OH - Spencer and Monique Tepe found shot to death at home 2 children unharmed, Columbus, 30 December 2025 *ex-husband arrested*

[OhioSleuth614]

The poi has a funny unique way of walking. It’s like a pigeon-toed walk. It seems like he knows the alley is heavily surveilled.


When I drove by, there were floodlight cameras, but no doorbell camera. The neighbors had a lot of surveillance.

That was my first thought too. I can’t tell whether that’s just their normal gait or if they were walking that way to keep their pants from falling down and/or to avoid slipping on ice.

The head-grab at the end was odd as well. I can’t tell if they were just holding their hood in place, or if it was more of a “what did I just do?” kind of gesture.

 

[stmarysmead]

There must be more to this than the fact that this guy walked down that alley way. There’s nothing in that video that screams…this could be the killer…except the time of night. I suppose they have the time of death now, and maybe he’s the only person that shows up in the camera videos around the TOD.

If he left by the garage lane, maybe that was his point of entry too, I would think these same videos would show him climbing over the fence or whatever. Unless he was let in thru the front door by his victims much earlier in the night. But then, they’d hopefully have some film of that too from the camera on 4th st.

Somehow, I have less confidence in a quick solution now.

 

[Muddy K]

Walks like he's comfortable in that environment.

Really interesting video footage. I agree with others that the individual is camera-wise and deliberate. Oddly, that gait reminds me of the way a person experiencing lower back pain might walk. Further, I see nothing in the image to indicate, definitively, that the POI is male or female.

I've been busy elsewhere and may have missed it, but do we know whether this footage is showing arrival or departure?

 

[maamager]

That was my first thought too. I can’t tell whether that’s just their normal gait or if they were walking that way to keep their pants from falling down and/or to avoid slipping on ice.

The head-grab at the end was odd as well. I can’t tell if they were just holding their hood in place, or if it was more of a “what did I just do?” kind of gesture.

the head-grab almost looked like a teenage boy in the way they flip their long shaggy bangs from their eyes hahaha. BUT i would default to this person lowering/adjusting their hood maybe

 

[moonglow123]

known, targeted, or something like the idaho 4 case, targeted but not known. I really wonder if there was a dental patient or their parent who was unable to be helped or otherwise unhappy with Dr. Tepe that did this. JMO

Would not be surprised if a perp was trying to disguise their gait after so many high profile cases in the last 18 months where gait was called into question. It also looks like he's trying to stay up and move somewhat quickly over icy ground.

Yeah, so many cases with the POI having an unusual gait Scott Ratigan and Missy Bevers too..

I do agree it could just be from the ice. I thought it looked like he was dragging his leg a bit or walking kind of strangely, even for trying to steady yourself over ice. Could be a mix of both, ice and recognizing he'd probably be caught by cameras somewhere.

 

[Bigditch]

the head-grab almost looked like a teenage boy in the way they flip their long shaggy bangs from their eyes hahaha. BUT i would default to this person lowering/adjusting their hood maybe

It does seem like an odd hand gesture.

 

[MassGuy]

Really interesting video footage. I agree with others that the individual is camera-wise and deliberate. Oddly, that gait reminds me of the way a person experiencing lower back pain might walk. Further, I see nothing in the image to indicate, definitively, that the POI is male or female.

I've been busy elsewhere and may have missed it, but do we know whether this footage is showing arrival or departure?

I definitely think it's a male based on build. My initial reaction was that he was in his 30's, but the way his hand makes contact with his hood strikes me as more youthful for some reason.

 

[OhioGuy]

It's very concerning that this is (presumably) the best video they have of the person of interest. I'm hoping others in the neighborhood will look and notice they actually have footage as well. As for their house, it does not have a camera on the garage or in the back yard area.

Agreed. But in this dense of an area, unless some one has their system set to record 24/7, this POI likely didn’t get close enough to any camera to trigger it to turn on and record. I know if it was my home, I wouldn’t want alerts every time a person/car went down the alley because you’d be getting ten alerts an hour during the day.

