Court Documents Detail Chilling Threats, Stalking Before Ohio Couple's Slaying

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A probable cause affidavit unsealed this week alleges the man charged with killing his ex-wife and her new husband in their Columbus home had a long history of threatening her, culminating in a stalking campaign and a meticulously planned attack last December.

The document, filed by Columbus police detectives, states that Monique Tepe (née Sabaturski) repeatedly told friends and family that her ex-husband, Michael McKee, was abusive and had threatened to kill her both during and after their marriage, which lasted less than two years.

One witness recounted to investigators that Monique said McKee had "forced unwanted sex" on her and strangled her. Another relayed a direct threat: McKee allegedly told Monique "he could kill her at any time and would find her and buy the house right next to her, that she will always be his wife."

Monique, 34, and Spencer Tepe, 36, were found dead in their Weinland Park home on the morning of Dec. 30, 2025. Their two young children, ages 1 and 4, were present in the house but unharmed. For weeks, authorities released few details, with Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant stating only that the violence was "domestic violence-related."

The affidavit now details McKee's alleged movements before and after the killings. Surveillance video placed him on the "curtilage"—the yard or driveway—of the Tepes' home on Dec. 6, 2025, while the couple was out of town. McKee, a vascular surgeon based in Chicago, was not scheduled to work that day at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center.

Further video evidence cited in the document tracks a silver SUV arriving in the neighborhood shortly before the 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. attack on Dec. 30 and leaving shortly after. The vehicle, linked to McKee's past and work addresses and bearing stolen license plates, was found on Jan. 9, 2026, in his hospital's parking lot with apparent scrape marks where a sticker had been removed.

McKee was arrested at the hospital the following day. Chief Bryant previously confirmed investigators recovered "multiple weapons" from his property, with a preliminary ballistics link tying one to the homicides.

The affidavit also alleges McKee left his phone in Illinois during a 17-hour period spanning the killings, suggesting a deliberate attempt to avoid digital tracking. A Franklin County grand jury has indicted McKee on charges of aggravated murder and aggravated burglary while using a firearm suppressor. He has pleaded not guilty. His defense attorney, Diane Menashe, declined to comment on the affidavit's allegations.

Analysis: This case highlights the extreme dangers of intimate partner violence and stalking, often precursors to homicide. The detailed timeline of alleged stalking and the suspect's professional standing underscore how abuse crosses all societal boundaries. Ohio's aggravated murder statute requires proof of "prior calculation and design," which prosecutors will seek to establish using this documented history of threats and surveillance.

Community Reaction

David Chen, a neighbor in Weinland Park: "It's devastating. They were a lovely young family. The thought that someone was watching the house for weeks is terrifying. It shows these weren't random acts, but a planned nightmare."

Rebecca Miller, a local advocate with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network: "This affidavit is a tragic textbook case of escalation. The threats, the stalking—these are major red flags that are too often minimized until it's too late. Systems need to take every threat with deadly seriousness."

Mark Stevens, a former colleague of McKee's (name changed for privacy): "I'm in shock. At work, he was composed, dedicated. This alleged double life is incomprehensible. It makes you question everything."

Lisa Hammond, a family friend of the Tepes (voice trembling with anger): "The system failed Monique. She told people, she had evidence of his threats. He was a surgeon with resources, and he used them to hunt her down. This wasn't a 'domestic dispute'—it was a premeditated execution. Where was the protection when she needed it?"