How police tracked down the suspect in an Ohio double-murder case

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The man accused of killing Ohio couple Spencer and Monique Tepe made his first court appearance in Illinois and will be extradited to Ohio to face charges.

The man charged with the murders is Michael McKee, 39. He was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, without incident.

Detectives identified a suspect using surveillance video, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the Franklin County Municipal Court.

Investigators managed to track the suspect to a vehicle, which they said got there just before the murders and left just after. Investigators linked this vehicle to McKee.

They tracked the vehicle to Rockford, Illinois, and had evidence that McKee had possession of it before and after the murders, the affidavit lays out.

The affidavit was signed by Detective Russell Weiner.

Police in Columbus found Dr. Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, with gunshot wounds on the second floor of their home on the 1400 block of North 4th Street at about 10 a.m. on Dec. 30 after officers were asked to conduct a wellness check, authorities said. Medical personnel later pronounced them dead.

The couple’s two young children were also in the home but were unharmed, police said.

In a statement, family members described the couple as “extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy and deep connection to others.”

Spencer Tepe graduated from Ohio State University, became a member of the American Dental Association and was involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. He was also a “huge Bengals and Buckeyes fan,” the family said.

Monique Tepe was a “loving, patient, and joyful mother,” an avid baker, and a “thoughtful planner,” it said.

“They were the proud parents of two beautiful children, and every day they showed up with unwavering love and devotion to their family,” wrote a cousin, Audrey Mackie.

A statement from the family following the announcement said, in part, “Today’s arrest represents an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer. Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon, but we are grateful to the City of Columbus Police Department, its investigators, and assisting law enforcement community whose tireless efforts helped to capture the person involved.”