Police chief touts gun link in Ohio dentist murders; records show three 9 mm casings found in killings
FIRST ON FOX: Columbus police say a gun has been linked to the fatal shootings of an Ohio dentist and his wife, but the police chief declined to say how the weapon was identified or whether it was recovered.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Police Chief Elaine Bryant said investigators have "preliminarily" linked a gun found at suspect Michael McKee's home to the Dec. 30 killings of Spencer and Monique Tepe at their home on North Fourth Street.
"At this time, again, unfortunately, I’m unable to answer that question," Bryant said when asked whether the gun was legally obtained. She said investigators were "still doing some investigation as it relates to this case."
Pressed on what police could confirm, Bryant said only that "preliminarily, it is definitely a gun that was linked to the homicides."
Police records reviewed by Fox News Digital show investigators recovered three spent 9 mm shell casings from the scene.
The casings were logged into evidence and turned over to the Columbus police property room, according to a preliminary investigation report. The report does not identify a gun recovered at the home or specify a weapon used in the killings.
When asked whether the shell casings were used to support the claim that a gun had been linked to the case, Bryant confirmed that investigators "did recover three shell casings" and said they are part of the ballistic comparison process through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN.
"That is part of the process," Bryant said.
Bryant did not say whether the shell casings matched to a specific gun.
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Authorities have identified the suspect as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, McKee, a vascular surgeon in Chicago, who was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, after investigators determined he had left Ohio.
Bryant said police worked with local and federal agencies to take him into custody but declined to discuss evidence recovered during searches.
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"I can’t speak specifically to what was recovered," Bryant said, adding only that "multiple firearms" were involved in the investigation.
Charging documents indicate police were able to identify McKee by linking him to a car that arrived in the Tepes' neighborhood shortly before the murders and left just after the homicides. The car was then located in Rockford, Illinois, and police found evidence it belonged to McKee.
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Police described the killings as a targeted, domestic violence-related attack but said they are not discussing motive or whether there was communication between the suspect and the victims before the shootings.
"We know that this is her ex-husband, so it's domestic violence-related. And, as the trial moves on, as charges come about, we will be able to probably get more answers. But, right now, we don't have the answer as to a motive," she said.
According to the police report, officers were dispatched to the home for a welfare check and found both victims dead from gunshot wounds. Both deaths have been ruled homicides.
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McKee was booked at the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office in Illinois just before noon Saturday, jail records show.
He's facing upgraded premeditated aggravated murder charges in Ohio in relation to Spencer and Monique's deaths.
Bryant and Mayor Andrew Ginther asked for the public to continue to provide tips, crediting tips for assistance in the investigation.
"We're still encouraging anyone that might have information they think is relevant to this case to reach out to us, whether how big or small they think it is. It could help us," Bryant said.
"Every family matters, and we have been working around the clock on this case, but it hasn't taken us away from our other cases because we know those grieving families deserve our very best as well. And we'll continue to bring that."