(Columbus, Ohio) — January 21, 2026 — Michael McKee, accused of the murders of his ex-wife and her husband, has been extradited to Ohio and is now in the custody of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. The development marks a significant step in the legal proceedings against McKee, who was arrested earlier this month in Illinois.
McKee, 39, faces four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary in connection with the deaths of Monique Tepe and Spencer Tepe, who were found shot to death in their Columbus home on December 30.
- Michael McKee is now in the Franklin County jail in Ohio after being extradited from Illinois.
- McKee is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary.
- He was arrested January 10 at a Chick-fil-A in Rockford, Illinois.
- A previously scheduled court date in Winnebago County, Illinois, is expected to be canceled.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, McKee is now being held in the Franklin County jail. He was previously in the Winnebago County jail in Illinois awaiting extradition.
Federal agents arrested McKee on January 10 at a Chick-fil-A in Rockford, Illinois, as reported by WIFR News. Records show that Monique Tepe and McKee were married in 2015 and divorced in 2017.
Why It Matters
McKee’s extradition to Ohio allows the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office to move forward with the case against him. The charges against McKee carry the potential for the death penalty in Ohio, according to state law. The case has drawn significant attention due to the shocking nature of the crime and the fact that the victims’ two young children were home at the time of the shooting, as WIFR News previously reported.
Aggravated murder in Ohio carries a potential sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
It remains unclear when McKee will appear in Franklin County court. A court date previously set for January 23 in Winnebago County is expected to be stricken from the record, according to WIFR News.
Time.news based this report in part on reporting by WIFR News and the Columbus Dispatch and added independent analysis and context.
