"MONSTER SURGEON" LURKS EX-WIFE'S HOME, SPENT HOURS INSIDE WEEKS BEFORE DOUBLE MURDER, RPT

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "MONSTER SURGEON LURKS EX-WIFE'S HOME, SPENT HOURS INSIDE WEEKS BEFORE DOUBLE MURDER, RPT"

Show: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Air date: January 29, 2026

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Main Theme & Purpose

This harrowing episode focuses on the double homicide of Monique and Spencer Tepe, allegedly at the hands of Monique’s ex-husband, Dr. Michael McKee—a vascular surgeon labeled by Nancy Grace as a “monster surgeon.” Nancy and her expert panel dissect newly-unsealed affidavits showing McKee’s stalking, the timeline of the murders, and psychological insights behind such extreme domestic violence.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Alleged Stalking and Break-In

• Nancy Grace opens by detailing surveillance footage showing Dr. McKee lurking around the Tepe home weeks before the murders, spending hours inside while the family was away (01:13).
• The panel discusses how McKee knew the couple would be out. Nancy suspects digital intrusion or information from posted content (02:21).
• Legal Expert Troy Slayton explains that McKee’s presence at the house ahead of time shows “malice aforethought,” which qualifies for aggravated murder charges (death penalty eligible) under Ohio law (06:03).
• Burglary and murder together elevate the allegation further, setting up charges of felony murder (08:12).

2. Victim Behavior & Psychological Torment

• Yelena Mandenberg (Investigative Reporter) reveals that Monique left a major sporting event early, visibly distraught about something to do with her ex-husband, possibly after a taunting contact or surveillance tip-off (09:40).
• Nancy and panel speculate that McKee was inside the home during this time, possibly texting Monique to psychologically torment her (13:59).
• Dave Mack (Crime Reporter) asserts McKee’s actions as “creepy stalker things” (e.g., hinting to Monique through messages that he was in her house) were meant to instill fear and control (13:59).

3. Psychological Profile of the Perpetrator

• Dr. Bethany Marshall (Psychoanalyst) describes McKee as acting out in jealous rage, likely rifling through Monique’s most personal belongings, seeking evidence of her new life and intimacy—"sniffing her underwear," "looking at a nightie," or "a vibrator by the bed"—to fuel his obsession (16:34).
• Marshall underscores the “prison” in which Monique lived, always fearing McKee’s next intrusion (18:05).
• Multiple panelists stress the link between his obsessive, controlling tendencies and the escalation to murder (20:24).

4. The Murders: Forensic and Medical Analysis

• Both Monique and Spencer Tepe were shot multiple times, contradicting earlier reports that Monique was only shot once (02:13, 31:49).
• Dr. Thomas Coyne (Medical Examiner) explains that even gunshots to the torso may leave a victim conscious for up to 30 seconds, long enough to experience excruciating fear and pain (24:21).
  • "They would have felt the pressure and the pain from the bullet as it entered the body.” — Dr. Coyne (25:02)
• Evidence suggests Spencer attempted to resist or protect Monique as his body was found on the floor, not the bed (25:24).

5. McKee’s Background and Pattern of Behavior

• Despite his accolades—athlete, honor student, dean’s list, specialized vascular surgeon—McKee’s personal life was riddled with malpractice suits and abusive behavior (27:15).
• Court records and affidavits note his history of strangling and sexually assaulting Monique, threatening her life, and stating she'd “always be his wife” (29:35).

6. Handling of the Crime Scene and Vehicle Evidence

• McKee’s distinctive silver SUV was seen circling the Tepe home repeatedly before and after the murders (44:03).
• He attempted to hide the vehicle by scraping off a unique sticker and using both a stolen Ohio license and fake Arizona tags (46:06, 48:32).
• Nancy and Dave Mack compare these obfuscation tactics to other high-profile cases (e.g., Caitlin Armstrong and Michelle Parker) (44:21, 47:06).

7. Expert Commentary on Domestic Homicide and Stalking

• Paul Zeich (Domestic Violence & Stalking Expert) says threats combined with stalking are "statements of future intent," and such offenders believe “life without you is not worth living” (50:13).
  • “It’s not a matter of if, it’s when.” — Paul Zeich (50:13)
• Zeich is not surprised by McKee leaving a wide trail: “Stalkers know way more information than we thought they did. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had hacked emails, tracked her digitally, or used social engineering” (51:29, 52:17).

8. Discussion of Evidence and Legal Case

• Joe Scott Morgan (Forensics Professor) and Slayton discuss how technology, ballistics, and the murder weapon tie McKee to the crime.
• Slayton notes there is no eyewitness, only strong circumstantial and physical evidence (38:03), but Nancy rebuts, “Fingerprint or DNA is direct evidence, especially when you find [him with] the murder weapon” (39:38).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You cannot fight the video. The picture doesn’t lie.” — Nancy Grace (15:50)
• “Think about strangulation during unwanted forced sex...he is up close and intimate with her pain and her anxiety.” — Dr. Bethany Marshall (30:12)
• “It’s not a matter of if, it’s when.” — Paul Zeich (50:13)
• “He was in a rage, I am sure, before he entered that house. A jealous, jealous rage...He still believes that she is his wife. She belongs to him.” — Dr. Bethany Marshall (16:34)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:13] – Introduction to the surveillance video evidence of McKee’s lurking
• [06:03] – Legal analysis of “malice aforethought” and aggravated murder
• [09:40] – Affidavit details: Monique’s distress during the Big Ten game
• [13:59] – Panel discusses stalking behavior and psychological torment
• [16:34] – Dr. Bethany Marshall on McKee’s intrusive, obsessive behavior
• [24:21] – Dr. Coyne explains medical facts of gunshot wounds in the Tepe murders
• [31:49] – Correction: Monique was shot multiple times, not once
• [44:03] – Vehicle evidence and parallels to other notorious cases
• [50:13] – Paul Zeich on the pattern and dangers of domestic violence stalkers
• [53:34] – Call to action for tips and closure of the main investigative discussion