 

[Gigglingtoes]

i can tell you YES the area is gentrified — in proxy to german village, which is a historic neighborhood that tends to price higher for rentals.

the area adjacent is mixed — meaning it’s block by block, varied. if you’re from the city, you know what i mean; by no means is this area “affluent”. it’s developing, yes, but def still more active as far as “crime” goes.

Not sure if someone already said it but you were mentioned in plunder.

 

[su5ie]

Could the strange gait be attributed to the weight of a gun on the right hip

 

[Knox]

Also, if the shooting occurred in the upstairs of their residence, and the friend saw Spencer by his bed, wouldn’t that be on the same floor as the children?

I’m stunned they could have slept through that and that the killer didn’t decide to hurt the children… I’m wondering what a profiler would say about this individual.

Obviously, murderers are callous… So could this person have known the children and this is why he spared them?

Even callous murderers have street ethics which state kids are off limits, IMO.

 

[maamager]

Not sure if someone already said it but you were mentioned in plunder.

omg thanks for letting me know, i wasn't aware!

 

[Ghostwheel]

So three of his friends entered the house? Three?? Obviously they were worried, but three is a lot. Were they armed? Were they half expecting to find him/them being held captive, and prepared for a shootout?

Jumping off this post.. Correct me if I am wrong but I heard LE say he had three MEN with him. That could mean three additional LE officers, or just three other men. I don't recall hearing/reading that the three men were specifically Spencer's friends. Is that somewhere I missed?

TIA

 

[Bodine]

Really interesting video footage. I agree with others that the individual is camera-wise and deliberate. Oddly, that gait reminds me of the way a person experiencing lower back pain might walk. Further, I see nothing in the image to indicate, definitively, that the POI is male or female.

I've been busy elsewhere and may have missed it, but do we know whether this footage is showing arrival or departure?

Good point on whether that individual is coming, going or involved at all. Pretty cool customer if he's leaving. Or perhaps a mental health issue where (if he's leaving) he doesn't grasp what just happened.

Just my opinion that it's a male. The gait looks like someone who wishes they had warmer clothing on for the weather. Just projecting how I picture myself walking when I'm cold.

 

[OhioSleuth614]

Agreed. But in this dense of an area, unless some one has their system set to record 24/7, this POI likely didn’t get close enough to any camera to trigger it to turn on and record. I know if it was my home, I wouldn’t want alerts every time a person/car went down the alley because you’d be getting ten alerts an hour during the day.

We have our garage camera setup to record everything but have notifications turned off. I'm looking at footage from that time now and it appears that a lot of the people walking down the alley have a similar gait, which leads me to believe that it's potentially related to the snow/ice.

 

[Sadi]

He knows the area…knows to keep his head down.The time of the crime and the fact they were found on the third floor says targeted to me. Hopefully they have picked him up on other cameras and can see if he goes in a building or has a car,

I think he knows them. He knows they won’t be found for hrs. He’s not rushing away.

My opinion is they’re a younger adult (under 30 years old) 6 foot tall, slender build and from the area. I’m not sure if he knows them or not. MOO

 

[Voidz]

Does anyone know if the locks provide time data when they are locked and unlocked. If someone knew the code and could get into the house, it narrows things down substantially.

I am related to a locksmith and asked him to assess the photos. The particular Yale lock on front door has no audit trails and they are very easy to bypass.

He believes that if someone broke in, access was made through balcony door.

 

[lg2019]

The gait to me just looks like someone trying to stay upright on an icy pavement without taking their hands out of their pockets

He looks to be walking pigeon toed to me.

 

[N S Sherlock]

A social media post referred to her daughter attending “school” with the little girl, so probably daycare. Another mentions seeing Monique frequently when leaving for work at the same time.

Has anybody heard whether the bodies were positioned together or apart and was one near the front door?

 

[Knox]

If this is the shooter they are not in a rush at all. We also don’t know if this was before or after the murders, so it would make sense to be in less of a rush beforehand. Would be useful to know which camera this is from. Assuming this is the Tepe’s alley and not one nearby, is this person walking north or south?

As for the POI, it’s hard to tell how icy it is but I think all of us would have shorter steps and a different gait in this situation vs summertime.

Thinking he’s walking towards the apartments at the end of the alley, the Tepe’s house is second house in, he seems to walk futher than that within the alley?