Hidden True Crime - Powerhouse Defense Hired as Questions Swirl About Michael McKee’s Surgeries After Murders | Tepe Case

Episode Date: January 23, 2026

Sponsor Get 15% off mattresses at Avocadogreenmattress.com/hidden About Hidden True Crime What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sources https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JfyXaD2cg/ https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2026/01/22/michael-mckee-attorney-diane-menashe-columbus-ohio-monique-spencer-murder/88283438007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z11xx47p001750n11----c11----d00----v11xx47d--49--b--49--&gca-ft=206&gca-ds=sophi https://people.com/murdered-ohio-dentists-baby-son-stuck-in-crib-for-hours-11888832 https://people.com/inside-the-lives-of-spence-and-mo-tepe-the-murdered-dentist-and-wife-who-loved-fiercely-and-were-where-the-party-was-at-exclusive-11888403 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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arrested for the murders of Spencer and Monique Tepe that Dr. McKee was back inside an operating room as a surgeon performing a nearly 10-hour vascular surgery on a patient who would never leave the hospital alive. And can you imagine that two murders followed by a 10-hour surgery just days later? I allegedly, I assume the surgery is done to save someone's life, right? And so if the reports are true, what could have possibly been going on through Michael McKee's mind during a 10-hour surgery? I can only imagine because the patient in that surgery room is now dead. And I can't help but wonder, could this patient also be a victim of Dr. Michael McKee? You know, this new and really dark report raises serious questions for me about what McKee's

mental state may have been in the days surrounding the killings. So today we're unpacking, what we are hearing about that alleged surgery, the patients alleged death, and how this case could be rapidly expanding beyond the Tepey family. Stay with us because we're also learning about a high-profile defense attorney on Michael McKee's team, who is also part of another case we've been covering in detail. Yep, a high-profile attorney now on Dr. Michael McKee's defense. And we're going to go over this medical timeline that makes things far more disturbing than they already were. I'm Lauren Mathias, and this is hidden true crime. So if you thought Michael McKee's trail destruction stopped at just the Tepe family and their loved ones, it doesn't

look like it has. Get this. According to True Crime Mama, an independent journalist, the man who they say had an almost 10-hour surgery performed by Dr. Michael McKee on January 8th passed away this week. reports say that this patient was never discharged from the hospital after the procedure. And the timing is just unbelievable. The surgery was nine days after the murders and only two days before Michael was arrested for allegedly murdering Monique and Spencer. And even after committing those alleged murders, Michael was still working and performing complex vascular procedures on patients.

According to the reports, the patient's family explains there wasn't an operative note entered into the chart right after the surgery, which is something hospitals legally and medically have to do. Another physician has since completed the note. The family also says the hospital told them an autopsy would cost around $10,000 and that they would be responsible for pain. While coroners or medical examiners usually do autopsies at no cost when deaths are unexpected, suspicious, or legally required, and you think a hospital might do the same, Actually, if a family wants a private autopsy, like to find out if the surgery was even done correctly, they usually have to pay. These things can cost several thousand dollars, which is why family sometimes end up footing the bill, even when there could be malpractice involved.

And I'm not saying the hospital has done anything wrong at all. And maybe the surgery was done properly. I don't know. But the timing and circumstances here are really hard to ignore, right? I mean, perhaps the patient was simply really very sick and the surgery was a risk to begin with. Perhaps. But then I have to wonder, a man accused of murder, two murders, performing a nearly 10-hour surgery just days later. I mean, don't you wonder, like, what was going through his mind? I do. Could he have been distracted, preoccupied? Maybe he just checked out during parts of the surgery? I can't imagine he was working at normal capacity. if he had indeed just murdered two people, left two young children parentless and was on the run,

or perhaps concerned about a police investigation going on, we don't know what happened in that operating room. But it's completely fair, in my opinion, to question whether McKee's mental state could have affected patient care after the murders. I mean, even before, right? What was his mental state? The family deserves answers. And I really hope they get help covering an autopsy if they want.

one. I mean, let's say this was a high-risk surgery. We don't know. But let's say it was, and the outcome for the patient was unknown, unpredictable. Putting McKee in charge couldn't have helped the already intense 10-hour surgery. Another patient of Dr. McKee, Stephen Miller, shared his experience with Michael McKee at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. Miller was treated by McKee on December 26th, just four days before the Tepeymer. murders. And he described Michael as professional, but introverted, saying he had to draw the information out rather than having it given to him directly from the doctor. And then Miller found out about Michael's arrest through his daughter who works at the same hospital. Miller said,

quote, I'll tell you, I was in shock. Now, after the facts came out, I'm sort of wondering what might he have been thinking about at that time, you know? And quote. Yeah. And I do know. What was he thinking? He added that the situation has made him rethink how he approaches medical care. He said, now I'm a little leery. I want to be more careful around the doctors I do have to see. End quote. Yeah, I mean, this case shows just how far reaching the consequences can be. Not only were two lives lost in a horrific circumstances. But another patient's life may also have been affected by the alleged perpetrator's state of mind. find. Families deserve answers. And honestly, it makes us all sort of talk about some really difficult questions about how someone later accused of such violence continued caring for patients before anyone knew. But moving on, because there's actually a lot more to talk about here. So stick with me. Michael McKee is now back in Ohio. After being held in Illinois since his arrest, Michael was extradited Tuesday and booked into the Franklin County Jail.

