ARREST MADE - EX-HUSBAND OH - Spencer and Monique Tepe found shot to death at home 2 children unharmed, Columbus, 30 December 2025

[iQuill]

Well fellow sleuthers ... just my 2 cents and MOO.
I simply had to stop reading this thread and will wait for MSM details from LE.
The misinformed posts going back and forth and back and forth on what room the Tepes' were found in, how did the friend get in and see the body, was the body upstairs or downstairs, the attack on the brother-in-law, the accusation of them being swingers, whether it's MT on the dv call, whether or not the dentist office called LE for a welfare check too soon, who is raising the kids ... honestly, it's just too much ... I just can't
FWIW
- LE is investigating double homicide
- The couple died of gunshot wounds upstairs in their bedroom
- The children were unharmed and are being cared for by extended family
- The brother-in-law is married to Spencers sister and is a Victim in this case
- LE has released a video showing a Person of Interest in the neighborhood around the time of murder

That's all folks, that's it. Can we just follow and discuss the facts?
MOO

 

[Bekind89]

I'm not understanding the criticism I'm seeing in regard to the brother-in-law speaking out so frequently.

The number one complaint we hear from families in similar situations, is that their case isn't receiving much media attention. Why? Because they know that media attention can help bring about a resolution. It applies pressure to law enforcement, and can help generate leads.

If I was in his position I'd be speaking to absolutely any outlet that would listen, and I wouldn't shut up until the case was solved.

Absolutely. If this happened toy family, you couldn't shut me up.

 

[Voidz]

I haven’t mentioned the call from the Dentist boss, but I imagine it like this:
He is on vacation.
Workers are contacting him to say ST has not turned up work, keep in mind that he probably turns up hours behind his actual patients for prep, paperwork…this is unusual since he is punctual.
As time goes on and patients start arriving, they sound a lot more stressed and concerned (maybe they’re dramatic too) to the boss with their updates since they now have patients waiting.
Due to it being holiday period, he tells dispatch that they cannot get in contact with MT or “anyone in the house” - keep on mind that I know my coworkers have kids but no idea how old they are and he may have thought the oldest could answer the phone (or knew/presumed someone was staying over for the holidays).
He’s on holiday, hearing his staff get stressed, ST lives a while away from the practice.
I think the concern from staff or him may be a car accident? Or a medical emergency.
Which is why he called to let police know. You actually hear him ask if there have been any traffic accidents reported.

What I find weird is the people who turned up to the house so soon and gained access when the police were already involved. Were any family members with them or was it coworkers/ friends?

 

[flowershop]

Funeral arrangements for the Tepe's have been announced.

Visitation will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Jan. 11 at Schoedinger Northwest funeral home, located at 1740 Zollinger Road in Upper Arlington. A brief celebration of life will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/09/public-funeral-visitation-monique-spencer-tepe-columbus-ohio-dentist-killed-shot-weinland-park/88100239007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z115337p000750c000750d00----v115337d--xx--b--xx--&gca-ft=186&gca-ds=sophi

 

[tlcya]

The couple's surviving young children will one day have access to the internet and will have questions about their parents' deaths. I would like to think that speculation here will be based on facts and not "vibes". Those children could one day be reading this thread. JMO

 

[Mitch1]

You are calling the cops if your boss misses a meeting with you? After how long? Wouldn't you just assume he got pulled into another meeting?

Apparently this is what professionals do

 

[academyrd]

The BIL said that the dog was asleep in the 4 year old’s room.

Just creepy that he would share that. Those aren't his details to share.

 

[Arkay]

You are calling the cops if your boss misses a meeting with you? After how long? Wouldn't you just assume he got pulled into another meeting?

If a boss was called into another meeting, then it would be proof that he or she was safely on the premises.

This is entirely different. They were unreachable and no one had heard from them.

Yes, agreeing with @adot0902, in certain professions you can’t just swap out one person for another. The person with the necessary skill set, training, education and license MUST be there.

IMO and experience.

 

[Voidz]

Funeral arrangements for the Tepe's have been announced.

