A double homicide in the 1400 block of North Fourth Street in Columbus prompted an ongoing investigation that has drawn local–and national–attention.
The Tepes married in January 2021 and had two young children. Spencer Tepe worked as a dentist at Athens Dental Depot. In the days after Mr. and Mrs. Tepe were found dead in their home, their names quickly became a headline. Yet for those who knew them, they were a devoted, beautiful couple, parents, and friends whose absence has since left memories where a future should be.
Officers were dispatched at approximately 10:04 a.m. on Dec. 30 for a well-being check and found two adult victims with apparent gunshot wounds. According to a Columbus Police Department (CPD) media release.
The Tepes’ two young children were found in the home unharmed. Weeks later, investigators arrested Michael D. McKee, 39, Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, who now faces two counts of aggravated murder and is being held in Illinois ahead of extradition proceedings. A full timeline can be found on 3140News with updates.
“They didn’t really need much introduction. They would walk into a room, and kind of light it up, and people really just gravitated towards them because they had such positive attitudes,” Rob Misleh, Spencer’s brother-in-law, said in an interview with Berlin’s News magazine staff.
Beyond the timeline and the charges, those close to the Tepes describe a home built on routine, but most importantly, love.
“I would always hear Spencer again, laughing too loud, and the kids kind of upstairs running around, and you know, he would always get up early, make breakfast, coffee, and then we would all just sit on their couch Sunday morning, and kind of watch cartoons with their daughter and their son,” Misleh said. “It’s really once things go back to ‘normal’ that the grief sets in because you realize that there will never be the normal that you knew.”
At a Jan. 14 briefing, Police Chief Elaine Bryant said investigators recovered multiple weapons from McKee’s property and found a “preliminary link” through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) that ties one weapon to the homicide. Police records show that there were three 9mm casings found at the Tepe residence. The Franklin County Municipal Court currently charges McKee with the murder of both Mr. and Mrs. Tepe. According to the short press hearing on Jan. 12, McKee plans to plead not guilty.
Court filings and ballistics do not capture who Spencer and Monique Tepe were to the people who knew them. Those records outline the evidence and court processes; they do not explain the two people at the center of the case.
“He [Spencer] was a goofball, but he was also, a bit of everything. He was a goofball, he was a jock, he was a brilliant dentist,” Misleh said. “Mo was also an athlete as well, but also, funny, competitive, a great mother, who obviously, you know, just put her entire life towards her children.”
As the investigation continues, the family’s needs remain simple: Respect and support. It’s important to know facts from faux support rather than speculation. It matters to separate verified facts from online theories. “People have to be first rather than right,” Misleh said. There are many ways people can support the Tepe family members. A GoFundMe to raise money for the Tepes children, or donating to a cause close to the Tepes, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, an organization dedicated to help build futures for young children and an organization in which Spencer heavily participated. Misleh shared that the family plans to give back as well.
“How can you support the families of the grieving…that’s really where all of our minds are at…these kids, and just how drastic this earth-shattering, life-changing event has been for all of us. So any kind of support in that way, I think, would go a long way,” Misleh said.
As the legal process moves forward, the family wants Spencer and Monique to be remembered for the life they built, not the violence that ended it. He asked the community to offer its steady support and let verified information speak louder than speculation.
“To the people who have reached out with support, we really do appreciate all of them, and those words go a long way for us. We again have faith in the investigation and where it’s going to lead,” Misleh said.
The official family statement provided by Misleh can be found with the timeline created by the Berlin News Magazine staff at 3140news.com. For more information, please refer to the timetable or official reports, as this case is ongoing. Anyone with tips or information is encouraged to reach out to the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers: (614)461-TIPS (8477).