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Tone & Language

Nancy Grace maintains her trademark intense, urgent tone—combining legal insight, empathy for victims, and unfiltered analysis. The panel's language is direct, sometimes graphic (particularly on the realities of abuse), and always driven by the pursuit of truth and justice for Monique and Spencer Tepe.

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For listeners seeking a deep, full-picture understanding of the McKee double homicide, this episode elucidates not only the grisly facts but the chilling psychology and legal mechanisms of such crimes. The panel’s expertise and Nancy’s relentless inquiry create a gripping and informative narrative.

Transcript

[A]

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[A]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, the so called monster surgeon caught on camera lurking, stalking ex wife Monique's home that she shared with her new husband of five years and their two little children. He's caught on a neighbor's surveillance cam lurking the home and going inside the curtilage and he spends hours inside. This is weeks before the double murder when Monique and Spencer are found shot dead in their own beds. By the time friends arrive to find out where are they? They can hear the children wailing, screaming, where's mommy? I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. We've thought that Spencer Tepe was shot multiple times and Monique was shot once.

[D]

The affidavit for Monique now says that she was shot multiple times, each have multiple gunshot wounds and are bleeding out.

[A]

This young mother of two has her body ripped apart in the middle of the night with her children next door and bleeds out. And tonight a careful reading of this affidavit reveals that Monique and Spencer's neighbors door cam or surveillance video catch the so called monster surgeon ex husband lurking around their home while they're out of town in Indianapolis at a Big Ten championship game. Number one, how did he know they were gone? Had it been posted online? We know Monique had no social media presence. Was she afraid he was stalking her? I guess so. How did he know that? Had he hacked into their emails that said the neighbor surveillance video catches him. Michael McKee, the vascular surgeon, once married to Monique like 10 years ago, stalking their home. We believe he gets in their home. Because that video shows him entering the, quote, curtilage. What is cartilage? Let's take a look at the fence that encloses the TEPE backyard, their back area. You can see that their backyard is totally enclosed by a fence. And if you look at this wedding photo that had been posted online, not by Monique, and I'm sure McKee looked at it many, many times, you can see how tall the fence is. This area would be the cartilage. This is behind the TEPE home. Straight out to Troy Slayton joining us, trial lawyer out of la, founder of the Slayton Law Group. Troy, thank you for being with us. Typically, you don't have to have a separate warrant to search curtilage, but which could be, you know, the backyard. It could be a garage, it could be a tool shed, it could be a playhouse. It could be any number of things that are not the home proper. This is what I think happened, Troy. I think the neighbor's ring cam or burglar Cam sees McKee approach the tepe home. You can see the fence from the front yard as well. So I'm betting money that they see him approach and at some point he jumps the fence. Because I don't see, looking at all the video that there is a gate, a fence gate. You have to either jump the fence or go into the backyard through the home. That would be the curtilage. And this is why I think he stayed in the home for all of those hours and hours while they were out of town, because the video catches him going in. Hours pass before he comes back out. So I can guarantee you he did not spend hours and hours in their backyard area. That's what I think happened. Let's take a look at that montage again. See what I mean? One, jump over the fence, be it from that back alley or from the front of the home. And he's there now, Troy, if you look to the left of the door, you see either a basement door or window. I'm betting that's how he gained entrance. What about it, Troy Slayton?

[C]

The reason why this is important, Nancy, is because prosecutors have alleged aggravated murder, which requires pre planning. And the evidence that he was at the home a month before shows that this was calculated, preplanned, he had malice aforethought. And that's what raises it to the highest level of a murder charge in the state of Ohio, which is aggravated murder, which exposes him to the possibility of the death penalty, where there's a moratorium currently, or life without the Possibility of parole.

[A]

Okay, let me understand. Troy Slayton. You've defended a lot of cases. You are saying that this degree of stalking and how he knew they were going to be out of town remains to be seen. I think we'll find that out from his digital footprint. Was he hacking into their email? Did he figure out their code? Troy, there's been a lot of speculation. Did they have a keypad lock? Did he figure out the entrance? But I think if I were a betting person, I put my money on this, that he likely in the back where that alley is. If we could see the video of what we believe to be Dr. McKee walking along that private alley behind their home, I'm guessing. I'm betting, Troy, that that's where he entered. Right through there is near the fence. We're showing.

[C]

Nancy, this is important for two reasons. This is important to show the pre planning, the calculation, the malice aforethought with regard to the murder. But it's also important for during the commission of the murder, if he committed a burglary, which is the breaking and entering the dwelling house of another with the intent to commit a felony therein, if he breaks in with the intent to cause harm to the occupants, that's a burglary. Doing that in association with the murder also elevates it to aggravated murder in the state of Ohio.

