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

[MassGuy]

Good thought. So, if his shoes were wet, did he remove them when he got to the house or were there foot prints left?

I’d bet a lot of money on him keeping his shoes on. Great point about the prints.

 

[Voidz]

So what you’re saying is since it wasn’t cat burglars it was ninjas right?

See my response above. It’s shockingly easy.

Remember to always have a deadbolt above any electronic lock you may or may not have.

 

[browneyes]

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.

How do people bypass the code locks? I’ve considered them, but never thought about them being less safe. I’ll stick with my keyed locks.

 

[MarciB]

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.

if they are electronic locks with remote access, their should be time stamped data

 

[flowershop]

Does this remind anyone of the “Walking Man” outside of the Shermans’ house or is it just me? MOO

It sure does. I have been lurking in that thread and I am trying to read from the past to the present. Just today I was reading some WSers discuss the gait of the suspect in that case. Everything from prosthetic legs to KGB posturing has been brought up....

 

[OhioGuy]

My cameras record 24/7. Alerts don’t bother me.

I’m hopeful more are like you! Since the systems can be customized, my fear would be that even if the neighbors all had ring doorbells, someone walking directly up to the Tepe’s wouldn’t trigger theirs to kick on due to distance. Since it seems the focus has been narrowed to the back of the house, even more challenging IMO.

 

[MarciB]

How do people bypass the code locks? I’ve considered them, but never thought about them being less safe. I’ll stick with my keyed locks.

some of them require fingerprint to access in addition to codes. It doesn't make sense someone broke in to kill the parents. From what I've seen, nothing was stolen?

 

[Gators North]

My cameras record 24/7. Alerts don’t bother me.

Mine too.

 

[getthefax]

The pavement looks to be in pretty bad shape so it's likely not behind any of the newer build homes in the area. I'm guessing it's further up the alley but before 11th. If this is all they currently have I have to imagine it's relatively close to the house in question.

Agree. For some reason, the walking pace and the swipe of his hand over his head/hoodie gives me a “what have I done? “ feeling.

I can’t quite place it, but he’s not hurrying away like some experienced killer. He may be stepping carefully to avoid ice, or he may be stepping carefully to avoid leaving footprints.

But he’s moving slowly, and the idea that he doesn’t have a vehicle waiting right outside is not giving me experienced hit vibes. This just (to me) has the feel of someone local who knew them. No forced entry, no ruckus…

It’s definitely the kind of crime that has me reviewing security at my home and locks and entry points and things like that.

EDITING TO ADD: he could also be walking toward the house, about to do the killing. We do not have confirmation.

 

[BlaiseFinlay]

I, too, am hoping that LE being so quiet means that they're busy gathering, verifying, and organizing the necessary information they need to arrest a suspect. If they're not asking the public for more help, I'm hopeful that it means they don't NEED the public's help, because they have a lot of good information already.

Statistically, it is more likely that ST and MT were murdered by someone they know than by a stranger. There's been a lot of discussion in this thread about the house's doors, locks, points of entry, and how someone could have gotten in, but my hunch is that a break-in wasn't necessary because it was a friend or family member already in the house. Someone who was either invited for a visit (it was the holidays!), or maybe a relative who had been temporarily living there.

If the Tepe family had a relative (or relatives) visiting or staying with them, that could explain the "...or anyone who lives there" comment the caller made. It could explain why there was no sketchy stranger/masked burgler for neighbors to notice. It could explain how the murderer was able to commit the crime so "easily," without signs of a break-in, struggle, or robbery. It could explain why friends and co-workers so quickly suspected the Tepes needed help - maybe they knew, from conversation with Monique or Spencer, that they'd been having struggles with a family member (maybe related to substance abuse, mental illness with violent tendencies, threats, etc).

I find it interesting that the Police are guarding at least two different households with relatives of ST and MT. It makes sense for them to guard the house where ST and MT's children are staying, since they could potentially be in danger from this un-arrested murderer. If the murderer doesn't know which house the children are in, guarding TWO houses would be a good way to throw him off, maybe...? Or maybe there's a larger family dispute of some sort going on, such as the murderer being a relative or family friend that some family members suspect, while others are trying to protect. Maybe one family member turned in another (or a family friend), and is now in danger of retaliation from other family members, or something convoluted like that. Maybe LE are guarding the houses of family members who have received threats.

I'm doing a ton of speculating, I know. I have no real info. I just think that these murders are likely to be deeply personal and targeted, a result of the rage of a relative or "friend" of the Tepe's. I'd guess that the door locks and security system aren't so relevant, and ST and MT were more likely betrayed and blindsided by someone they had in their home. My heart breaks for them and their children and loved ones.