Visitation will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Jan. 11 at Schoedinger Northwest funeral home, located at 1740 Zollinger Road in Upper Arlington. A brief celebration of life will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/crime/2026/01/09/public-funeral-visitation-monique-spencer-tepe-columbus-ohio-dentist-killed-shot-weinland-park/88100239007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z115337p000750c000750d00----v115337d--xx--b--xx--&gca-ft=186&gca-ds=sophi

I am sure we will get the full video or live updates throughout

 

[ChatteringBirds]

They had a well-written double obituary.
How common are double-obituarities when a couple passes away together?

I felt like their family was sending a message by releasing it that way (instead of two separate ones) -- that they are united forever and absolutely no one can take that away.

 

[justtrish]

Hindsight is 20/20-its odd to call 911 before going over to the house

But it really isn't.

IMO initally the coworkers called their boss to let him know and he is not in town and all coworkers are over an hour away. When the boss called first he even mentioned maybe there was a car accient. I believe he even said something like are there any reports of something like that. He was sounding the alarm AND sorta looking for info on if there was an accident.

I suspect after that the coworkers are talking amongst themselves trying to figure out what else they can do and I think it was said that the husband of one of the coworkers went to the house because he was in the area that day. So, if that is true then maybe that coworker was texting her husband saying, we are worried because Spencer isn't here yet and he's never late. So then said husband says what's the address and I will swing by because he was in Columbus.

If someone has never in 3 years been late and not called or been reachable by phone and now the spouse also is not reachable these coworkers were right to panic, and they were right because their coworker was dead at his house.

Now if the dentist office was 5 or 10 minutes from the house then sure it makes sense that one coworker is sent to drive over there, but when it's well over an hour it doesn't make much sense to send someone to check when the police could be there so much faster.

IMO

 

[wibbleflea]

I’m guessing we’ll see more video of the POI in and around the area. For him to have been identified as a person of interest, there will be more than what they’ve released.

 

[Janitor101]

There's been a lot of crime within walking distance of the Tepe's home within the last few years, including murders. There's been a string of burglaries in the area recently. The park down the street is know for drug activity (confirmed by neighbors quotes) and an 8 year old was shot there while the Tepe's were living there (imagine, they were raising their young daughter at the time. Oh, yeah an 8 year old was shot at the park). A neighbor interviewed says he "hears gun shots all the time". I listed a more comprehensive write up of all this with links 2 pages back. So yes a random crime is very much on the radar IMO. I still don't get the glossing over of these factual crimes in this small area which indicate a higher probability of such incidents.

First of all, how does a random burglar even gain entry in the first place unless,.of course, the back door was conveniently left open? But for arguments sake, lets say he gained entry into the home but now finds himself in total darkness in unfamiliar surroundings. How does one maneuver their way around THREE different floors searching for the loot without the benefit of a light source? Rummaging around trying different doors and rooms while risking the possibility of waking the children or more importantly, the homeowner himself who maybe decides to pull a gun on him.

Also the random burglar neutralized the couple in the bedroom so why didn't they take that golden opportunity to steal their valuable wedding rings? They were there for the.loot, right? But as reported, nothing was apparently missing.

Nah, this was not a random burglary. I bet statistics would support the fact that most burglars prefer to ransack unoccupied dwellings.

 

[justtrish]

I haven’t mentioned the call from the Dentist boss, but I imagine it like this:
He is on vacation.
Workers are contacting him to say ST has not turned up work, keep in mind that he probably turns up hours behind his actual patients for prep, paperwork…this is unusual since he is punctual.
As time goes on and patients start arriving, they sound a lot more stressed and concerned (maybe they’re dramatic too) to the boss with their updates since they now have patients waiting.
Due to it being holiday period, he tells dispatch that they cannot get in contact with MT or “anyone in the house” - keep on mind that I know my coworkers have kids but no idea how old they are and he may have thought the oldest could answer the phone (or knew/presumed someone was staying over for the holidays).
He’s on holiday, hearing his staff get stressed, ST lives a while away from the practice.
I think the concern from staff or him may be a car accident? Or a medical emergency.
Which is why he called to let police know. You actually hear him ask if there have been any traffic accidents reported.

What I find weird is the people who turned up to the house so soon and gained access when the police were already involved. Were any family members with them or was it coworkers/ friends?