[A]

You know, another thing right there, Troy Slate, and I don't want to go too def come forward into the law right now, but it also sets him up for a felony murder charge. A felony murder charge, of course, is when a death occurs during the commission of a felony. Like you and I rob a bank and I say, don't shoot anybody, Slayton. Please just get the money. You go in there and go crazy and start pulling your AK trigger, and you gun down two tellers. I'm like, what did I just tell you? Well, I'm on the hook for double murder because a death occurred while I am committing a felony. Doesn't matter if I didn't mean for anyone to die. So in most jurisdictions, felony murder carries the same penalty as murder one one. The fact that he burgled and a death occurred sets him up for felony murder. And what you said is absolutely correct, Troy. This shows just so much evil intent and premeditation, you know? Joining me in All Star panel. Don't move. Troy Slayton. I want to go straight out to Yelena Mandenberg joining us. She's investigative reporter for the Mirror, the Irish Star and the Express. What did you learn from reading this affidavit, what did you learn appeared on the neighbor's surveillance video?

[D]

Well, a number of new things with the affidavit. It's explosive. And since we're already talking about the alleged stalking that the neighbors caught on the camera, it was also the same day that they were at that Big ten game and Monique had gone home early. Her friends noticed she went home early in the second half because she was upset about something regarding her ex husband. Either she or Spencer went into detail with their friends, but they did let their friends know. So did she get a note from the neighbors text, did she spot him on a camera? Or did he send her a message while he was there to possibly psychologically mess with her, which is very common in abusive relationships. The stalking, the psychological games. So we don't actually know how she found out, but we knew. No, she was upset about something that day, enough to go home from a whole trip, from a whole game with her friends to go home and deal with it. We actually also don't know if she let her husband.

[A]

No.

[D]

If she realized that Mickey was stalking her, we don't know if she let her husband Spencer know. She could have felt like she's managing this stalker. It could have been something that's happening frequently enough. Because if we know that he went inside her home, the neighbors caught it on video. There's no police report. She never went to the police, even if she did know that he was getting into her home. And also, looking at some of the photos from the top view on Google, it looks like every single home has that like little garage or cuttle edge in the back. It's a garage, it's a shed, and through there you can access the yard. So was he. Did he have a key? Did he figure out how to get in through that back shed, through that back garage, or did he just simply jump the fence and, you know, allegedly go for a basement window? That much we don't know. But we know he was there and we know that her friends, she had spoken to a lot of her friends and family about their abusive relationship. And as soon as anyone, they immediately pointed fingers at Nikki. And there is one line, one line from the affidavit that especially stuck out to me that wasn't just illegal, but illegal and creepy. It's alleged. If true, she had told her friends that he had threatened her, you know, not just during their marriage and after their marriage, but at least once. He said that he would find her by the house right next to her and that she will always Be his wife, which, you know. And there he is, making good on it. He was also there for hours. So we don't know if he was stalking or allegedly casing.

[A]

You know what, Yolana Mandenberg, you're absolutely correct. Dave Mack, before I go to Dr. Bethany Marshall, I want you to join Yelena Mandenberg in what you learned from the affidavit you and I poured over it into the night. She's with a group friends at a Big Ten championship game in Indiana. Something happens while she's there, and she gets so upset, she leaves the game. And the group, they've been planning it for some time, big party. She leaves the group Davemack and goes back to their hotel room and does not come back to the game. She's so upset. And all we know is that she spent her later. Everybody said, where's Monique? And he goes, she's upset. Something about her ex husband. It can't be a coincidence, Dave Mack, that he's in the home for hours. And she leaves at halftime upset about the ex. The surgeon, the vascular surgeon, Dr. Michael McKee. It's not a coincidence. There is no coincidence. Dave Mack in criminal law. Okay? She had to know. Maybe he called her and went, hey, your house looks really good today. Or, hey, you left your porch light on. Or some bizarre text or email or phone call to her that got her upset. That doesn't mean she knew he was inside. I mean, what did you learn from the affidavit?

[E]

Well, Nancy, there's something that is really impactful here. You've got to realize Spencer and Monique both went to Ohio State. Ohio State is playing Indiana in the Big Ten championship. This isn't just a party. This is a big, important game. It costs a lot of money to go to it. And Spencer and Monique planned this excursion. They had a hotel room booked in Indianapolis. You know, their friends are all there. It's a big deal. So when Monique leaves after the second half starts, okay, you're in the third quarter and Monique leaves, all of the friends are going, hey, what's up, Spence? You know, it's a big game. And he tells them then it's something to do with Monique's ex husband, and she's really upset. She's going back to the hotel. I'm thinking based on the timing, based on how important this event was in their lives and their social circle, that McKee let Monique know that he was at their house. And I think you're absolutely right. He's doing one of those creepy stalker things. So let her know. Yeah. Hey, I like where you move the couch. Looks really good over there. He's letting her know I'm in control. You might not be here. You're having a great time with friends. I still got you. You're my wife. And I think he was. He wasn't standing outside in the shed. It's 32 degrees outside, Nancy. You know, the man is inside that house. He's looking. How else do you think on December 30th, just a couple of weeks later, he's able to manipulate. Going through that house quietly in the dark, in the middle of the. And he's able to find exactly where he needs to go, allegedly, to kill Monique and Spencer. He was there before.

