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Tag: Emani Payne

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

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    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.

    What You Need To Know

    • Police arrested Michael McKee, 39, in Rockford, Illinois, in connection with the Dec. 30 murders of Ohio couple Spencer and Monique Tepe

    • McKee has made his first court appearance and will be extradited to Ohio to face charges

    • Here’s the process through which detectives determined him to be the suspect

    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.”

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    Emani Payne, Cody Thompson, Associated Press

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  • Protesters demand resignation of city leader facing child sex crime charges

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    Editor’s Note: This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. 

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Some Whitehall city and community leaders are calling for the resignation of Whitehall City Council member Gerald Dixon after he was jailed and charged for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct with children.

    What You Need To Know

    • Protesters gathered out front Whitehall City Hall, calling for the resignation of Whitehall City Council member Gerald Dixon

    • Gerald Dixon is facing charges for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct with children

    • Gerald Dixon says he does not plan to resign

    Protesters gathered out front Whitehall City Hall Wednesday night, calling for the resignation of Whitehall City Council member Gerald Dixon.

    “Whitehall City Council does not care. It creates a scary environment,” said Michael Young, City of Grace pastor.

    Following a year’s long multi-state investigation, Dixon was arrested, jailed and charged for child sex crimes dating all the way back to the 1990s. Eight victims have been identified so far. 

    Dixon spent one night in jail before he was released on his own personal recognizance due to a court paperwork issue.

    “’I’m not going to put blame on any other organization I don’t know their processes, but it is frustrating because we promised victims that they’re safe and now they’re not. Well, I don’t want to say they’re not safe but that umbrella that we were providing them with him being incarcerated is no longer there,” said Whitehall Police Deputy Chief Shawn Wilson.

    Hours after being released from jail, Dixon showed up at city hall where he was sworn back into office. Spectrum News asked him that night if the allegations against him were true, and Dixon declined to comment.

    “I’m making absolutely no comment on that. None,” said Dixon.

    Whitehall’s mayor called for Dixon’s resignation at the rally.

    “It is my expectation that he resign his seat from city council. Now I have a follow up. I have been able to speak with city council members, a few of them, and they have the heart, the means and the motivation to actually remove this councilmember from his seat on city council,” said Michael Bevins Whitehall mayor.

    Whitehall’s city attorney says it would take a vote from every other member of council to remove Dixon.

    “I wanted to hear what everybody had to say at this rally. Obviously deeply concerned about the situation. I’m not sure of all the details but I certainly would hope that Mr. Dixon would step down,” said Amy Harcar, Whitehall City Council member. 

    Demonstrators prayed, chanted “Dixon must go” and even concerned children in the community spoke out.

    Dixon told Spectrum News he does not plan to resign.

    “Because the people elected me, and I have not been brought before a jury of my peers and whatever else it is and so here I am,” said Dixon.

    Dixon is due back in court on Dec. 23. 

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    Emani Payne

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  • Columbus pays $1M settlement after police give child to wrong parent

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The City of Columbus has agreed to pay $1 million to a father and son after a mistake made by two rookie Columbus police officers led to the child being given to the wrong parent, who then disappeared with the boy for seven months.

    What You Need To Know

    • Columbus pays $1 million settlement to father and son

    • Columbus police officers mistakenly gave a child to the non-custodial parent who took them on the run
    • The Child returned to the father seven months later

    • The police officers received corrective counseling and new training

    Columbus City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve the funds. The city attorney said Lonnie Henry had custody of his son KG, when two first-year Columbus police officers mistakenly turned the boy over to his mother, who did not have custody but was fighting to get it. She was known to have a violent past. The mistake happened when the officers misinterpreted court papers the mother had, improeprly believing the papers showed her custody rights.

    After receiving the boy, she went on the run with him for seven months, beginning at the end of 2023, before the boy was eventually reunited with his father—the child’s rightful custodial parent—in 2024. 

    Henry’s legal team claims in documents that the boy was physically abused during the months he spent with his mother. Several councilmembers shared their frustration and anger that this mix up happened. The Columbus Public Safety Director called the incident a horrible mistake and said the two officers have since received corrective counseling and new training. However, members of the council say that’s not enough. 

    “The fact that the folks who are literally in charge of enforcing the law misinterpreted the law so badly that a child has gone missing for seven months. I am furious because I literally sat in my bed and I cried the other day. I don’t know where to place this frustration, and I want it to be on record that it is totally unacceptable. And saying that we had a conversation with someone or we trained them is simply, in my opinion, not enough,” said Nick Bankston, Columbus City Council.

    “This was a horrible unintentional mistake by two of our officers. As a parent, I cannot imagine the anguish felt by the custodial parent,” said Kate McSweeney-Pishotti, Columbus Public Safety Director.

    Henry’s attorney, Bart Keyes, with law firm Cooper Elliott, said they do not want to make KG re-live the trauma he experienced during those seven months. Keyes said the money helps but does not erase what KG endured and hopes this incident will help prevent others in the future.

    “We do know that there were reports that some violence occured when they were on the run,” Keyes said. “They stayed in a car ovrenight on more than one occassion. It was not an ideal or safe situation for him. We’re grateful he wasn’t hurt worse than he was, as soon as he came back home to his father, dad got him back in school. This really needs to be a teaching example for Columbus Police. We can only hope that the officers learn their lesson but also that the Division of Police is using this example not just to coach those two officers but to train every officer on the force so that something like this doesn’t happen again.

    The boy’s mother, Shadasia Gillyard, was arrested on multiple charges.

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    Emani Payne

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