Kit Roberts
Police in Ohio have arrested and charged the ex-husband of a woman who was killed alongside her husband following a 10-day manhunt.
Michael David McKee, 39, has now been charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, after police arrested him on Saturday.
Records indicate that McKee and Monqiue Tepe were previously married for approximately two years and divorced in 2017.
Monique and Spencer Tepe were found dead in their home in Columbus on December 30, with their provisional causes of death given gunshot wounds, a police incident report said.
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Police had attended the couple's home after being alerted by concerned friends and colleagues.
They stated that Spencer, a dentist, had not shown up at work, and that Monique had not been answering her phone.
A man also called 911 and reported that he had seen blood and a body in the couple's home.
Dr. Mark Valrose is the owner of the dental practice where Spencer worked, and was the first person to call 911.
In an audio recording shared with CNN, he said: "He is always on time, and he would contact us if there were any issues. I don’t know how else to say this, but we are very, very concerned. This is very out of character for him."
He added: "We can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing."
In another chilling call, a caller told the 911 dispatcher that children were crying inside.
"I can hear kids inside, and I swear I think I heard one yell," he said. "But we can’t get in. At this point, I don’t know if I need to break the door in to get in the house or what."
Their children were found inside their home, physically unharmed.
Spencer's brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, said that McKee's arrest following a manhunt by police is 'an important step toward justice'.
But in a heartbreaking statement, he said: "Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon."
He added: "Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind.
"We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world."
The couple were close to celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.
McKee, who is licensed as a medical doctor specializing in vascular surgery in California and Illinois, is being held in the county jail in Winnebago County, Illinois.
He is scheduled for an appearance in court on Monday January 12 according to online records.