Podcast Summary: Drop Dead Serious with Ashleigh Banfield

Episode: DISTURBING: Family Says Jilted Surgeon Threatened To Kill Ex-Wife Before Brutal Ohio Double Murders
Date: January 14, 2026
Host: Ashleigh Banfield

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ashleigh Banfield examines the shocking double murder of Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer Tepe in Columbus, Ohio—a case now focused on Monique's ex-husband, Dr. Michael McKee, a well-regarded vascular surgeon recently arrested for the crime. Drawing from decades of true crime reporting, Banfield delves beyond the headlines, exploring family secrets, ignored red flags, and the growing body of circumstantial and digital evidence. The episode includes interviews with true crime podcaster Gigi McKelvey, criminologist Dr. Laura Pettler, and retired homicide detective Phil Waters, offering expert insights into the investigation, psychological dynamics, and the search for motive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background on the Double Murder and Suspect

• Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer were found murdered in their own home; their children were present but unharmed.
• For 11 days, police had no suspect—then Monique's ex-husband, Dr. Michael McKee, was arrested.
• Red Flag: Their marriage was quick and ended almost as quickly, a decade ago. Despite his professional record being spotless, disturbing reports are now emerging about the relationship.
  (03:35)

2. Family Reveals History of Threats and Abuse

• Banfield reports that Monique's family deliberately withheld suspicions early on to avoid jeopardizing the investigation, but are now sharing alarming stories:
  • Dr. McKee allegedly threatened Monique's life multiple times during their marriage.
  • He was emotionally abusive, with trauma still affecting Monique years later.
• Quote:
  • “She was terrified because he had threatened her life on multiple occasions when they were married.” — Rob Mizla (Monique’s brother-in-law) (26:02)
  • “She wasn’t shy about talking… how emotionally abusive he was to her. It affected her to this day.” — Rob Mizla (26:18)

3. Hints in Wedding Vows and Emotional Aftermath

• Banfield highlights Monique’s wedding vows to Spencer, finding them “curious” and emotional in hindsight—especially as Monique referenced "wrong relationships" and "waterfalls of tears" before finding happiness.
• Quote:
  • “Countless bad Bumble dates, wrong relationships and waterfalls of tears. But it was worth every cringing second because it led me to you.” — Monique Tepe (Wedding Vows, played at (27:16))
• Banfield and expert Dr. Laura Pettler interpret these words and tears as possible allusions to trauma left by her previous marriage.

4. Expert Insights: Profiling the Suspect and Victims

• Gigi McKelvey (Pretty Lies & Alibis podcast) discusses the unusual nature of an ex-spouse allegedly committing murder so many years after a short marriage:
  • Quote:
    • "Jealousy and rage is such a powerful emotion… Did he just never get over her?" (21:09)
  • McKee had no apparent social or dating life post-divorce, and almost no online presence.
  • Multiple out-of-state medical licenses—explained as routine for professionals, not necessarily suspicious.
• Dr. Laura Pettler (forensic criminologist):
  • Death threats in intimate partner relationships are “a huge warning sign” and strongly correlate with future violence.
  • Quote:
    • "Murder is conflict resolution for the offender… It resolves an internal conflict that's going on inside the offender." (31:14)
  • Emotional growth and gratitude in Monique’s vows likely point to overcoming deep trauma.

5. The Digital and Investigative Trail

• Banfield stresses how, in modern investigations, long drives leave heavy digital footprints:
  • Toll booths, license plate readers, credit cards, even cell phone data can reconstruct the trip.
  • Long road trips (Chicago/Rockford to Columbus—12-14 hours roundtrip) mean plenty of surveillance.
  • She draws parallels to other famous cases (e.g., Brian Kohberger, Melanie McGuire, Jodi Arias), emphasizing how killers are often undone by overlooked digital evidence (33:32).

6. Law Enforcement and Behavioral Analysis

• Phil Waters (retired homicide detective):
  • Criminals believe darkness or avoidance tactics will conceal them, but digital evidence is pervasive.
  • Routes taken and routes avoided in travel can reveal intent to avoid detection and are critical in homicide investigations.
  • The psychology of the drive home: murderers may dissociate, feel powerful, rationalize their actions, but the evidence often catches up with them.
  • Quote:
    • “It's the same kind of high that Tom Cruise gets when he launches off a mountainside on a motorcycle. It is the adrenaline rush, the dopamine, everything that happens in a moment of thrill, that's what he's experiencing.” (44:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the marriage’s warning signs:
  “No one at the wedding would have seen this… it wouldn't have stood out… But Monique’s wedding vows were very, very curious in retrospect.”
  — Ashleigh Banfield (05:19)

• On the investigation’s digital trail:
  “Navigation apps record every turn that we make. Google Maps leaves a popcorn trail wherever you go. … Toll booths, license plate readers, gas stations—they all have eyes.”
  — Ashleigh Banfield (33:32)

• On what drives offenders:
  “Murder is conflict resolution for the offender. … It resolves an internal conflict… That’s how they continue to relocate that emotional, cathartic execution over and over and over again.”
  — Dr. Laura Pettler (31:14)

• On the killer’s psychology during the drive home:
  “He is further justifying everything that… he did if in fact it was him. And I can’t imagine how hard he would crash…”
  — Ashleigh Banfield (45:29)

Important Timestamps

• [03:35] — Introduction of the key players and puzzling aspects of the murder
• [11:14] — Family confirms prior threats toward Monique by Dr. McKee
• [21:03] — Gigi McKelvey’s insights into McKee’s profile, possible motives
• [26:02] — Rob Mizla reveals emotional abuse and life threats
• [27:16] — Monique's emotional wedding vows to her second husband
• [28:47] — Dr. Laura Pettler on threats as warning signs in domestic homicide
• [31:14] — Criminological interpretation of murder as conflict resolution
• [33:32] — Banfield’s rundown of the investigatory digital trail
• [40:22] — Phil Waters on suspects’ sense of invisibility during crimes
• [44:05] — Behavioral patterns post-crime and the mental state of murderers

Listener Engagement & Final Thoughts

• Banfield encourages listeners to share their theories and reactions, emphasizing the community’s role in developing new angles for investigation.
• The story is still unfolding as more digital and forensic evidence comes to light. Banfield promises follow-up episodes focused on emerging investigations, including analysis of physical, digital, and psychological clues.

Tone & Style:
Banfield maintains a deeply engaged, irreverent yet analytical approach—balancing empathy for victims with incisive, sometimes personal, investigative commentary. The episode mixes emotional storytelling, factual breakdowns, and expert insight, making the podcast approachable but thorough for true crime enthusiasts.

Suggested Next Episode Themes:

• Deeper dive into digital forensics and evidence in the case
• The psychological legacy of intimate partner violence
• Jury perceptions in cases involving professionals as defendants