Ohio Couple Slayings: Wife Was ‘Terrified’ of ‘Very Emotionally Abusive’ Ex-Husband Now Charged with Murders, Family Says 

The arrest of an Illinois surgeon in connection with the killing of his ex-wife and her husband did not come as a shock to the couple’s family, according to a relative.

Monique Tepe and her husband, Spencer Tepe, were shot and killed overnight on Dec. 30 at their home in Columbus, Ohio.

Monique’s ex-husband, Michael David McKee, 39 — whom she divorced nearly a decade ago — was arrested over the weekend on murder charges.

Spencer’s relatives say they weren’t surprised McKee was identified as the suspect, pointing to what they describe as Monique’s longstanding fear of him.

“Monique was very vocal about being terrified of this guy [till her death],” Rob Misleh, who is married to Spencer’s sister, said.

Misleh alleged that McKee was emotionally abusive during his marriage to Monique, claiming it affected her deeply. Authorities have not publicly accused McKee of emotional abuse. McKee’s public defender in Illinois, who is currently representing him, was contacted for comment about the allegations.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether McKee had attempted to contact Monique since their divorce in 2017.

Police have not publicly discussed a possible motive. However, psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert explained why an ex-partner might re-enter someone’s life years after a breakup.

An ex “may fixate on a narrative that they were wronged or replaced, and over time that grievance can harden,” Alpert said. “They ruminate, rewrite the past, and build an internal storyline that turns the former partner into the source of their distress.”

“From the outside, there are no obvious warning signs,” he added. “But internally, the offender may have been dealing with a grievance for years, and the new partner or new family can become a trigger because it symbolizes a life they feel cut out of.”

Spencer’s family said they are “confident” investigators have identified the right suspect.

McKee was arrested in Illinois, where he is based, on Jan. 10. He was initially charged with murder, and the charges were upgraded the following day to aggravated premeditated murder, according to court records.

McKee is awaiting extradition to Ohio. His attorney told an Illinois judge this week that McKee plans to plead not guilty to the charges.