The Chicago man accused of killing an Ohio dentist and his wife now faces extradition from Illinois as authorities continue to gather evidence and attempt to determine a motive for the double murder.
Michael David McKee, 39, of Chicago, faces two counts of aggravated murder with premeditation. McKee was the ex-husband of Monique Tepe, 39, who was found shot to death with her husband, Spencer, 37, on Dec. 30, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
McKee's arrest came 11 days after the bodies were found, after police were able to track a vehicle that was parked in the area of the crime scene to Rockford, Illinois. McKee worked in Rockford as a vascular surgeon OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Police have thus far shared little in terms of any evidence they have against McKee.
The 11-day gap between the crime and the arrest could create challenges for prosecutors, former prosecutor Matt Murphy told News Nation. "This guy was a vascular surgeon, right? So he's heard of DNA before," Murphy told the network. "He's got 11 days to clean things. But also for the vast majority of murders, it is the killer's first rodeo. And if you think about anything you've done for the first time, and you think about all the mistakes, especially this is what's known as a double. Actually, it's a domestic violence, double homicide."
The Columbus Dispatch reported that McKee and Monique Tepe were married from 2015 to 2017. The divorce petition was filed in May and granted one month later. The couple had no children.
CNN noted that there was nothing in the filing to indicate that it was contentious at the time. Defense attorney and legal analyst Joey Jackson said prosecutors will likely dig to find out what might have led a surgeon to drive hundreds of miles to commit such a crime nine years after the divorce was final.
"Most people want to know why a person might have acted that way," Jackson told CNN. "So even though a motive is not an element of the crime, meaning you don't have to prove it, generally prosecutors will suggest one."
The Columbus Dispatch reported that McKee had indicated through an attorney that he plans to plead not guilty. Also, the newspaper reported that he could be transferred to Ohio as early as next week.
The Tepes were found after Spencer failed to show up for work at the Dental Depot. Two children, ages 4 and 1, were found in the home crying but unharmed. There were no signs of forced entry at the home, and no weapon was found at the crime scene, ABC-6 reported. The couple had married in December 2020.
