A clerical error reopened the divorce case of Monique Tepe and her accused killer ex-husband Michael McKee months before he was arrested last week in connection with the murders of her and her husband, Spencer Tepe, at their home in December, USA TODAY reports.
McKee and Tepe were married in August 2015 and divorced in May 2017, however, the case received a new hearing that appeared on the docket in June 2025, with a trial date set for September, though court officials later confirmed that it was due to a clerical error with the docket number and canceled. The former couple’s divorce was believed to be mundane and civil prior to the Tepe’s murders, with family members having since publicly acknowledged that McKee would “torment” his ex-wife during their brief marriage.
“Differences have arisen between the parties, and they are now living separate and apart from each other,” the former couple’s separation agreement filed on April 28, 2017 states.
McKee kept the former couple’s $230,000 Roanoke, Virginia, home where he was working on his residency as a surgeon and neither was ordered to pay spousal support as they kept their own vehicles and debts and shared no children together, the agreement states. McKee was arrested on Saturday (January 10) and charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Monique and Spencer Tepe after the couple was found dead in their Columbus home on December 30, two weeks after their fifth wedding anniversary.
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffinder claims that McKee held a strong resentment to the couple prior to their deaths.
“They were married for such a brief time,” Coffinder told NewsNation. “That is strange, but I think it was a deep-seated resentment and hate that just built up and finally came to this conclusion.”
Monique filed for divorce in 2017 and married her second husband in December 2020. Monique and Spencer Tepe shared two children who were unharmed inside the home when police police found the couple’s bodies.
The Tepe family issued a statement thanking the Columbus Police Department for its “tireless” work leading to McKee’s arrest.
“Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon,” the statement reads via the Columbus Dispatch. “We thank the community for the continued support, prayers and compassion shown throughout this tragedy. As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable.”
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