This is the first time he'll physically be in in Ohio courtroom since the murders and it signals that this case is officially moving out of that extradition phase and into active litigation. There are also a couple of new mugshots now that he's back in Ohio and I have to say to me they're a little unsettling. This is my opinion. But honestly, I see this sort of cold, fixed stare and these tight lips that give off to me quite a creepy vibe. But let me know your thoughts. Let me know if I'm alone on that one. Michael McKee is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary, all with firearm specifications. His case was dismissed out of municipal court earlier this week because of Franklin County

grand jury directly indicted him, which is. is typical in cases of this magnitude. His arraignment is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. And one of the main things expected to happen at that arraignment is a discussion about Bond. Columbus Criminal Defense Attorney Sam Shamansky isn't representing Michael, but did speak generally about what comes next in murder cases like this. And he said that Michael is expected to enter not guilty pleas and that the defense will likely push for some form of bail. He explained that judges look at things like a defendant's background, ties to the community, and whether they're considered a flight risk, but that any bond decision would come with serious conditions if it's granted at all.

Shemansky also pointed out that even if bond were allowed, a judge could require Michael to remain in Franklin County, place him on an ankle monitor and keep him under court supervision rather than allowing him to return freely to Illinois. Now that Michael is back in Ohio, the defense will begin formally reviewing the evidence prosecutors say they have, including the firearm the police alleged was recovered, and the surveillance footage tied to the case. From here on now, both sides are preparing for a long, highly technical legal fight. Shamansky described what lies ahead. saying stakes are incredibly high in this case and in every murder case, and it has to be treated with great attention and skill and dedication to trying to win, and you can rest assured the

prosecutor's office will be doing the same thing along with the police, end quote. And speaking of the stakes being incredibly high, this next part has definitely caught a lot of people's attention because we're now learning more about who is actually going to be trying this case on both sides. On the prosecution side, Franklin County prosecuting attorney, Shaila Favor, will personally be involved and this will actually be her first felony case, her first. Not just her first murder trial, her first felony prosecution ever. The case is officially the state of Ohio versus Michael McKee. And to be clear, aggravated. murder is the most serious charge under Ohio law, right? So normally, I think most people would say a case

of this magnitude probably shouldn't be anyone's first. But given what prosecutors say they have in terms of evidence, it's possible this is being viewed internally as a case that's already very well built and one where a newer prosecutor can be involved without being outmatched or concerned. That said, favor won't be handling this alone. Her office has confirmed that she'll be sitting as the third chair, meaning she won't be leading the courtroom strategy day to day. The heavy lifting of this case will be done by two veteran prosecutors, Steve Schott and Dan Leonard. And they have actually personally handled dozens of homicide cases over the years. So this is not their first. So while favor will be, you know,

attached to the case, third chair, the trial experience, on the prosecution side is still very much there. And for some background, favor doesn't come from a traditional felony prosecution track. She previously worked in the Columbus City Attorney's Office, focusing on abatement and property code enforcement, and then served on Columbus City Council. So since taking office in 2025, she hasn't personally participated in any other criminal trials. Wow. Her office says her first year was spent strengthening staffing, restructuring operations, and building capacity, and that now she is stepping into criminal cases as part of her broader

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of January 30th, 20206 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boosts for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. These and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account. And on the defense side, though, the experience gap, it disappears completely. And this is where things get especially interesting. Michael has hired Diane Manashe, a well-known defense attorney with 27 years of experience who officially filed her notice of appearance on January 22nd.

Manashy, so she has defended around three dozen death penalty cases, including several. I-profile ones in Franklin County, and she's also practiced in federal court and in other states. She's been very open about her strong opposition to the death penalty, which has shaped much of her defense career. In her law firm bio, let's look at this together here. It says Diane Manashy is a trial lawyer who has tried more than 150 criminal and civil cases to jury verdict. Her vast success of the courtroom is attributed to her mastery of the facts and the law and her unique ability to understand how to use every phase of the trial to further her client's story and to ultimately gain favorable verdicts. So that's her own bio. And so for the people in Central Ohio, what does that mean?

Her name probably sounds familiar for also another reason, though. Manashi also represented Dr. William Hustle, the former Mount Carmel ICU physician whose case drew national attention. So what was Hustle accused of? Hustle was accused of causing the deaths of hospital patients by prescribing unusually high doses of fentanyl between 2015 and 2018. Hospital officials initially linked him to 34, 34 patient deaths, the prosecutors ultimately pursued murder charges in 14 cases.

