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

[TruCrimeTime]

That report came only from WSYX ABC 6 Columbus based off the 911 call (and was repeated by People etc.) It stated:


1. We don't know it's accuracy. I've heard the dental practice's 911 call but have not heard a link to this one.
2. We don't know if the friend had access into the residence/crime scene.
3. We don't know if the basement was used as say a guest bedroom and that for whatever reason is where they ended up and that's the location cited (you can see into the basement through the large egress window). I doubt this because reports of the wellness check said the officer checked both the front and back door, so he would have seen the same thing and had probable cause to immediately enter.
4. It is possible that he like @OhioGuy suggested procured a ladder and checked the second story windows, though seems a bit more far fetched. There are actually not that many windows and the sides of the houses between are minimized for privacy. Maybe they had an extendable pole cam or a drone even, yes far-fetched but who knows?


The wedding video that they are keeping up on YT, though heartbreaking from a human perspective, provides a lot of layout from a clinical web sleuthing angle, including the inside of the house and a hovering drone shot of the entire neighborhood/back alley/yard, adjacent streets etc.

Search this thread for my post #157. I’ve seen today more outlets have released it but yesterday am it was a link to a National ABC piece with an excerpt of that friends 911 call.

 

[stmarysmead]

Could this ‘friend’ be an in-law or family member? I have had keys to a family members home but it was 1 1/2 hrs away. My point is that as anxiety rose, someone close to the family, but not close enough to run over immediately, might have come over with keys or code, whatever ability to enter.

 

[Bigditch]

We know this was Monique's 2nd marriage, what about Spencer?

 

[Cryptic]

Young Drs, dentists these days can also be carrying a lot of student loan debt. Expensive home. Stay-at-home wife. Not saying that this is the case, but if money issues are involved, they might present in many different forms.

Good point.

Along those lines, his current employer is likely very stable and well established. I wonder, however, if had a previous employer as a dentist?

I would not be surprised if business aptitudes amongst dentists owing practices vary. Could the victim of been approached to make a contrived investment / "investment" with a previous employer? Or, could the the working arrangements between the employer and the victim as a new dentist have gone exploitive some point....

 

[StarryStarryNight]

My theory is that he was sleeping in the basement room and she in a room closer to the 1-year-old, who may still wake during the night.

I can see why figuring out how the perp(s) gained entry will tell authorities something about that person, if no doors/windows were damaged. But we don't know that.



In the middle of the night?

I agree, and there are plenty of normal life reasons they were sleeping in separate rooms. He was snoring, she was snoring, one had a cold, one was was restless and just couldn’t sleep.

 

[drdetective]

Search this thread for my post #157. I’ve seen today more outlets have released it but yesterday am it was a link to a National ABC piece with an excerpt of that friends 911 call.

There’s a Zillow link with photos of their house, inside and out.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1411-N-4th-St-Columbus-OH-43201/2075977227_zpid/

 

[MntnHiker]

I am curious where the dog was found in the house and what its demeanor was. Does it maybe sleep with the kids? Or perhaps the intruder shut it up in a room?

Also curious about possible service people they've had in their house recently. Could be they had people working in the home and for ease of coming/going, gave out their door code and someone came back? Either for robbery or maybe some type of grievance if there had been displeasure with the service.

While I am typically in agreement that if we are looking at midnight to about 8 AM, they likely wouldn't have let someone in voluntarily during those hours of the night, if the person was a close friend or acquaintance and showed up in distress, I could definitely see opening the door to them. I am thinking of my best friend pounding on my door at 1 AM, crying, upset, and I would not stand there and refuse to let them in because the hour is late. My first reaction would be, I know them, we're close, they need help, and I open my door to them. Not suggesting this was their best friend - just using that relationship as an example. Another thought: if they were very trusting and generous people, would they be inclined to open their door even for a stranger who was in distress?

 

[Aquabot13]

There’s a Zillow link with photos of their house, inside and out.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1411-N-4th-St-Columbus-OH-43201/2075977227_zpid/

Is this link showing photos for anyone else? I'm only seeing the standard google earth pics.... interesting if they had it taken down so quickly

 

[MSU24]

Is this link showing photos for anyone else? I'm only seeing the standard google earth pics.... interesting if they had it taken down so quickly

It's not, but if you Google the address, they're still up on Redfin.

 

[drdetective]

I am curious where the dog was found in the house and what its demeanor was. Does it maybe sleep with the kids? Or perhaps the intruder shut it up in a room?

