True Crime Garage – "The Tepe Murders" ////// Ep. 900

Release Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Nic & The Captain

Overview

In this gripping episode, Nic and the Captain turn their investigative lens toward a harrowing double homicide that left Columbus, Ohio—and the hosts themselves—shaken. "The Tepe Murders" covers the late December 2025 killing of Spencer and Monique Tepe—a well-liked, accomplished young couple murdered in their home. The case is shocking not just for its brutality, but for its unnerving intimacy, the absence of an obvious motive, and the survival of the couple’s two young children.
Listeners are treated to a meticulous breakdown of the crime, the ensuing investigation, rampant community speculation, and its devastating impact on Columbus. The story accelerates with the arrest of Monique’s ex-husband, Michael David McKee—a case where technology, forensics, and painstaking detective work intersect with raw human tragedy and local fears.

Key Discussion Points & Timeline

1. Discovery of the Murders

• 9:03am, December 30, 2025:
  • Spencer Tepe fails to show for work. Concerned co-workers initiate a wellness check.
  • His reliability is emphasized:
    • “He is always on time and he would contact us if there’s any issues whatsoever” — Concerned Caller, [04:38]
• 9:22am:
  • Police conduct a wellness check, mistakenly visit the wrong residence, and leave.
    • “Columbus PD has been upfront about this, that when responding to the first request for a wellness check at the home, they would later say that they went to the wrong house and left.” — Nic, [11:16]
• 9:57am–10:05am:
  • Multiple friends arrive, report hearing children inside.
  • A friend sees Spencer’s body through the window—police return immediately.
    • “We can hear kids inside and I swear I think I heard one yell, but we can’t get in at this point.” — Caller, [05:09]
    • “There’s a body.” — Caller, [05:54]
    • “He appears dead. He’s laying next to his bed, off of his bed, in his blood.” — Caller, [06:12]

2. Background: Who Were the Tepes?

• Spencer: 37, dentist, described as dedicated and reliable.
• Monique: 39, early childhood educator, described as warm, loving, and “playfully goofy.”
• Married in 2020, built a close, inviting home in the revitalized but historic Weinland Park neighborhood of Columbus.

3. Crime Scene & Initial Investigation

• Both found shot to death upstairs; their children (ages 1 and 4) and dog unharmed.
• Casts immediate doubt on a murder-suicide:
  • “Once there’s no weapon anywhere to be found, you can kind of rule that out.” — Captain, [15:32]
• No signs of forced entry; no murder weapon left behind.
• Home security and city crime cameras nearby, with no immediate leads.

4. Neighborhood & Community Impact

• Weinland Park’s history: From high-crime “no-go” zone to a gentrifying, family-centric area.
  • “This is a neighborhood with a complicated past, let’s say… But transformation began in earnest... more eyes on the streets, more families, you get more stability. The neighborhood got safer because there were more people.” — Nic, [21:17]
• The shock: The couple was well-known and their murder spurred community-wide concern and speculation.
  • “This case resonated here and beyond Columbus because… the absence of a clear motive creates a sense of deep unease” — Nick, [25:24]

5. Police Strategy & Clues

• Timeline of murders narrowed to between 2am and 5am.
• Three 9mm shell casings at the scene; no evidence of robbery.
• Release of video footage showing a lone “person of interest” in the alley near the home during the critical time window.
  • “The most significant public clue at this point…was a short piece of surveillance footage… a lone figure walking through the alley beside or behind the Tepe home during that exact window…” — Nic, [29:57]

6. Speculation & Notorious Theories

• No signs of forced entry led to speculation:
  • Did the killer have the door code?
  • Family member? Jilted lover? Random robbery?
• Social media and local forums amplified theories:
  • “We have pictures of them on their wedding. We have pictures, family pictures…so you have good source material to get out there. I think it’s human nature to go, well, they look like a success…Which one of them caused this?” — Captain, [38:40]
  • “We want to know who killed them, but we also want to know the why.” — Captain, [39:37]

