Podcast Summary:

Drop Dead Serious with Ashleigh Banfield
Episode: Ohio Murder Mystery Turns More Disturbing as Crime Scene Clues Surface | Spencer & Monique Tepe
Date: January 24, 2026

Overview

This episode, hosted by veteran crime reporter Ashleigh Banfield, delves into the ongoing investigation of the murders of Spencer and Monique Tepe in Columbus, Ohio. The allegedly double homicide—where the couple was shot while their children slept upstairs—has shocked the nation. Banfield discusses emerging details from the initial crime scene, forensic perspectives on intimate partner homicide, and the suspect's psychology with forensic criminologist Dr. Laura Petler.

The focus is both on the prosecution’s case (including the recent arraignment of Dr. Michael McKee, Monique's ex-husband and a vascular surgeon), and on the crucial role of crime scene analysis in unraveling what happened, why, and what it reveals about the perpetrator.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Legal Latest: Arraignment and Charges

• Arraignment Details:

  • Dr. Michael McKee appeared via video for arraignment on five counts (four of aggravated murder, one aggravated burglary); not guilty pleas entered ([01:07]–[05:12]).
  • Four counts of aggravated murder diversify the case:
    • Use of a firearm with a silencer and premeditation.
    • Felony murder via burglary ("insurance" if the jury sees the scenario differently).
  • Defense attorney Diane Manashi, noted for high-profile acquittals, is representing McKee.

• Banfield’s Take:

  • "They've got basically an insurance policy. If the jury doesn't agree it was premeditated, well, you could always go to the fact that know there was a burglary." ([01:53])

First Responder Evidence: The 911 Call

• The Call’s Raw Impact:
  • A friend discovering Spencer Tepe’s body during a wellness check, breathless and traumatized ([05:44]).
  • Key details: blood, body "off his bed, in his blood," unable to approach or confirm more.
  • Banfield underlines its evidentiary importance: "It captures something very important—the moment before the investigation actually begins" ([07:06]).

Forensic Analysis: Expert Interview with Dr. Laura Petler

The Victims, Scene, and Sequence

• Dr. Petler’s Methodology:

  • Begins with 911 call observations—first pristine view of the scene.
  • Priority on rigorous documentation, expectation of needing advanced bloodstain and shooting reconstruction.
  • Early and thorough victimology leads to understanding the crime scene and later, the "suspectology" ([13:28]).

• What the Evidence Can Reveal:

  • Crime scene tells a story: physical positions, sequence of deaths, possible torture, and behaviors.
  • Parallels with classic domestic/intimate partner homicides; focus on power, control, and anger ([16:38]).

• Quote:

  “Objective science makes sure that you investigate every single possible way you can think of that it could possibly happen.” —Dr. Laura Petler ([14:57])

The Psychology of the Crime

• Domestic Violence Context:

  • Petler classifies the case as intimate partner homicide rooted in “conflict resolution” for the perpetrator ([19:12]).
  • The trigger is often long-standing resentment or a recent provocation, culminating in violence.

• Murder as Resolution:

  “In this particular type of homicide, there’s always a trigger... and in this case, it culminated in pulling a trigger and shooting two people in their home.” —Dr. Laura Petler ([16:38])

• The ‘Benefit’:

  • Offender’s satisfaction and power over the victims.
  • Not about prolonged interaction—firearm choice provides distance and “keeps it clean.”

Reconstruction and Scene Analysis

• Technical Reconstruction:

  • Petler describes using systems (her own Kaleidoscope method) with forensic mannequins and lasers to reconstruct events, assess shooter/victim positions, and bloodspatter ([22:27]).
  • Rock-solid documentation needed to recreate scene for court and investigation.

• Debate: Methodical or Chaotic?

  • Banfield and Petler speculate on whether there was more psychological torment (e.g., forcing one to see the other die) or a swift execution. Petler leans towards a quick, rage-fueled ambush, not a prolonged event ([30:27]).

  “I imagine an offender walking in there and shooting them probably while they…” —Dr. Laura Petler ([30:27])

  • Multiple shots to Spencer suggest he may have struggled or been the primary threat ([35:21]).
  • Physical movement after being shot is feasible; anecdotal parallels with other cases.

