Surgeon in Ohio dentist double murder allegedly used fake addresses to dodge lawsuits: 'He just disappeared'

Separate tribunal filings amusement that Dr. Michael McKee was facing respective allegations of aesculapian malpractice and negligence successful the months anterior to being charged successful the deaths of an Ohio dentist and his wife.

Federal tribunal records uncover that McKee, a 39-year-old vascular surgeon, was named arsenic a suspect successful a civilian rights and aesculapian negligence suit filed June 7, 2024, successful U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. In a abstracted matter, authorities tribunal records successful Clark County amusement that McKee is besides the superior suspect successful an progressive aesculapian malpractice suit slated for a assemblage trial.

According to Las Vegas-based lawyer Dan Laird, McKee managed to evade ineligible justness earlier helium allegedly killed his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, 39, and her husband, Spencer Tepe, 37.

"They thin to beryllium highly liable people," helium told WSYX. "They’re not the benignant of radical who conscionable disappeared suddenly, and this was precise astonishing to us."

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)

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

Laird told WSYX that successful a 2023 lawsuit, reviewed by Fox News Digital, McKee allegedly failed to bid a physician’s assistant, starring to a diligent being injured during attraction and needing exigency surgery.

The lawyer said that helium was duped erstwhile McKee allegedly gave fake addresses and "questionable" state-issued telephone numbers.

"Interestingly, the code that was fixed to america by the country radical that helium worked for turned retired to beryllium a fake address," Laird told the section outlet, referencing Las Vegas Surgical Associates LLP. "It was an code that doesn’t exist."

Laird shared that helium repeatedly, for years, made efforts to interaction McKee, adjacent going to erstwhile colleagues, including Dr. Peter Caravella, who is besides listed successful the malpractice suit. Fox News Digital has reached retired to Laird for further details.

"He said helium has nary thought wherever Dr. Michael McKee is now," Laird said. "He conscionable disappeared."

He conscionable disappeared.

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

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In the archetypal property league pursuing McKee's arrest, Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant and Mayor Andrew Ginther said that this was a "domestic unit related attack."

Rob Misleh, Spencer's brother-in-law, told NBC News that their household "quickly believed" that McKee was someway involved in their deaths. Misleh besides told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield past week that McKee threatened her beingness portion the 2 were married.

"He was an emotionally abusive idiosyncratic erstwhile they were together, that is each I know," Misleh said.

Chief Bryan besides said that aggregate weapons were taken from McKee's flat successful Chicago pursuing his arrest, including, according to police, a preliminary nexus to a weapon.

"We tin besides accidental that aggregate weapons were taken from the spot of McKee. And there's a preliminary nexus from our NIBIN to 1 of the weapons that ties it to the homicides."

Bryant did not specify what benignant of weapons were recovered. Fox News Digital has reached retired to the Columbus Police Department.

Attorney Lindsay Richards, a erstwhile prosecutor, told Fox News Digital that portion the civilian suit provides discourse since it appears that "his beingness was surely spiraling retired of control."

"The authoritative volition apt lone look to the civilian cases to spot if determination is immoderate overlap successful behaviour oregon if it caused mounting unit oregon accent for this suspect. It puts his beingness successful discourse to overgarment a representation for a jury. Likely this won’t person overmuch influence, if any, connected the transgression lawsuit beyond conscionable knowing circumstances."

"It does look similar his beingness was surely spiraling retired of control, which is apt the lone crushed the prosecution would usage these civilian cases," she said.

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

McKee was arrested aft allegedly sidesplitting the mates connected Dec. 30, according to records. Police officers responded to a location located successful Columbus' Weinland Park vicinity astir 10 a.m. Dec. 30 and recovered the couple, some dormant with gunshot wounds. 

FRANTIC 911 CALLS DETAIL MOMENTS BEFORE COLUMBUS DENTIST AND WIFE FOUND DEAD: 'THERE'S A BODY'

In the Nevada lawsuit, an incarcerated antheral alleges that McKee, portion serving connected the Nevada Department of Corrections’ Medical Review Panel, knowingly delayed aesculapian attraction for a superior condition.

According to the complaint, reviewed by Fox News Digital, the plaintiff experienced ongoing symptom and complications implicit an extended play and underwent aggregate procedures that were allegedly ineffective.

Timeline of cardinal events successful the execution of Spencer and Monique Tepe. (Fox News)

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The suit claims support for due specializer attraction was repeatedly delayed contempt the plaintiff’s worsening condition. As a result, the ailment alleges, the plaintiff yet suffered imperishable injury, including the nonaccomplishment of a testicle. McKee and the different defendants named successful the national lawsuit contradict the allegations. The claims person not yet been ruled connected by the court.

Neither the national civilian rights suit nor the authorities malpractice lawsuit has reached a resolution. 

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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)

Both Nevada cases were progressive during astir the aforesaid play that McKee would aboriginal beryllium charged successful Ohio successful transportation with the deaths of his ex-wife and her husband. Authorities successful Ohio person charged McKee with 2 counts of murder.

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McKee was booked astatine the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office successful Illinois conscionable earlier noon Saturday.

He's facing upgraded premeditated aggravated execution charges successful Ohio successful narration to Spencer and Monique's deaths.

General presumption of Winnebago County Justice Center, Monday, January 12, 2026, Rockford, Illinois. (Kamil Krzaczynski for Fox News Digital)

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According to a papers obtained by Fox News' Bryan Llenas, McKee volition not beryllium transported to Franklin County, Ohio, by Monday, Jan. 19. The papers said that the transport "will not beryllium feasible," and the tribunal day antecedently acceptable for Monday, Jan. 19, astatine 2 p.m. is canceled. A caller day has been tentatively acceptable for Jan. 23 astatine 2 p.m.

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Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes and Bryan Llenas contributed to this report.