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

[borndem]

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OhioSleuth614 !!​

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[borndem]

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[acutename]

I skipped several pages so forgive me if this has been posted- I wonder if the perpetrator showed up dressed as/purporting to be LE and got the Tepes to open the door that way. "CPD!! We just chased a prowler through your yard [happens often enough to be plausible] Is everyone ok in there?" And...that would be that. MOO

the thing is that this was not a "successful" robbery- nothing seems to have been taken. A pro robber goes in when no one is around, does not kill people and leaves with valuable re-salable objects or cash. IMO.

 

[TIGER0822]

Maybe they owned joint property and it was recently sold? That could be a completely dumb thought, but can’t think of anything else. Or maybe she had to pay him alimony?

Dbm

 

[acutename]

Maybe they owned joint property and it was recently sold? That could be a completely dumb thought, but can’t think of anything else. Or maybe she had to pay him alimony?

people can argue over custody issues forever- health insurance, school payments, visitation, vacation, extra lessons, sports, travel outside the US, holidays...

 

[Ghostwheel]

ModNote,

There is a continuing reference to a docket that belongs to divorce proceeding from Monique's previous husband. The previous husband is not a POI, so sleuthing on him is not allowed. Please refrain from referring to any court documents containing the previous husbands name/ address/anything related to his privacy unless they appear in an article relating to the case. At this time, there is nothing indicating anything regarding that divorce proceeding has anything to do with this case.

Thank you all very much for your consideration!

 

[drdetective]

I just watched their entire wedding video. It is gorgeous and tragic, and their home is a central piece. They clearly loved and lived in their house and neighborhood. It’s haunting how the house, the yard, the alley, all these now crime scenes are like characters in their wedding story. Everyone present now seems like someone with a story to tell.

https://share.google/KQ4ogBia0B6aRRl5w

 

[livelyfalls]

I’m from Columbus area too. I’d say this area is about the same safety wise as the rest of campus, short north, etc. not terribly unsafe, you would feel completely fine during the day but definitely would not walk alone at night (or at least I wouldn’t, as a woman). However it is really close to the Kroger that’s near campus, which actually started closing earlier (6 pm) a few years ago because of crime issues I believe (someone can fact check me on this though, my friend that was still in school at OSU at the time told me this a few years ago). An OSU wrestler was also shot recently by that Kroger if I’m remembering correctly. Other than that though I haven’t heard of anything really violent happening in that area, car break ins are probably the most common crime around there. BUT all of that being said, I agree it was probably targeted- not anything to do with the neighborhood they lived in.

Thank you, @OhioGuy and @maamager, for your very helpful local insight, since you both are familiar with the actual neighborhood, not just data about the neighborhood.
Much appreciated.

 

[Knox]

I just watched their entire wedding video. It is gorgeous and tragic, and their home is a central piece. They clearly loved and lived in their house and neighborhood. It’s haunting how the house, the yard, the alley, all these now crime scenes are like characters in their wedding story. Everyone present now seems like someone with a story to tell.

https://share.google/KQ4ogBia0B6aRRl5w

I hadn't watched this yet - understatedly elegant, magical, very touching. BIL did a beautiful job editing, one day their children as adults, will watch this and have a real sense of who they were and how happy they were together ... heartbreaking to think of that day.

 

[Cryptic]

Commenting on my own post, a robbery could happen at any time of day, but what other reason(s) would be likely for middle of the night?

Maybe.....

Rumors go around the un gentrified blocks that one of the four large houses is not occupied by people barely making the payments while praying that the current real estate bust does not spread from Texas to Ohio.

Rather one house is inhabited by a "doc". In the minds of the local robbery crew, all "docs" are wealthy and wealthy people live large. To wit, copious "bands of cash" must be strewn around the home. The gold Rolex Presidential model? Yeah, its there. Add enough female bling jewelry for a South Beach set. Then, there are the monster cars purring in the garage-right?

The plan is simple: O' dark 30. We knock on the door, give a hurried story about somebody needing life saving care- now! If the door is even cracked open, we rush in flashing guns. We strike it big, very big. Jump into a monster car and literally drive off into our rising sun- well, almost.