[A]

You know what, Dave? I'm so glad you had the temperature. There is no way in H, double L that he sat in the backyard, that little bitty enclosure on that cold brick for three, four, five hours because it is on video. You cannot fight the video. The picture doesn't lie. Straight out to renowned psychoanalyst Joining us tonight, Dr. Bethany Marshall. She is the author of Deal Breaker. You can see her now on Peacock. You can find her at drbethanymarshall.com Dr. Bethany. Hours and hours in Monique's home. Let me just put it out there. How long do you think he spent in her underwear drawer?

[B]

You know, Nancy, he may have been there, in there in some kind of a sexual frenzy, sniffing her underwear, looking for evidence of whether or not she's been having sex with this guy, you know, her husband. You know, Nancy, he was in a rage, I am sure, before he entered that house. A jealous, jealous rage. Because as Dave Mack pointed out, he still believes that she is his wife. She belongs to him. So that means every little bit of evidence that she is with a new husband is going to elevate his anger and make him more dysregulated. Maybe it's looking at a nightie, a piece of lingerie, a negligee, maybe sniffing her underwear, maybe looking at a diary, maybe seeing a beautiful candle, maybe seeing a vibrator by the bed. Anything that speaks of sex, sex toys, anything like that is going to reinforce his belief that she is cheating on him. So what is he going to do? He's going to call her and he's going to demonstrate that he has some power over her. Perhaps he has read a line out of a diary. Perhaps he's discovered something. Perhaps there's something that he could use to humiliate her in some way and to reinforce that she is helpless. He is coming for her and there is nothing she can do. Every time she blocks his phone, he'll just pop up on another number. Every time she reinforces those doors, he'll get back inside. She tries to move to another state, he'll just buy the house next door. This is the kind of guy he is.

[A]

You know, just while you were talking, Dr. Bethany, I was thinking about the prison in which Monique had to live. She was constantly under fear that he was going to show up, that he was going to harm her. Now she has children. What about them? Now she has a husband. What about him? Are they in danger? She moves, she marries. That's a christening shot right there, I believe. You know, Dr. Bethany, I imagine what he's doing in there. Well, in addition to everything you said, but looking at wedding photos or looking. Going through the bathroom and finding her favorite perfume, maybe smelling it, looking at it, looking at her jewelry, just things that were reminiscent of her. You know how women very often they'll get attached to one perfume and they'll wear it their whole life, Right? That's their favorite. That or looking at her clothes and seeing maybe a sweater she had during their marriage. I don't know. But seeing the life. Look in the home. See that menage of photos that was were to her left? They have photos and keepsakes. They had the wedding. They were married in the same home in which they were murdered. And they have family pictures, keepsakes all over the inside of that home. It's not a house, it's a home. And if you look at his dating website, it says that he wants children, he wants a marriage. He never got that. And she did. And he is in there, literally just drinking it in. Have you ever seen somebody at a fancy restaurant and they order a very expensive bottle of wine and they.

[D]

Just.

[A]

Sniff it in, they drink it. In that moment, you think he laid on the bed and looked up at the ceiling and imagined them together there. I mean hours, Bethany, hours he spent in that home. And we know it to be true.

[B]

So if you think of the fact that he entered the home with the fantasy that she still belongs to him, that he's going to get that idealized life with her, that idealized marriage, that he's going to get her back. Not through love, not through sending flowers, but through having power over her, in intimidating her. You're right, Nancy. Every time he sees maybe a beautiful dress that she may have worn out on a date, maybe baby clothes that demonstrate that she has moved on, these are all nicks and cuts in his delusional belief system that they are going to get back together. As I've said so many times about stalkers, Nancy, stalker stalkers always imagine that they have a unique and special love relationship with the victim, even though there's no evidence to support that. So he goes in the home and he sees the baby clothes and it's like, what, she's had a baby. She was supposed to have a baby with me. Or, or he sees the perfume. She's wearing that perfume with another man. She wore that perfume with me. And, and Nancy, I am sure Monique is so demoralized and so panicked at this point. I do treat stalking victims, and by the time they get to my office, they're often in a major depressive episode because they've been made to feel so helpless and as if there is just absolutely no way out.

[A]

Aldous Hodge returns as Alex Cross, your favorite detective on television for season two of the hit show Cross, premiering February 11th exclusively on Prime Video. Critics call season one one of the year's best shows with over 40 million viewers worldwide. And on 2-11-20, the story continues with a new season from creator Ben Watkins. And based on characters created by James Patterson, cross is Washington, D.C. 's most brilliant homicide detective and forensic psychologist. Fresh off his capture of the infamous serial killer, the fanboy, Cross teams up with the FBI to hunt down a vigilante serial killer targeting corrupt billionaires. As the case unfolds, Cross navigates a moral crossroads where the lines between justice and vengeance are blurred. Cross is back and better than ever this season. Get ready for a new case. Higher stakes, but the same cross. Watch season two of Cross new episodes weekly starting February 11th only on Prime Video Crime Stories with Nancy Grace joining us tonight in addition to Yelena Mandenberg, Troy Slayton, Dave Mack and of course, Dr. Bethany Marshall. Dr. Thomas Coyne, truly an expert, the chief Medical Examiner, District 2 Medical Examiner's Office in the state of Florida. Never a lack of business there. Forensic pathologist, toxicologist, neuropathologist, Dr. Coyne, while we are talking about him, the vascular surgeon, which I need you to explain everybody, what is a vascular surgeon that's like the elite of the elite in the home, sniffing around, lurking, caught on video, staying in his ex wife's home for hours and hours. We're learning that from a careful reading of the affidavit and so much more I haven't even gotten to. But Dr. Coyne, I'm going to bring it down to what I would have to prove at trial that they were murdered That a silencer was used that has been traced back to him. I know you noticed that she was shot once. He, Spencer, was shot multiple times in their bed. What happened to them, Dr. Coyne? What did they live through medically?