It's my understanding the first-time police were called they didn't go to the correct house so when a friend showed up to check on them, no police were there. Then at some point the person outside checking on them hears the kids crying, but nobody is answering the door. At this point police are not at the house, and I think that is when they made the decision to enter the house due to hearing the kids. IMO

 

[Data Sleuth]

Well fellow sleuthers ... just my 2 cents and MOO.
I simply had to stop reading this thread and will wait for MSM details from LE.
The misinformed posts going back and forth and back and forth on what room the Tepes' were found in, how did the friend get in and see the body, was the body upstairs or downstairs, the attack on the brother-in-law, the accusation of them being swingers, whether it's MT on the dv call, whether or not the dentist office called LE for a welfare check too soon, who is raising the kids ... honestly, it's just too much ... I just can't
FWIW
- LE is investigating double homicide
- The couple died of gunshot wounds upstairs in their bedroom
- The children were unharmed and are being cared for by extended family
- The brother-in-law is married to Spencers sister and is a Victim in this case
- LE has released a video showing a Person of Interest in the neighborhood around the time of murder

That's all folks, that's it. Can we just follow and discuss the facts?
MOO

Thank you for post, perfectly stated IMO, reminds me of the 4 Idaho student murder discussions on WS when people would go on and on about the dog (Murphy I think). Continually discussing their own dogs etc.
Facts only please!

 

[you betcha]

My dentist always shows up late to appointments though there is usually a hygienist or someone to get me prepped for a cleaning etc. And are you saying real family emergencies are not possible? They have no playbook for that?

He always shows up late to the building, or is he late because his previous appointments ran late?

Picturing your dentist bursting in huffing and puffing, taking off his coat, brushing off the snow and going "Whoof, sorry I'm late, where's the scalpel?"

 

[Mitch1]

But it really isn't.

IMO initally the coworkers called their boss to let him know and he is not in town and all coworkers are over an hour away. When the boss called first he even mentioned maybe there was a car accient. I believe he even said something like are there any reports of something like that. He was sounding the alarm AND sorta looking for info on if there was an accident.

I suspect after that the coworkers are talking amongst themselves trying to figure out what else they can do and I think it was said that the husband of one of the coworkers went to the house because he was in the area that day. So, if that is true then maybe that coworker was texting her husband saying, we are worried because Spencer isn't here yet and he's never late. So then said husband says what's the address and I will swing by because he was in Columbus.

If someone has never in 3 years been late and not called or been reachable by phone and now the spouse also is not reachable these coworkers were right to panic, and they were right because their coworker was dead at his house.

Now if the dentist office was 5 or 10 minutes from the house then sure it makes sense that one coworker is sent to drive over there, but when it's well over an hour it doesn't make much sense to send someone to check when the police could be there so much faster.

IMO

Unless they had a specific reason to believe he didn’t show to work, answer or call and his wife isn’t answering then he could be dead or dying -its odd they called before checking the house

 

[academyrd]

It's my understanding the first-time police were called they didn't go to the correct house so when a friend showed up to check on them, no police were there. Then at some point the person outside checking on them hears the kids crying, but nobody is answering the door. At this point police are not at the house, and I think that is when they made the decision to enter the house due to hearing the kids. IMO

He also called 911 at that point, and said something to the effect of "I can hear a child crying/screaming, not sure if I should break in or not"

 

[you betcha]

Unless they had a specific reason to believe he didn’t show to work, answer or call and his wife isn’t answering then he could be dead or dying -its odd they called before checking the house

Like possible CO poisoning, that takes entire families every winter?

 

[mom2tee]

I simply had to stop reading this thread and will wait for MSM details from LE.

Whatever you do ... do NOT look at social media posts. OMG. If this wasn't such a tragic, horrifying outcome, then I would laugh out loud at what is being tossed about. The theories and speculation are just WILD. It reminds me of the missing teen boaters from Florida years ago. There was a (small ish) Yeti cooler on board and people were straight up convinced that the boys had likely turned that into a raft and were both "aboard" the cooler ... like a small one. The regurgitation of questions ad nauseum is one thing, but the insane theories, accusations, etc. are just too much.


My thoughts on the welfare check:

We had an office death (person didn't show for work, out of character) this year and I am glad that people jumped into action.

I also was at a large convention and we realized no one had heard from one of our coworkers in a long time. We compared notes and realized that it had been hours and hours. I mentioned it to the hotel and they IMMEDIATELY initiated a "wellness check". Almost no questions asked. They were not messing around. (the person had the flu).