But.... when the expected loot is simply not there, the crew becomes enraged. Facing shame and humiliation, one member does the un thinkable....

 

[Cryptic]

While this can be true, I don't think it's necessarily applicable in this case. They lived in a house that they could have fairly easily sold for ~$700k which is more than sufficient to buy a place in a more "family friendly" suburb.

At one time it could have.

But..... some real estate values can fade fast. Today, interest rates are high, and sales are slowing. A real estate blight is starting to show up in TX, AZ, NC and CO.

Though there is no evidence that the blight is spreading to Ohio, one "crop" that could always pretty vulnerable to blight might be houses in gentrifying areas that were overvalued to start with due to speculation.

Such houses that once looked promising to "urban pioneers" can look un-promising fast if gentrification slows and a senseless beat down or two at the local school / streets slides the shaky gentrified zone back into the "iffy" category or worse.

 

[passionflower]

Did they not have home security system

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Did they not have home security system

We know they had a Ring camera but no mention of a security system.

 

[ivegotcha]

Maybe.....

Rumors go around the un gentrified blocks that one of the four large houses is not occupied by people barely making the payments while praying that the current real estate bust does not spread from Texas to Ohio.

Rather one house is inhabited by a "doc". In the minds of the local robbery crew, all "docs" are wealthy and wealthy people live large. To wit, copious "bands of cash" must be strewn around the home. The gold Rolex Presidential model? Yeah, its there. Add enough female bling jewelry for a South Beach set. Then, there are the monster cars purring in the garage-right?

The plan is simple: O' dark 30. We knock on the door, give a hurried story about somebody needing life saving care- now! If the door is even cracked open, we rush in flashing guns. We strike it big, very big. Jump into a monster car and literally drive off into our rising sun- well, almost.

But.... when the expected bling is simply not there, the crew becomes enraged. Facing shame and humiliation, one member does the un thinkable....

Well thats IF it was a robbery but nothing was taken , nothing ..... nope this was personal towards a person.... Almost short of saying it was a professional hit... why ? it was to clean, nothing touched nothing bothered... just in and out. Now how many of you have read in news reports of people killing someone they knew and with rage and destroy things, Here it was just to clean , who ever ordered this wanted no mistakes. MOO

 

[OhioGuy]

I hadn't watched this yet - understatedly elegant, magical, very touching. BIL did a beautiful job editing, one day their children as adults, will watch this and have a real sense of who they were and how happy they were together ... heartbreaking to think of that day.

It’s eerie to see but as you mentioned, stunningly done. Home weddings in early 2021 probably saw an uptick in popularity with the restrictions in place at that time.

 

[Knox]

It’s eerie to see but as you mentioned, stunningly done. Home weddings in early 2021 probably saw an uptick in popularity with the restrictions in place at that time.

Yes, I saw the stylist wearing a mask and the other guests attended via zoom. That seems like a lifetime ago.

 

[ivegotcha]

Well thats IF it was a robbery but nothing was taken , nothing ..... nope this was personal towards a person.... Almost short of saying it was a professional hit... why ? it was to clean, nothing touched nothing bothered... just in and out. Now how many of you have read in news reports of people killing someone they knew and with rage and destroy things, Here it was just to clean , who ever ordered this wanted no mistakes. MOO

and yes I thought of other homes that look so similiar to theirs wondering if they made a mistake of the address. just my mind wondering ...

 

[Kemug]

We know they had a Ring camera but no mention of a security system.

I mentioned before about what I called a "burglar alarm". But very little response. But wouldn't that be normal?

 

[Cryptic]

Well thats IF it was a robbery but nothing was taken , nothing ..... nope this was personal towards a person.... Almost short of saying it was a professional hit... why ? it was to clean, nothing touched nothing bothered... just in and out.

I can agree with you.

A robbery crew would likely of made an effort to find the fabled loot that they expected to be there. Then, take at least a few "consolation" items. I can also see them impulsively destroying a few things out of frustration when that expected loot simply does not exist.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Is there a wish they had had an alarm system because somehow that would have prevented this?

I don't think that's fair, because it may easily not have prevented this, we don't know. And those systems can be annoying, giving false alarms, etc.
They are really a personal choice.