The Children & Additional Observations

• Children Left Alive:

  • The killer deliberately spared the children, isolating targets, showing anger wasn’t directed at them ([43:02]).
  • Petler suggests it's “very, very good” they weren’t targeted, but their endangerment may be considered an aggravating factor ([45:13]).

  “He separated the targets from innocent people. In his mind, you know, he didn’t see the children as being the targets. He wasn’t angry with the children.” —Dr. Laura Petler ([43:02])

• Entry to the Home:

  • Likely simple—possibly by utilizing a door code or inside knowledge, not an elaborate or dramatic break-in ([45:55]).
  • Banfield theorizes use of family birthdays for code ([47:58]); Petler agrees, “I think it is absolutely a very simple thing that… I don’t think it’s going to be really complicated.” ([48:24])

• The Suspect’s Medical Background:

  • The suspect’s anatomical knowledge and comfort with blood are noted; as a vascular surgeon, he would know precisely how to inflict fatal wounds ([50:27]).

  “He also understands anatomy and where to shoot somebody... I mean, a surgeon especially is going to understand blood pressure.” —Dr. Laura Petler ([50:27])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the 911 Call:

  “That phone call is really raw, and it captures something very important—the moment before the investigation actually begins.”
  —Ashleigh Banfield ([07:06])

• On the Offender’s Mindset:

  “This is conflict resolution for the offender... What is the conflict? So we always ask three questions when we’re talking about staged murder. And this is not staged, but... who is in conflict with the victim, and what is that conflict?”
  —Dr. Laura Petler ([19:12])

• On Forensic Reconstruction:

  “We use something that I invented called the Kaleidoscope crime scene reconstruction system... we would be using lasers.... show a jury, you know, exactly—not... down to the millimeter—but an area, a range of where that shooter was standing or sitting... and then per shot you can reconstruct that to get a glimpse of the event.”
  —Dr. Laura Petler ([22:27])

• On Power and Control:

  “There was a lot of benefit to this death. It gave him power and control.... It’s a very intimate thing to take someone’s life, and they kind of own that about a victim for— for eternity.”
  —Dr. Laura Petler ([41:33])

• On the Children:

  “He separated the targets from innocent people. In his mind, you know, he didn’t see the children as being, as being the targets. He wasn’t angry with the children. They, they didn’t have anything to do with it. Which is, you know, very, very good, you know, that the children were not involved.”
  —Dr. Laura Petler ([43:02])

• On the Entrance Method:

  “A lot of times in any murder case... people can get really lost in the minutia of what is so obvious... For me, I don't think it’s… going to be anything out of the ordinary or… something really crazy.”
  —Dr. Laura Petler ([45:55])

Key Timestamps

• [01:07] — Banfield sets the stage: case details, the suspects, courtroom recap
• [05:44] — Excerpts of the raw 911 call are played
• [12:18] — Dr. Laura Petler joins for forensic deconstruction
• [13:28] — Petler outlines initial investigative steps and the importance of victimology
• [16:38] — Deep dive on the psychology and forensic reconstruction of intimate partner murders
• [19:12] — Conflict/benefit framework applied to the alleged offender
• [22:27] — Technical discussion: laser and mannequin reconstruction of crime scenes
• [30:27] — Petler speculates offender likely “walked in and shot them while they slept”
• [35:21] — Discussion on physical responses to being shot, possible movement, and case parallels
• [43:02] — Understanding the sparing of children and the psychology behind it
• [45:55] — Speculation on how the killer gained entry—likely with door code
• [50:27] — Offender’s medical expertise discussed as relevant to method and outcome

Conclusion

Ashleigh Banfield and Dr. Laura Petler’s conversation offers a deep forensic and psychological breakdown of the Tepe double homicide, emphasizing the importance of victim and suspect profiles, crime scene science, and the “simple but powerful” ways perpetrators act. The discussion demystifies some of the more lurid speculative elements circulating online, while providing expert insight on how crime scenes “speak” to those who know how to listen. Banfield promises future updates as more forensic and court details emerge.

For listeners:
This episode is essential for understanding not just the facts of the Tepe case, but also the critical methods modern investigators use to read a crime scene, the mind of the perpetrator, and the story left behind when violence shatters the everyday safety we take for granted.