Dr. Michael McKee Pleads Not Guilty – Neighbor Weighs In On Ohio Murder Suspect

The true crime investigation into the shooting deaths of Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique, led to the arrest of Monique’s ex-husband, Dr. Michael McKee. Police discovered that, allegedly, he traveled from Rockford, Illinois, to Columbus, Ohio, killed the couple, and then returned home where he was arrested. This week, a neighbor talked about trying to comprehend the violence.

A Neighbor Speaks Out

Dr. Michael McKee was a professional man who worked as a vascular surgeon. After the deaths were discovered following wellness checks and 9-1-1 calls, hardly anyone suspected that another doctor might have committed the murder. If you don’t know, Spencer Tepe was a dentist.

Later, camera surveillance helped police track down McKee, and his arrest certainly startled other residents in the area. Well, he didn’t seem to act like a monster. Gera-Lind Kolarik, a neighbor of McKee and a true crime author, recently joined Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation and gave some insight into the suspect.

Nothing Out Of The Ordinary

She lived just a few floors below McKee and described him as a nice guy who seemed unremarkable and “delightful.” According to Kolarik, the doctor was just one of a number of professionals who lived in the building, and he did socialize a bit. In fact, she recalled that she met him in the summer when he moved in. At the time, they chatted at the poolside during a BBQ.

The murder of Spencer Tepe and his wife Monique certainly didn’t seem likely from the rather normal fellow. “He did not seem like somebody that would be doing something like this,” Kolarik told Banfield. Actually, he mostly kept to himself and seemed rather quiet.

They did chat occasionally, and Kolarik told Ashleigh that she saw him about a week ago in the hallway. She explained, “We would just say hi, how are you… he was just so nice when I talked to him.” 

The Police Arrived 

Next, she talked about how her experience with true crime as an author and correspondent made her curious. That came when a heavy police presence arrived. So, she went two floors up for a peek at what was going on.

There, she saw a police officer stationed outside McKee’s door and later saw investigators from Columbus, Ohio, removing boxes of evidence from the apartment. Another vehicle in the basement parking made the residents aware that something big was going down.

The possibility of a link to a serious crime started arising, so checking with an old contact, Kolarik was able to confirm the Ohio murder link.

Naturally, the tie-in of McKee into the double murder of Monique and Spencer Tepe became known, and no doubt, the community will watch the trial closely.

McKee Pleaded Not Guilty 

Dr. Michael McKee is currently in custody in Rockford, Illinois. Appearing in court on Monday, the ex-husband of Monique pleaded not guilty. And he might have a fighting chance.

As Banfield and Kolarik noted, the case could be quite “circumstantial,” as evidence known so far seems tied only to a vehicle seen near Spencer and Monique’s residence. Michael McKee, who was married to Monique for only a few months a decade ago, will probably be moved to Ohio this week.

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