[F]

Yeah, unfortunately, gunshot wounds, the torso can take some time for a person to actually lose consciousness. You know, if the bullet passes through the heart, even then, you're Talking about maybe 30 seconds or longer for blood loss to be significant enough to cause that person to lose consciousness. And so they would have been conscious at that time and probably in fear of their situation.

[A]

Do you think they would have felt what happened to them? Because obviously one was shot before the other. Spencer was shot multiple times. If he didn't die from the first gunshot wound, he would have felt that bullet ripped through his body.

[F]

You know, when we are in a state of shock, sometimes, you know, we're not as conscious of pain. But nevertheless, they should have been conscious, and they would have certainly felt the gunshot wounds. They would have felt the pressure and the pain from the bullet as it entered the body. And as they're losing blood internally, internal organs, they would have had definitely pain being referred from that area.

[A]

Dr. Thomas Coyne joining us out of Tallahassee. Dr. Coyne, I have reason to believe that Spencer tried to get out of the bed. I say that because when you listen to the original 911 call, well, there were so many. But when you listen to the friend that gets in the home and finds the dead bodies, they're up on the upper floor. He says Spencer at this point is beside the bed and there's blood everywhere. I think he tried to get out, tried to protect her, tried to fight back. So I think he knew what was happening. Dr. Coyne.

[F]

Yeah, it's quite possible, too. If the gunshot wound did not hit the spinal column, did not hit any vital structures, he could have certainly attempted to fight back, flee, move from the spot of injury until significant blood loss occurred and he lost consciousness.

[A]

Dr. Coyne, what exactly is a vascular surgeon?

[F]

It's a surgeon whose specialty is blood vessels. So, you know, they are the doctors or the surgeons who are called in to repair blood vessels, especially in cases of trauma, or they may be there to help do a bypass graft, let's say, on a person who has blockage from underlying blood vessel disease. So their specialty will be blood vessels, and very often they're called in to assist in other surgeries in which blood vessels are damaged or diseased.

[A]

Dr. Coyne, how much education did he have to become a vascular surgeon?

[F]

A lot. He would have had four years of medical school, and then he would have had a long surgical residency, sometimes between five and seven years, depending upon any subspecialty fellowships or additional specialized training that he may have had. But a very long, hard course.

[A]

And of course he made dean's list, honor roll, the works. He excelled in every area of his life. He played football at a very, very elite level. I think he played as a varsity starter in college. He began. He hit the headlines in the first grade with his academics and continued to do that. You know, I'm just thinking about how smart, how we really revere medical doctors, but yet this. I mean, when you were in medical school, I assume you were surrounded by brilliant people.

[F]

Sure. I mean, think of the, you know, even the athletes. You talk about him being an athlete. How many athletes are amazing on the field, but they're all fake? The field lives may not be, you know, as stellar and the same thing with surgeons or doctors. You know, they can be very focused when they're doing their job, the task at hand, but their personal lives may be completely out of control. And I don't know what area of, of psychology can speak to that. But, you know, certainly he would have been, you know, very dedicated and driven to complete his medical residency, surgical residency, and perform at that level. But once he stepped out of the hospital, you know, who knows?

[D]

I had quite a journey to get to you.

[A]

Countless bad bumble dates, wrong relationships, and waterfalls of tears. But it was worth every cringing second because it led me to you. Throughout all of this, I knew that God was guiding me to my person and that when I met him, it would be the most magical thing ever. And boy, is that an understatement. I finally found my lobster, and it honestly couldn't be a person with a more beautiful heart. I will love you forever. And I'm so lucky to be Mrs. Tepper. Michael McKee, the vascular surgeon. Multiple malpractice and claims against him. Something pushed him over the edge. Both of the tests. The puppies are dead. Spencer and Monique.

[B]

Spencer had been shot twice.

[D]

Monique once.

[A]

The children are orphans, they probably will remember the murders of their parents, friends and family.

[B]

Tell investigators how Monique's ex husband, McKee, had been abusive and made numerous threats on her life. During and after their marriage, McKee forces Monique into unwanted sex and strangulation. McKee tells Monique he can kill her anytime he wants. He will buy the house right next door to her, and she is always going to be his wife.

[A]

Well, that's certainly putting perfume on the pig, Dr. Bethany Marshall, forced her into unwanted sex. That means sex assaulted his own wife, probably when she tried to leave. That's the allegation.

[B]

And think about strangulation during unwanted forced sex. You are looking the victim in the eyes and kind of playing a cat and mouse game with them. So if he is starting to strangle her, she's trying to protest. He is up close and intimate with her pain and her anxiety. And he has the power to release the pressure. When she gasps for air and says, I'll do anything you want. I promise I'll never leave you. I'll never make you mad again. Then he applies the pressure again. This is a metaphor for what he's been doing for the last 10 years. Applying pressure, releasing it. Applying pressure. And remember, Nancy, when he's in that house, he is gathering evidence that she is with another man. It could be baby clothes, it could be sex toys. It could be a diary. It could be anything. And he is going to apply that pressure again. And with the kind of obsession that I believe he has, he needs to get rid of her so he can get rid of this. This painful way of operating in the world where all of his thoughts go to her. And there may be the sense that it would be a relief if she was no longer around.

