Ohio dentist murders gun match a ‘big problem’ for surgeon ex: Defense attorney

A preliminary ballistic lucifer linking a weapon recovered from Michael McKee’s Illinois spot to the country of a treble homicide of an Ohio dentist and his woman marks a "big occupation for him and his defence team," according to ineligible experts.

McKee, 39, a Chicago-area vascular surgeon, faces 2 counts of premeditated aggravated execution successful the Dec. 30 shooting deaths of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband, Spencer Tepe, 37.

Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed that aggregate firearms were seized from McKee’s Rockford, Illinois, spot and that a preliminary investigation done the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) linked 1 of those weapons to 3 9mm ammunition casings recovered from the Tepe residence.

"It's perfectly going to look similar a large occupation for him and his defence team. As a defence attorney, you privation to research arsenic galore avenues arsenic you tin successful presumption of defense," said R.J. Dreiling, a defence lawyer and erstwhile authoritative with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.

Booking photograph of Michael David McKee, a 39-year-old from Chicago, who is charged with 2 counts of execution successful the deaths of Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe. (Winnebago County Sheriff's Office)

POLICE CHIEF TOUTS GUN LINK IN OHIO DENTIST MURDERS; RECORDS SHOW THREE 9 MM CASINGS FOUND IN KILLINGS

"When we person casings astatine the country that we cognize were from the execution weapon, matching a weapon wrong McKee's possession, that's going to contiguous immoderate important issues to the defense. The defence mightiness commencement to absorption connected whether McKee ever had immoderate intelligence wellness issues."

Dreiling said the forensic nexus is important due to the fact that it resolves 1 of the 2 cardinal questions successful immoderate execution case: who committed the crime.

"Once you person casings astatine the country that lucifer a weapon successful the suspect’s possession, that’s going to contiguous immoderate important issues to the defense," helium said.

Spencer and Monique Tepe were preparing to observe their five-year wedding anniversary. (Rob Misleh)

Investigators person besides outlined a timeline of the suspect's movements surrounding the killings, saying that they person linked the surgeon with surveillance video.

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Surveillance video captured a idiosyncratic believed to beryllium McKee walking done an alley adjacent the victims’ location betwixt astir 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. connected the greeting of the shootings.

License sheet scholar information and surveillance exertion tracked McKee’s conveyance traveling astir 325 miles from Illinois to Columbus, arriving soon earlier the killings and departing soon afterward, constabulary said.

Michael McKee appears successful tribunal astatine Winnebago County Justice Center, Monday, January 12, 2026, Rockford, Illinois. McKee is facing extradition to Ohio for the execution of his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband, Spencer Tepe. (WIFR via Pool)

FAMILY ‘QUICKLY BELIEVED’ SURGEON EX WAS INVOLVED IN OHIO DENTIST COUPLE'S MURDER AS CO-WORKER DETAILS MISHAPS

Authorities besides reported nary signs of forced introduction astatine the North Fourth Street residence. Bryant described the killings arsenic a "targeted" and "domestic unit related" onslaught owed to McKee's erstwhile matrimony to Monique.

Ohio dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were recovered changeable to decease wrong their location successful Columbus, Ohio connected Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. While their 2 children were discovered unharmed, authorities reportedly judge their deaths were not the effect of a murder-suicide. (Athens Dental Depot)

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Dreiling said the ballistic evidence, combined with cross-state question and the lack of forced entry, strengthens prosecutors’ statement that the killings were planned successful advance.

"What they're going to beryllium focused connected is trying to spot if they tin enactment unneurotic a motive for him that fits wrong the discourse of what we cognize astir the case."

Recovered video shows a idiosyncratic of involvement walking successful the alley adjacent the Tepes' residence. (Columbus Police Department / Instagram)

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In Ohio, aggravated execution convictions tin transportation the decease punishment oregon beingness imprisonment without the anticipation of parole.

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McKee was arrested successful Rockford, Illinois, connected Jan. 10 and has waived his close to extradition. He is expected to beryllium transported backmost to Franklin County, wherever helium volition look ceremonial charges. His adjacent tribunal proceeding is scheduled for Jan. 23.

The couple’s 2 young children, ages 1 and 4, were recovered unharmed wrong the location pursuing the murders.