You bring up a good point. It makes sense to guard the house with the children. But why any other house? I think that suggests knowledge of a more specific threat than just general precaution.

 

[MassGuy]

We don't know if this video is of the POI coming or going, do we?

Because a lot of people are under the impression that this is after the fact, but I wasn't sure if we had any information confirming that, or at least pointing to that.

 

[moonglow123]

I know some have said electronic locks are easy to bypass or "lockpick", but it's still odd he had enough confidence to just stroll up and attempt it. No worries about floodlights going off, alarms going off, dogs barking, Monique or Spencer waking up, failing etc. Makes me lean more towards someone that knew them and less towards a Kohberger type, but who knows.

 

[stmichael]

So based on the camera footage the police just released and the lack of more info overall they seem to haveI am leaning to thinking this is the rarer random incident. The history of crime at the park has been well documented.

Long-troubled Weinland Park neighborhood thriving despite tragedy​

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/01/03/isolated-slayings-wont-alter-weinland-park-success-residents-say/87993041007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z11xx33p119450c119450d00----v11xx33d--44--b--44--&gca-ft=206&gca-ds=sophi

The footage is, as I thought, very inconclusive with hoodie obscuring face, though a certain gait is displayed.

‘Person of interest’ in mystery murders of Ohio dentist, his wife seen in eerie video released by cops

The person of interest had their head down and their hands in their pockets as they strolled at a calm pace, the surveillance footage showed.

nypost.com

Unfortunately with Ring cameras, and residential CCTV in my experience we get imperfect shots, placement and of course winter in OH, the hoodie/mask combo was to be expected (just like in the many porch pirate videos etc. you often see).

Forensics and crime scene evidence will weigh more heavily and further expanded surveillance requests (they as of yesterday have narrowed the requested window to 2-5am).

 

[MassGuy]

So based on the camera footage the police just released and the lack of more info overall they seem to haveI am leaning to thinking this is the rarer random incident. The history of crime at the park has been well documented.

The footage is, as I thought, very inconclusive with hoodie obscuring face, though a certain gait is displayed.

‘Person of interest’ in mystery murders of Ohio dentist, his wife seen in eerie video released by cops

The person of interest had their head down and their hands in their pockets as they strolled at a calm pace, the surveillance footage showed.

nypost.com

Unfortunately with Ring cameras, and residential CCTV in my experience we get imperfect shots, placement and of course winter in OH, the hoodie/mask combo was to be expected (just like in the many porch pirate videos etc. you often see).

Forensics and crime scene evidence will weigh more heavily and further expanded surveillance requests (they as of yesterday have narrowed the requested window to 2-5am).

The issue is the lack of forced entry, and the victims being found in their bedroom. In a random event I'd expect one of the victims to be found dead near the door.

 

[OhioSleuth614]

We don't know if this video is of the POI coming or going, do we?

Because a lot of people are under the impression that this is after the fact, but I wasn't sure if we had any information confirming that, or at least pointing to that.

If my assumption on where the video was recorded is correct, it would appear that they are walking towards the residence. That doesn't necessarily mean anything though and I could be wrong on the location.

 

[OhioGuy]

We don't know if this video is of the POI coming or going, do we?

Because a lot of people are under the impression that this is after the fact, but I wasn't sure if we had any information confirming that, or at least pointing to that.

Without a time of death and time of this video it’ll be tough to 100% confirm, but knowing which direction would help a lot. For example if this person is walking south AND this video is south of the home, makes sense that they’re likely walking away.

 

[MassGuy]

If my assumption on where the video was recorded is correct, it would appear that they are walking towards the residence. That doesn't necessarily mean anything though and I could be wrong on the location.

Your reasoning is more solid than mine. I assumed he was heading towards the scene based on his demeanor/walking speed.

 

[academyrd]

Just by the demeanor this person is familiar with the area, cameras etc. I’m getting a younger vibe 20-30’s. Seems targeted as well.

The word targeted doesn’t mean anything in this context. Of course this was targeted. Two people just got murdered inside their own house while sleeping. An asteroid didn’t fall out the sky and hit them. Of course they were targeted. The question is by who and why.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Was there a more recent street view than 2015? I can't see the houses on google maps.

no.... you cannot see the house on google maps or google earth.
surprised that 2015 is most recent.

 

[drdetective]

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.

Wait you live in the alley?