[A]

Joining us is Yelena Mandenberg, as I mentioned, investigative reporter for the Mirror, the Irish Star and the Express. She has obtained a document. All along, we've thought that Spencer Tepe was shot multiple times and Monique was shot once. What did you find, Yelena?

[D]

Well, for the first time since we, since we heard about this case, it was one gunshot for Monique. But the affidavit for Monique now says that she was shot multiple times, which contradicts the first report. The arresting officer that signed it, Russell Weiner, he was the one that wrote this down. So I am working to double check this with the police department, but it's pretty obvious if it's right there in the affidavit. So now we get a new picture. Now, each have multiple gunshot wounds and are bleeding out.

[A]

You know, Yelena Mandenberg, I want to talk about the document that you've uncovered. If you look carefully at this document, you see that it was filed in the Last few days, January 11, 2026. On this document, it states, as Yolana Mandenberg is describing that purposefully, with prior calculation and design, which equals malice aforethought under the law, caused the death of another, verbatim, Monique Tepe, by shooting the victim multiple times with A firearm. This was filed in the Franklin County Municipal Court January 11, 2026, and uncovered by Yelena Mandenberg. Joining us now is professor of forensics, Jacksonville State University, author of Blood Beneath My Feet on Amazon, and star of a hit series podcast, Body Bags with Jo Scott Morgan. He has investigated over 10,000 death scenes. Accident, natural causes, suicide, unexplained, and of course, murder. What does this tell you? This is a bombshell because a lot of shrinks will go into, well, he was shot multiple times and she was shot only once. What does that mean? And they spin it out. Oh, no. Monique. Look at Monique. Show me Monique. This young mother of two who has her own master's degree, I might add, brilliant. On a search for love finds Mr. Right, not Mr. Right now Mr. Right. And they marry and they build a life. And she has these two beautiful children asleep in the room next to her. And then she has her body ripped apart in the middle of the night with her children next door. And bleeds out, multiple gunshot wounds. Joe Scott Morgan, Multiple, Yeah.

[G]

This is why you don't rely on what the police say about injuries. You rely upon what the coroner actually relates. And keep in mind the silence is deafening in that particular realm. They're going to know specifically, and this would have been, Nancy, just understand this is going to be a bloody mess. So if you're at the scene, right, and you have, you have multiple gunshot wounds, you're not going to be able to assess that at the scene. You're just not. And assess it accurately until you get the bodies back to the morgue, you can clean them up and document everything very thoroughly. That's why I always hedge my bets. If I don't hear something and it's relative to the injuries themselves, I ain't buying it until I hear it from the forensic pathologist, the coroner, the medical examiner, whoever it might be, this medical legal authority. So, yeah, you can, you can run, run as much as you want to with overkill and all these sorts of things, but let's rely on the physical evidence here. Begin to think about what kind of injuries they have. We need to know what the range of fire is which could potentially be impacted. Remember, we have heard that there is a suppressor involved in this case, and I think that that's, that could play into it. And can I say one more thing about our guest from earlier? He, he had mentioned, I think he's accurate about this, that you would not expect a surgeon, necessarily because of their lifestyle, to engage in this kind of behavior. That's really intense with stalking. I. I want to take a juxtaposition on this. I think because of financial resources that a surgeon brings to bear, you're going to be looking at high tech stuff with this guy. He's going to have the ability to do things that the average Joe on the street is not going to be able to do, relative to surveillance, acquisition of documents, being able to track people's movements and all this sort of thing. Because all you have to do is drop the cash and you can find somebody to facilitate this for you. I also want to know, because there have been other cases where they have engaged the services of a private investigator to seek people out and they can kind of do this work for you. And so I'd like to know if he had anybody else helping him track her down, find out where she is, her financials, anything that's going on in her life.

[A]

Joe Scott, you just opened up a Pandora's box of possibilities for the defense. I'm going to circle back to you on range of fire, but to Troy Slayton. Is that one of your worst nightmares? When you find out your client hired a PI private investigator to investigate your ex wife who's now happily married with children? There is no client PI privilege unless the PI is working for a legal team and then he becomes part of the lawyer client privilege. He. She. Can you imagine if that is correct, what Joe Scott Morgan just hypothesized, if he, Dr. McKee, hired a PI to track her down so he could go kill her, there's going to be reams and reams of files, of emails with Dr. McKee, of phone calls with Dr. McKee, of meetings with Dr. McKee, where he wants to find her, track her down, and find out about her life. Shudder, cry. If that's true, as any defense attorney.

[C]

Would do, once they find that out, it's not good. And it goes right to the heart of what the prosecution needs to prove, which we talked about earlier, which is showing under Ohio law, prior calculation and design, and that's what raises the case from second degree murder to the first degree aggravated murder. Now, it's also important to remember, though, that we don't have any eyewitness to this crime. Meaning there's no direct evidence.

