Michael McKee Charged With Four Murders For Two Victims – Why?

There’s been a twist in the true crime murder case involving Dr. Michael McKee and the Columbus Ohio shooting of Spencer Tepe and his wife Monique. Surprisingly, a Grand Jury handed down an indictment and it seems very strange as he’s being charged with four murders.

Two Dead, But 4 Murder Counts?

On the Drop Dead Serious podcast this weekend, Ashleigh Banfield felt very puzzled. In fact, at first, she thought it was “a typo.” After all, McKee didn’t kill four people. So, she brought in some panelists to discuss the case. They included Jesse Weber, Mark Geragos, and Matt Murphy.

While they chatted, the news arrived that allegedly, Michael McKee, the ex of Monique who is a vascular surgeon, used a “silencer.” Meanwhile, talking about the doubled-up murder charges, panelist Matt Murphy explained that the prosecution is likely using “two different potential theories.”

Two Prosecution Angles

The first approach might be the amount of pre-planning that went into the crime. And the second area of concern might link the murders to a residential burglary. Actually, that approach might mean that the state of Ohio has a better chance of getting a guilty conviction.

Notably, the “light speed” indictment seemed odd, because Dr. McKee still remains in Illinois. And, it seems to be taking a long time to transfer him to Ohio.

As far as Jesse Weber is concerned, it could be that the prosecution is busy putting together their “bedtime story” for the jury. Obviously they need to explain why a man who was married and divorced so long ago would suddenly lose it and murder Monique.

Linking Evience Like Camera Footage

The other thing that the prosecution needs to do is present their evidence that McKee committed the true crime. So, most likely they’ll show the vehicle and the camera surveillance footage to prove that the doctor drove “400 miles” to commit the crime with a silencer on hand.

At the same time, prosecution claims they have a “NIBIN hit,” which connects shell casings from Michael McKee’s residence to the crime scene. However, the grand jusry seems to be rushing the process. So, Mark Geragos noted that it could actually backfire.

He argued that the prosecution can bring up plenty of theories to the jury, but sometimes that doesn’t work out as folks can become confused. Plus, he noted that the sort of complex case that it seems the prosecutors want, might give the defense plenty of room to maneuver.

Room For Doubt

Apparently, the presence of shell casings doesn’t prove that McKee had them. There’s always a sliver of doubt as to whether someone else placed those items at the scene.

For now, Michael McKee is saying nothing about the murders of Spencer and Monique Tepe. And, he doesn’t have to. After all, he’s entitled to his “right to remain silent.” Jesse Weber opined that not talking is a very wise move.

Viewers React

In the comments section, those who watched the podcast took to the comments with their ideas on the true crime case. One of them wrote, “That silencer on the gun proves premeditated if nothing else does. R.I.P. to that couple and may peace be with their children.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• He didn’t snap. He’s been planning this. He went through too much effort just to snap. Poor Monique. She probably was a target for years.
• He wasn’t trying to hide that he killed them. He’s a narcissist who had his character insulted.
• I told someone at the beginning, he had to have used a silencer. Because neighbors did not hear anything. For them not to hear that many shots raised a red flag.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree that the prosecution’s case sounds rather complex? And what about the four murder charges? That still seems a bit unusual, do you agree? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all our true crime news and updates.