Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: "Torpedo Hits Monster-Surgeon: Fake Alibi Busted, Wife & New Hubby Murdered in Bed"
Release Date: January 27, 2026

Overview

In this gripping episode, Nancy Grace investigates the chilling case of Dr. Michael McKee, a renowned "monster surgeon" now accused of murdering his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her new husband in their bed. The episode delves into McKee's unraveling alibi, the psychology behind his actions, digital evidence, and the aftermath for the victims and suspect alike. Featuring interviews with crime reporters, forensic experts, psychologists, a defense attorney, and an ex-girlfriend of the accused, the episode offers a multi-perspective breakdown of the investigation and looming trial.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fake Alibi and How Police Caught On

[01:36–04:55]

• Dr. McKee claimed to be sleeping at his hospital for the entire night of the murders (December 30th) and left his phone there as evidence.
• Investigators quickly suspected the alibi, as McKee’s phone was stationary in a hospital cot for 14 hours, while video surveillance indicated otherwise.
• Yelena Mandenberg (investigative reporter): “He left his phone, which we assume…was so it doesn’t ping off the cell phone towers, and so everything looks legit. However, all investigators had to do was probably check the video feed…” [04:21]
• Nancy Grace sharply criticized the “idiotically obvious” staged alibi, mocking McKee’s intelligence as “an honor student … an honor student in med school, becomes a vascular surgeon … and he blurts out a fake alibi. Idiot.” [03:18]

2. Expert Analysis on Outsmarting the System

[05:44–06:54]

• Defense attorney Randy Kessler noted that intellect alone doesn’t equal criminal cunning: “There’s nothing that replaces years of experience…there’s something about experience, and … he hasn’t lived it and he hasn’t been in it. And looks like that’s going to be his downfall.” [06:16]
• Joseph Scott Morgan (forensics professor): Speculated premeditation, emphasizing deliberate action in leaving his phone and driving a familiar route without GPS. “If there is a stalker element, he’s going to know this like the back of his hand…he might leave this [the phone] alone…” [11:32]
• Psychologist Dr. John de la Torre discussed the behavioral chain, stating, “There’s an inherent behavioral chain that … it’s instinctive for us to just grab [our phone]. So what that tells me is that he felt more inclined to engage in the behaviors that he wanted to engage in, such as making this drive…” [14:26]

3. Video Evidence & Surveillance

[15:33–17:39]

• Surveillance and doorbell cams captured a figure believed to be McKee skulking in an alley behind the victims’ house around 3–4am.
• Nancy Grace stressed the importance of local knowledge: “Now who would know about that [private alley] other than somebody that lived there, other than somebody that knew that route?” [15:33]
• Dave Mack (crime reporter): Police traced the person on video directly to a car belonging to Dr. McKee, compounding evidence against him [20:45].

4. Physical Changes & Steroid Use Allegations

[21:42–23:25, 52:16–53:42]

• Discussion of McKee’s changed appearance: dating app photo versus in-court look – suspicions of steroid use for rapid muscle gain.
• Joseph Scott Morgan explained that steroid abuse can cause psychological effects including paranoia and aggression: “…over long term use…you’re talking about things that make people a bit delusional. They can be highly reactive. They can actually have a certain level of paranoia...” [52:26]
• Randy Kessler dismissed steroid use as a viable defense: “If his defense is, I did it but I was on steroids, I think his defense is, I didn’t do it, so make steroids irrelevant.” [53:21]

5. Personal Relationships & Red Flags

[25:14–37:10]

• Play of Monique Tepe’s wedding vows highlights the deep loss: “Throughout all of this, I knew that God was guiding me to my person… I finally found my lobster, and it honestly couldn’t be... a person with a more beautiful heart." [23:53–24:27]
• McKee’s ex-girlfriend (a doctor herself) describes him as emotionally distant, with a story of being “abandoned” by Monique that contradicts the divorce records, implying manipulative behavior.
• On parents: "He did tell me he was adopted by an older couple … but he just never talked about them. He never talked to them.” [31:28]
• Dr. John de la Torre (psychologist) flags this as a sign of deeper personality issues: “Relationships that you have with your parents are … the prototypes for the relationships that you have with other people… that’s a red flag.” [32:28]
• Shallow affect and inability to connect may reflect psychopathy: “One of the biggest things that we look at when it comes to the psychopathy checklist is shallow affect … you can mimic emotions … but you can’t connect with them, one human being to the next.” [37:38]

6. The Jailhouse – Luxury for a Killer?

[39:23–50:15]