[A]

I just choked. You mean other than ballistics match between the bullet and the gun he had he kept at home. He kept the gun. And by the way, tonight we're finding out. Troy, just throw this into your witches brew that he was armed at the time he was arrested. Armed. Not with a Murder weapon. Because that was found at his home. He was armed when he was arrested.

[C]

Now, that's not illegal.

[A]

A gun is better than a witness.

[C]

Called the Second Amendment, Nancy. It's not illegal to own a firearm. It's not illegal to carry a firearm.

[A]

How about if you use that firearm to murder two people?

[C]

Of course that's illegal, but we don't have any eyewitness to this crime, so, I mean, obviously, it looks like there's a lot of circumstantial evidence. And as you've explained to juries many times in the courtroom, circumstantial evidence can be just as good as direct evidence.

[A]

Okay, when you say there's no eyewitness, I submit that there is direct evidence. Which an eyewitness is not just circumstantial because a fingerprint or DNA or a ballistics match is direct evidence. Especially when you find out the defendant, Dr. Michael McKee, has the murder weapon in his keeping. Hey, I'll let you think about what you just said for a few minutes. Troy Slayton. And by the way, Troy Slayton has won a lot of cases making arguments just like that, somehow blurring the lines by arguing the Second Amendment right to kill people. Okay. Dr. Bethany, can I talk to you about the multiple gunshots that Monique Tepe sustained?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That means something that is probative. What does it prove?

[B]

Simmering resentment and rage. Rage that has been building ever since she left him. Nancy, we know women are at the greatest risk for homicide as they are leaving a marriage. A woman can be stalked by her husband while she is in a marriage. In fact, the majority of stalking happens during the marriage and not afterwards. So in his mind, client. He's been thinking about this for a long, long time, Nancy. And the fact that he's a surgeon. People who are this bright, who have this much accomplishment, advanced degrees and education, it becomes a thin veneer of sophistication that hides a very, very dark interior. But remember, he had all those malpractice suits, so he may have that doctor's lab coat. He may have all those degrees, he may have all of that. But underneath is a very, very messy and I'm dysregulated person. Which goes back to all the multiple gunshot room wounds. This was not just cold and methodical, it was that. But it was also rageful and dysregulated, too. He was triumphing over her. It was his final dominance and triumph.

[E]

There's a body. Our friend wasn't answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here and he appears dead. Okay. He's laying next to his bed, off of his bed, in his blood. I think he posted too. More than that. Okay, so you can tell he's obviously not breathing or anything. Yeah, yeah.

[F]

Is it like, how to like, like.

[E]

You know, does he look like. I can't look. Okay.

[C]

All right.

[E]

I understand.

[A]

Bombshell tonight. Buried deep, deep in court filings, we learn that Monique Tepe was shot multiple times. Not just Spencer, Monique as well, her children in the next room. I'm guessing he unloaded his weapon on these two out of rage, but what a trail he left for me to follow. Aldous Hodge returns as Alex Cross, your favorite detective on television for season two of the hit show Cross, premiering February 11th exclusively on Prime Video. Critics call season one one of the year's best shows with over 40 million viewers worldwide. And on February 11th, the story continues with a new season from creator Ben Watkins and based on characters created by James Patterson, cross is Washington, D.C. 's most brilliant homicide detective and forensic psychologist. Fresh off his capture of the infamous serial killer, the fanboy, Cross teams up with the FBI to hunt down a vigilante serial killer targeting corrupt billionaires. As the case unfolds, Cross navigates a moral crossroads where the lines between justice and vengeance blurred. Cross is back and better than ever this season. Get ready for a new case. Higher stakes, but the same cross. Watch season two of Cross, new episodes weekly starting February 11th, only on Prime Video. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.

[B]

McKee is spotted multiple times driving his silver silver SUV near Monique and Spencer's home before the murders. The vehicle has unique features, such as a sticker on a window and stolen Ohio license plate. The Registration for the SUV is linked to past addresses. McKee previously lived in the hospital where.

[A]

He worked to be such a brilliant vascular surgeon. Had he never heard of Caitlin Armstrong, the glam yoga teacher? There she is. She was caught on surveillance in her vehicle, going round and round. There she goes, round and round the domicile of her victim, Mariah Wilson, a world class dirt bike racer. Or if he didn't follow glam yoga teacher Caitlin Armstrong. Has he never heard of Bryan Kohberger, for Pete's sake? Oh, I hope I never see that face again. Remember how many times his white Elantra was caught circling round and round and round. Even caught on video. Same thing here. Dr. McKee's SUV is caught circling and circling Monique's home. Not just the night of the murders, but before that, many, many times. Like Caitlin Armstrong, like Brian Kohberger and then to make matters worse, his SUV is seized in the hospital parking lot while the good doctor is at work. Like that's not embarrassing. But to Yelena Mandenberg joining us, investigative reporter, the Mirror, the Irish Star, the Express. He had scraped off a very identifiable sticker in between the time of the murders and the time his car, his vehicle was seized. Tell me about it.

[D]

So there was an identifiable sticker. I'm not 100% sure what the sticker was. However, they found scrape marks, which was extremely obvious to police. However, the stolen Ohio license plate that he was driving around with. And sometimes he was switching off to fake Arizona license, which it seems like the temp tags because it says the SUV was bearing the Arizona temp tag. So would he create fake allegedly temporary registration and stick it to his vehicle thinking that police wouldn't notice or be able to track him just because he switched between licenses? It's very, very interesting considering what my investigations have uncovered about his past accusations and his past of getting out of crimes. There's very little problem with illegal behavior, even if he hasn't been convicted for it before. And granted, it's a.