Also curious about possible service people they've had in their house recently. Could be they had people working in the home and for ease of coming/going, gave out their door code and someone came back? Either for robbery or maybe some type of grievance if there had been displeasure with the service.

While I am typically in agreement that if we are looking at midnight to about 8 AM, they likely wouldn't have let someone in voluntarily during those hours of the night, if the person was a close friend or acquaintance and showed up in distress, I could definitely see opening the door to them. I am thinking of my best friend pounding on my door at 1 AM, crying, upset, and I would not stand there and refuse to let them in because the hour is late. My first reaction would be, I know them, we're close, they need help, and I open my door to them. Not suggesting this was their best friend - just using that relationship as an example. Another thought: if they were very trusting and generous people, would they be inclined to open their door even for a stranger who was in distress?

I know I’m not opening the door, not least of all to protect my kids. And I don’t live in this sort of gentrified neighborhood now, but I used to, also in Ohio. People would bang on the door occasionally, wander up onto the property. You never ever open the door to a stranger. Nice person or not, that’s just street smarts unfortunately. A non-stranger, different story.

 

[drdetective]

The area is well populated. No way police don’t have footage of who was around their house that night/early morning. They’re probably just searching before posting as not to spook a POI.

 

[ttjo]

Is that a camera on top of that pole?
Pics from Zillow https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1411-N-4th-St-Columbus-OH-43201/2075977227_zpid/

 

[drdetective]

Is that a camera on top of that pole?
Pics from Zillow https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1411-N-4th-St-Columbus-OH-43201/2075977227_zpid/

Yep… if it could talk…

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Yep… if it could talk…

pretty sure it has talked...
waiting for LE to share.

 

[drdetective]

pretty sure it has talked...
waiting for LE to share.

I just hope the Columbus detectives are more competent than the 911 dispatchers…

 

[KMouse]

I don't know what the law actually says, but I imagine there's some nuance here. Someone being an hour late for work doesn't necessarily constitute law enforcement breaking into the home. I totally get why colleagues called for a well check, but residents have rights and police can't just break into the home just because someone is late to work or may have overslept. I would guess police called the caller back and probably said they'll make another well check at the end of the day if they don't turn up or if any other information comes to light. Really, when you think about it, if Spencer worked somewhere else where patients or customers weren't directly dependent on him, would colleagues call for a well check after only one hour? Most likely not. People oversleep, get stuck in traffic, etc. But his line of work, coupled with how reliable he likely was, is what led them to get concerned. But for law enforcement, an hour late to work is likely not a significant clue as to someone being dead or something being very wrong.

MOO.

I agree. If a call to police for a wellbeing check was all it took for LE to breach the door of homes it would be an infringement of people's rights. They can only enter if there is exigent circumstances. Same with pinging a phone. I wonder if the dentist's phone was pinged and it showed it to be in the home.
It is odd that a call to police was done so early. As a coworker I would assume they slept in or they had gotten into a collision on the way to work. After a few missed calls I would call LE to ask whether there were any collisions in the area. Then a wellbeing check request. So police go to the home and do a door knock and nobody comes to the door. Did they look through the windows? Try and see if vehicles were in the garage or parked outside?

 

[ttjo]

Post decree legal action to modify the original divorce terms? Per the record, they were only married two years with no kids. So alimony or property issues don't seem likely. Scratching my head over this one. Hopefully an attorney or someone with legal experience can chime in.

In Ohio, what grounds are there to reopen a divorce? Failing to fully disclose assets?

 

[ttjo]

I agree. If a call to police for a wellbeing check was all it took for LE to breach the door of homes it would be an infringement of people's rights. They can only enter if there is exigent circumstances. Same with pinging a phone. I wonder if the dentist's phone was pinged and it showed it to be in the home.
It is odd that a call to police was done so early. As a coworker I would assume they slept in or they had gotten into a collision on the way to work.

or … they work together, they talk, maybe he was aware of something that made him so concerned?

 

[Sadi]

Is this link showing photos for anyone else? I'm only seeing the standard google earth pics.... interesting if they had it taken down so quickly

Near the bottom of the page, look at nearby homes and you’ll see it there with all the pictures 1411 S 4th street.

 

[TIGER0822]

well... I could not find that data point.
All I see is divorce records for DT, and her first husband...

Pretty sure we can always discuss court records pertaining to suspects and victims, so can you be a bit more precise on how to find this info???
tia

You may have already. If you click on the divorce record, there is a drop down menu.