveness” means you assume she understood and changed. This part I’ll never believe.