[A]

You're talking about the prior lawsuits where one guy, one of his patients had a testicle amputated. I'll let you think about that for a few moments. Another one allegedly had a slice of a catheter stuck in his leg that caused, according to the lawsuit, disposal. Hey, Dave Mack, I want to follow up on what Yolana Mandenberg just told us. I understand his vehicle had a stolen Ohio license as well as displaying at the same time an Arizona license. Like that's not going to get the attention of the police. But think about Michelle Parker. Do you remember her? Dave Mack, Because I will never forget her. She was called the People Court mom. Yes. She's dead. And the reason I there she is on People's Court with her husband. They were arguing over an engagement ring. After this aired, within about seven or eight hours, she goes missing and her Hummer is found in a parking lot, an innocuous parking lot. And the decals on the Hummer have all been scraped off. Dave Mack, when Michelle's vehicle is found, all of that, that was one of her companies, she had multiple jobs, was scraped off so no one would identify her. Hummer parked in a big parking lot with hundreds of other cars. See the comparison. Dave Mack, tell me about Dr. McKee's vehicle.

[E]

Same thing here, Nancy. You know, I don't think people realize that when you scrape something off, you leave residue behind. And it's not just that sticker that he scraped off that was so obvious, Nancy. It's the cumulative effect of all of the things associated with that SUV that is directly tied to McKee. You've got the stolen Ohio license plate, you've got the Arizona temp tag, both tied to McKee or former employers. And then that sticker, you've got this sticker on the vehicle that is tracked on video. They can see it. It's right there. They know the location of the sticker. They know what it is. And then when they find his car in the parking lot in Rockford, Illinois, where he works. Oh, wait a minute. It's not there anymore. But we see the scrape marks where it was taken off in a hurry. So that's the shocking evidence. It's sitting right there for everybody to see. Here's the car. There it is in the neighborhood. Here it is without the sticker. Come on.

[A]

Vascular surgeon Dr. McKee allegedly shoots his ex wife and new dentist husband dead in their own beds, their children wailing in the background.

[G]

This family's life was completely wrecked. These people were butchered.

[A]

Joining us now a special guest, former police commander out of Albuquerque, domestic violence and stalking unit, author of Stop him from Killing Them, his website, Stop him from Killing Them. Paul Zeich joining us. Paul, this is your wheelhouse. Weigh in.

[H]

Well, in my 10 years of working domestic violence and stalking related threat mitigation cases, unfortunately, the reality is the victim is never completely in the clear. In this case, you have threats to kill. If you take stalking and threats to kill, you put them together, these are statements of future intent. When you're dealing with these types of individuals and future intent means it could be a week from now, it could be 10 years from now. And unfortunately, the lesson still has not been learned. And that is when these type of men who've decided life without you is not worth living, it's not a matter of if, it's when. And in this case, I think that's exactly what we ran into.

[A]

Paul Zeich joining us, domestic violence stalking expert. Paul, are you surprised that a guy as brilliant as Dr. Michael McKee must be would leave a trail a mile wide, would be caught on a neighbor's surveillance video, we think jumping the fence, which is the curtilage, and staying for hours in the home, Are you surprised he would make that, that very, very glaring error?

[H]

I'm not surprised at all in that moment. It's just very methodical. He's not really thinking about consequences really of any kind. And to be good at what he does, he needs to surveil, he needs to know how to get into the residence and the fact that he's there beforehand. That is just what stalkers do. In every stalking case we have where somebody ends up dead, we find out that the stalker knows a lot more information about the individuals that are murdered than we ever thought they knew. And I would not be very surprised at all in this case to find out that he has a lot more information and knew a lot more information than anyone thought that he was in possession of.

[A]

What do you mean by more information than we thought he possessed? You mean has he hacked into their email?

[H]

Well, you know, if somebody is obsessed to this point, and obviously they haven't moved on for years and years, what they're doing is they're gathering intelligence information, whether it's through a friend of a friend of a friend, social media, maybe gaining access through, you know, known shared or past passwords to get into, you know, email accounts. The ability to once fixated on someone to gather information about what they're doing and why they're doing it and where they're going to be next, and literally to methodically play this out is not a very hard thing to do. Most people don't do this because they have lives. The fact that he was a vascular surgeon, that's a conduct inhibitor that would have normally stopped this person from engaging in this behavior because they have a lot to lose. But it just goes to show you the evil that creeps into the stalking realm of criminality, where they just can't stop themselves. And once they've fixated on their target, and unfortunately this poor woman and her husband, there's not a lot you can do to stop them ahead of time unless you're way out in front of them. And clearly that did not happen in this case.

[A]

As we go to air tonight, the state is still building its case against Dr. Michael McKee and the double murders of Monique and Sarah Spencer Tepe as is the defense, if you know or think you know anything about this case, even if you think it's Inconsequential, please dial 614-645-2228. Repeat, 614-645-2228. We remember an American hero, Sergeant Corey Ride, Utah County Sheriff's shot in the line of duty after 19 years of service, leaving behind wife turned widow, Nanette and five children. American hero, Sergeant Corey Ride, Nancy Grace, signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an Iheart podcast.

[D]

Guaranteed human.