An Illinois doctor stands accused of fatally shooting his former spouse, Monique Tepe, along with her husband, Spencer Tepe, in their Ohio residence. According to Monique’s relatives, the surgeon, Michael David McKee, allegedly made numerous threats against her life throughout their short-lived marriage.

McKee is currently facing charges of aggravated murder related to the tragic events of December 30, which unfolded shortly after Monique and Spencer marked their fifth wedding anniversary.

Monique’s family expressed their suspicions of Michael’s potential involvement in the tragic incident—occurring while the couple’s young children were asleep—due to his alleged history with Monique.

“She was terrified because he had threatened her life on multiple occasions when they were married,” Spencer’s brother-in-law Rob Misleh told NBC News. “She wasn’t shy about talking to people about traumatic experiences that she had with her ex and just how emotionally abusive he was to her. It affected her to this day.”

The marriage between Michael and Monique began in 2015, but was short-lived; they separated soon after and finalized their divorce in 2017, citing “incompatibility” as the reason in the official documents.

Misleh, who is wed to Spencer’s sister, remarked to ABC News that Monique was known for her resilience and strength.

“Myself and many others were well aware of, kind of, the negative impact that he had on her. And the abuse that he put her through, the torment that he put her through,” he said. “She was willing to do anything to get out of there.”

Misleh said he was unaware whether Michael had made any recent threats to her life, telling NBC News, “If any of us had known these threats were grounded and a possibility, we all would have acted differently.”

Police have not commented on the family’s allegations of emotional abuse. Oxygen reached out to the Winnebago County Public Defender’s Office for comment, but received no immediate response.

Police Find Weapon with “Preliminary Link” to Tepe Murder

In a press conference Jan. 14, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant described the double homicide as a “targeted attack” that was “domestic violence-related.”

“We believe at this point, we have the person responsible for the murders of Monique and Spencer Tepe in custody and that person is Michael McKee,” Bryant said. “This is still an active and ongoing investigation. Detectives are still going through evidence, tips and videos.” 

The Tepes were discovered dead inside their Weinland Park home Dec. 30 after someone called for a welfare check on the family at 10:04 a.m. 

“Officers arrived at scene and located the two adult victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds,” Bryant said. “Their two small children were also found in the residence physically unharmed.”

According to Bryant, police linked the crime to Michael after seeing his vehicle on neighborhood surveillance footage arriving “just before the murders and leaving shortly after.”

Police also recovered “multiple weapons” at his property, Bryant said, including one with a “preliminary link” to the homicide. 

Michael was arrested Jan. 10 in Rockford, Illinois and is awaiting extradition to Ohio to face the impending charges against him.

His court-appointed public defender Carrie Poirier said in an Illinois courtroom Jan. 12, per  USA Today, that her client is planning to plead not guilty.

Misleh told ABC News his family wants “justice.” 

“We want this person that took so much from, not just us as a family, but so many more people. And obviously the kids, especially,” he said. “We want this person to pay for what they did.”