• Yelena Mandenberg describes the new, luxurious corrections center (James A. Carnes Corrections Center) where McKee is held: “brand new, billion dollars… mostly looks like a rehab center” with natural lighting, Gatorade stations, and a biophilic design.
• Nancy Grace expresses outrage at the facility’s comfort: “…he’s got more space than Spencer and Monique have. They’re in a coffin now.” [49:37]
• Dr. Duane Hendricks (former warden) explains the facility is designed to reduce violence and aid rehabilitation, not necessarily to reward inmates: “you’re trying to reduce the amount of mental… toll that it takes on those individuals…” [46:17]

7. Clerical Error as Possible Murder Catalyst

[53:42–54:46]

• Dave Mack reveals a clerical error in the divorce docket may have reignited Dr. McKee’s rage, placing an old divorce case erroneously back on the calendar for a 2025 hearing – possibly triggering the murder spree.
• “Court officials have confirmed that this error … resulted in the McKee divorce case getting a hearing… This brought everything back to the forefront for McKee because this was settled in 2017, and here it is in 2025 being brought up.” [53:51]

8. Legal Outlook & Next Steps

[54:46–55:37]

• McKee pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial; prosecutors and defense are preparing their cases, but a trial date is not yet set.
• Yelena Mandenberg: “The prosecutor is going to have a tough time filling in the little holes… there’s no trial date set so far. He just entered the not guilty plea and we’re going to wait to find when there is a trial date.” [54:46]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Nancy Grace on the absurdity of the fake alibi:
  “He left his cell phone in his cot, his overnight cot, at the hospital for 14 hours. Wakey, wakey, McKees. Time to get up. 14 hours.” [07:29]
• Dave Mack on the critical evidence:
  “His phone being left in a cot for 14 hours kind of fits into the rest of the premeditation of this case.” [09:39]
• Dr. John de la Torre on McKee’s compulsive behavior:
  “This is a singular goal. That’s the only thing that’s driving this individual…so he can complete one particular goal…and in this instance it’s making that drive to his ex wife’s place.” [14:26]
• Dr. John de la Torre on emotional shallowness:
  “There is no real ability to connect to other people because he views them as just simple broken things that he knows how to fix or things that he knows how to break…” [36:12]
• Ex-girlfriend's chilling relief:
  “The reason why it ended was I honestly wasn’t feeling it…he was just kind of boring and he was very much like surface level. There was no…deep connection…he had a wall up where he just like could not go deep…” [35:04]
• Nancy Grace's reminder of the victims:
  “The reason you are here. The reason I am here. It’s about Monique and Spencer Tepe. That’s what it’s about.” [51:12]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:36] – Introduction to the case; fake alibi and police doubts.
• [03:29] – Dave Mack outlines the timeline of events and McKee's hospital story.
• [04:21] – Yelena Mandenberg explains how the alibi failed.
• [06:16] – Defense attorney Kessler’s perspective on "outsmarting" the system.
• [11:32] – Joseph Scott Morgan on phone evidence and premeditation.
• [14:26] – Psychologist Dr. de la Torre on behavioral observations.
• [15:33] – Surveillance footage and knowledge of the crime scene.
• [23:53] – Monique Tepe’s wedding vows (audio).
• [25:14] – McKee’s ex-girlfriend recounts her relationship with him.
• [31:28] – Ex-girlfriend describes his lack of family contact.
• [36:12] – Dr. de la Torre analyzes McKee’s interpersonal limitations.
• [39:23] – McKee’s life in the new Franklin County jail.
• [46:17] – Dr. Hendricks discusses jail design and rehabilitation.
• [53:42] – Clerical court error as catalyst for violence.
• [54:46] – Next legal steps; trial preview.

Tone & Language

Throughout the episode, Nancy Grace maintains her trademark sharp, inquisitive, and at times sarcastic tone, directly questioning guests and holding the audience’s focus on the cruelty and senselessness of the crime. The panelists present a mix of clinical analysis, legal realism, and investigative rigor, mirroring the high-intensity style of true crime commentary.

Conclusion

Nancy Grace and her expert panel dissect the disturbing story of Dr. Michael McKee, whose calculated efforts to fabricate an alibi and evade justice ultimately unraveled under basic police work, digital evidence, and a pattern of manipulative relationships. Emotional testimonies from those who knew the victims, deep psychological analysis, and speculation regarding the triggers and aftermath immerse listeners in the tragic consequences of interpersonal violence and the meticulous path to legal reckoning ahead. The episode closes with a stark remembrance of Monique and Spencer Tepe, ensuring the victims remain front and center.