McKee Indictment Alleges Suppressor In Monique & Spencer Tepe Murders — What Prosecutors Have And What They Still Need
True Crime Today | Daily True Crime News & Interviews
Tony Brueski
4.2 • 612 Ratings
🗓️ 21 January 2026
⏱️ 17 minutes
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Summary
The suppressor allegation changes everything in the McKee case. Prosecutors allege Dr. Michael McKee used a firearm equipped with a silencer to kill Monique and Spencer Tepe while their young children slept in another room. That's not impulsive violence. That's allegedly planning the murders down to making sure no one would hear the shots.
The Franklin County grand jury handed down five counts: four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary. Under Ohio law, proving "prior calculation and design" is required for aggravated murder. The suppressor allegation gives prosecutors a powerful tool to establish premeditation.
Defense attorney Bob Motta breaks down the indictment. Why four counts for two victims? What does the aggravated burglary charge tell us about entry when there's no forced entry documented? And how definitive is the NIBIN ballistics match that's still being called "preliminary"?
McKee gave police an alibi before his arrest. It didn't hold up. He only invoked his right to remain silent after the cuffs went on. Those pre-arrest statements could be devastating at trial — but Motta explains what the defense would need to argue for suppression.
McKee is 39 years old. A vascular surgeon. No criminal record. No malpractice. His neighbors called him friendly and normal. He's facing a minimum of life with parole after 32 years. Prosecutors have not filed capital specifications — they're not seeking the death penalty. Is that strategy, or does it signal weakness? Motta analyzes.
#MichaelMcKee #MoniqueTepe #SpencerTepe #TepeMurders #TrueCrimeToday #BobMotta #Suppressor #AggravatedMurder #OhioIndictment #NIBINMatch
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is Hidden Killers Live with Tony Bruske, Stacey Cole and Todd Michaels. |
| 0:08.8 | Let's move on to another case that has been getting a lot of attention. |
| 0:17.2 | The Tappy murders. |
| 0:18.1 | A Franklin County grand jury just handed down a five-count indictment against |
| 0:22.1 | Dr. Michael McKee, four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary in the |
| 0:27.6 | deaths of his ex-wife, Monique Tappy, and her husband, Spencer. But here's the detail that changes |
| 0:33.4 | everything. The indictment alleges McKee used a firearm equipped with a suppressor, a silencer. |
| 0:40.1 | That's not impulsive. That's not a crime of passion. That's someone who allegedly planned this down |
| 0:44.8 | to making sure no one would hear the shots. He's facing a minimum of life with parole after 32 years, |
| 0:51.1 | maximum life without parole. Prosecutors have not filed capital specifications yet. |
| 0:56.6 | They're not seeking the death penalty, at least not yet. |
| 0:59.5 | There's a moratorium on the death penalty there, but it doesn't mean you can't try somebody |
| 1:03.1 | with it. |
| 1:03.9 | Joining me to break down what is going on in this indictment, Bob Mata, host of the podcast |
| 1:08.6 | Defense Diaries. |
| 1:10.1 | Bob, let's start with the suppressor |
| 1:11.6 | allegation. The indictment says McKee used a firearm with it. From a legal standpoint, |
| 1:18.5 | what does it tell us about how prosecutors are framing this case and how does it affect the |
| 1:22.5 | prior calculation and design element to this? Yeah, I think if there was any question about premeditation or concern, that's no longer |
| 1:32.2 | an issue. |
| 1:33.3 | I think most of us understood with the fact that the guy didn't even live in that state |
| 1:39.6 | anymore and they got him in Illinois. |
... |
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