So the state argued in that case that the dosages, went far beyond accepted palliative care and directly caused those deaths. The defense, led by Manashi, maintained that Hustle was providing end-of-life comfort care and that the patients died from their underlying medical conditions and not the fentanyl that was prescribed to them. So after a very long and highly scrutinized trial filled with expert testimony, the jury found Hustle not guilty on all counts in April of 2022. also later surrendered his Ohio medical license, which was officially revoked the following month.

That background is interesting, right? I mean, because it gives some insight into the kind of defense strategy. Now she is known for emotional narratives, yes, but further, situations, let's point out, where medical or professional judgment can really be analyzed, right, under the microscope. I think this is interesting. medical judgment. I think this, you know, we've got a doctor on trial here, and it's really interesting that she has defended doctors in the past. But get this. This is what really has me going, whoa. Okay. So last September, it was reported that Manashi had officially

joined another high profile case that we cover here at Hidden True Crime. Shana Gargan, Defense Team as well. And she was able to join this defense team under the procedure known as ProHack Vice. Shannon Gardner is the daughter of the founder of the well-known crafting company that's called Stampin Up. It's a multi-million dollar MLM company that was started in Utah. And Shannon Gardner is also the ex-wife of Microsoft executive Jared Brightigan. And Gardner is charged with orchestrating a murder for hire plot tied to Jared Bright against 2022 killing, in which he was gunned down in front of his toddler daughter while moving a tire placed in the middle of the road. This happened in Florida, a beyond heartbreaking case. We've talked a lot about it here,

and the trial keeps getting pushed back. Prohack Vice allows an out-of-state attorney to work a specific case, even if they're not licensed in the state. And so whose team will Manashi be joining on the Gardner defense team in Florida? None other than Jose Baez. Jose Baez was Casey Anthony's, well-known and now very expensive defense attorney. He also helped Harvey Weinstein. And the Shannon Gardner case isn't her first case working with Jose Baez either. The two of them have worked together before, including the case of Dr. William Hustle. That doctor charged with 14 counts of murder in relation to multiple patient deaths. Dr. Hustle worked with Jose Baez

on that case, and Dr. Hustle, again, acquitted of every charge. So it's very clear. Manashi naturally gravitates towards more higher profile and higher stakes cases, including Shanna Garner's and now Michael McKees. So let's zoom out here for a moment and look at the bigger picture here in this Tepe murder case. On one side, you have a prosecution team with seasoned homicide prosecutors, absolutely.

But in addition to those seasoned homicide prosecutors, we have a newly elected prosecutor stepping into her first ever felony case. And then on the other side, you have Michael McKee's side. You have a defense attorney who has spent decades handling some very serious very high-stakes cases and even winning some of them. Needless to say, I suspect just from the attorneys on board, this trial will be extremely intense. Not that he will necessarily be found not guilty, just that things will be intense. And now, one of the hardest parts of this case that I want to touch on, because more has come out about the children, the Tepe children,

and specifically what they may have experienced in the hours after their parents were killed. So according to family members, the Tepe's baby's son, who the news is now naming 17-month-old Beckham, was likely left awake and crying in his crib for hours after the shootings. Spencer's brother-in-law, Rob Mesla, has said that Beckham would have been awake by that point in the moment. morning, makes sense, and unable to get out of his crib on his own. He explained that Beckham was likely alone, crying in his room, and may not have even eaten for hours, all while his parents

lay dead in their bedroom. First responders didn't even arrive until around 10 a.m. Right? After Spencer's co-worker said they could hear a child wailing and could see a body inside. And what makes this especially heartbreaking is that while Beckham likely didn't see anything, that doesn't mean he wasn't or won't be deeply affected. A lot of us assume that his big sister Amelia, who is now four, will carry more trauma simply because she can remember her parents. And yes, memory plays a huge role in grief. But with babies and toddlers, trauma shows up differently.

For a child Beckham's age, his parents were his entire sense of safety and regulation. Being alone, crying, hungry, and unable to understand why he's parents, he's parents, he's not able to understand why no one was coming, that's trauma. Even without conscious memory, that kind of prolonged distress and sudden loss of his mom and dad's primary caregivers can leave lasting emotional and attachment effects. Rob also shared that the children were in separate rooms, and because of that, they likely didn't witness the violence itself. Thank goodness. That may spare them from certain visual memories. Thank God. But it doesn't spare them from the Aftermath. Amelia may remember voices, routines, and the sudden absence of her mom and dad, and

baby Becca, meanwhile, experienced something entirely different, abandonment without really understanding why, followed by the permanent loss of the two people his brain was wired to depend on. Now Spencer Monique's children are left to grow up carrying very different versions of the same tragedy, one with memories and one with an absence that shaped his earliest feelings of safety and security in a world or now that lack of that feeling of safety. One thing is clear from all of this. Michael McKee seems to be leaving a trail of destruction everywhere he goes. Hidden True Crime will continue to follow this case closely and be back with an update after Michael is arraigned on Friday. And in the meantime,

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