7. Break in the Case: The Arrest of Michael David McKee

• January 10: McKee (Monique’s ex-husband, vascular surgeon, residing in Illinois) is arrested.
  • Surveillance and traffic cameras traced a unique vehicle between Rockford, IL and the Tepe home, matching his known vehicle.
  • Forensic ballistic matches connect a gun found at McKee’s property to the crime scene.
    • “Investigators tracked a vehicle that appeared near the victim’s home just before the killings and then left shortly afterwards.” — Nick, [48:46]
    • “They retrieved a gun that they believe has matched ballistically to the crimes as well.” — Captain, [54:54]
• Surveillance video: Police express 100% certainty that McKee is the individual caught on the security footage.
  • “She gave a press conference… she seemed happy to deliver the information that ‘Yeah, scientifically it’s telling us [the gun] is the murder weapon.’” — Nick, [61:06]

8. Profile & Motive

• McKee: Prestigious medical background but possible recent personal and financial struggles.
• Community and family believe McKee was deeply resentful and possibly obsessed with Monique and her new family.
  • “He kind of viewed himself as a failure. And I think he was putting the blame on her.” — Captain, [59:47]
• Motive presumed to be targeted, domestic—rooted in jealousy and lingering animosity.

9. Legal Developments & Next Steps

• McKee faces aggravated murder and burglary charges, plus firearm specifications.
• Extradited to Ohio, pending arraignment in Franklin County.
  • “What remains the date to be known… scheduled for this arraignment hearing in Franklin County…” — Nick, [65:39]
• Community and families grateful for law enforcement diligence; focus now on trial and support for the Tepe children.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the couple’s reputation:
  “…the story of the victims… Spencer, Monique Tepe. They were well known, they were well liked.” — Nick, [25:24]
• About the neighborhood’s transformation:
  “…the neighborhood got safer because there were more people. Today, Weinland Park is home to restaurants and small businesses. This symbol of a neighborhood that has worked hard to redefine itself.” — Nick, [21:17]
• On the haunting nature of the crime:
  “There is something uniquely haunting about a crime that unfolds quietly in the dead of night, leaving no witnesses, no clear motive, and no forced entry. It suggests familiarity or confidence. It suggests planning.” — Nick, [41:31]
• On community speculation:
  “I think some people…see this narrative that is being presented. And then you wonder, is that a true narrative or was that a facade?” — Captain, [40:53]
• On the break in the case:
  “...we have narrowed the killings to a three hour window between 2 am and 5 am on December 30, 2025. They also say there were no signs of forced entry, no weapon recovered, and no evidence of robbery. The scene was intimate, deliberate, and deeply unsettling.” — Nick, [29:01]
• On modern policing:
  “They’re creating a trail of the known movements of this vehicle… Arriving shortly before we believe they were killed, leaving shortly after... That’s if he’s not the killer. It’s one hell of a coincidence.” — Nick, [51:35]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [03:32–07:53] | Discovery of the Crime & Initial Response
• [07:56–15:32] | Victim Background & Residence
• [15:57–21:17] | Investigation: Crime Scene, Community Shock
• [24:57–27:15] | Motives, Impact & Community Unease
• [29:01–35:57] | Window of Violence, Surveillance Video, Person of Interest
• [38:40–46:36] | Internet Speculation, 911 Call from Earlier in Year, PD Transparency
• [46:36–56:13] | Break in the Case, Arrest of Michael McKee, Forensic Links
• [56:13–65:39] | Charges, Motive, Digital Evidence, Next Steps
• [65:39–66:59] | Case Significance, Final Thoughts

Conclusion & Tone

Nic and the Captain bring their characteristic mix of empathy, dark humor, and clear-eyed analysis to an especially somber case close to home. They emphasize the calculated, chilling nature of the crime, the heartbreak for the children left behind, and the power of community response in both speculation and support.
The episode is heavy with both procedural detail and emotional gravity, offering armchair detectives a full picture—from the first 911 call to the mechanics of the arrest, rumors, and insight into the darkness that sometimes moves through even the safest-seeming neighborhoods.

For continued updates on the Tepe case and upcoming trial coverage, subscribe to True Crime Garage and connect via social media.