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

[TIGER0822]

Do we know for sure if LE found shell casings?

Reportedly yes. They found three shell cartridges.

 

[Alxx108]

Makes sense. I wonder if somebody has a recording (similar to what you have on your home) of the front of the Tepe’s and they’ve been able to verify that access wasn’t that way. Ie we know the victims were safe at X time and we’ve seen everything from then all the way til the wellness check, and we know nobody entered through the front door or went around the left or right side of the house toward the fence

Since you live in the immediate area, do you find it unusual that anyone, POI or not, would be in the alley on foot between 2 and 5am? My thought is yes, especially given the time of year. If this was closer to High St I wouldn’t blink an eye, but over here there’s no bars you’re walking back from at that time.

From their house, it's probably a 10 min walk over to High St. (main North/South road through Columbus) or a 20-40 minute walk to different parts of campus. I wouldn't think it's completely unheard for someone to be in the alley from 2-5 since there are bars on High open until 2:30 or even just coming home from a friend's house or work. I definitely walked home the 25 minutes I was from campus at 2 am more than once as a grad student, even as a 5'2" woman. I wouldn't expect a lot of people to be out, but a handful throughout the night wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Rsbm

I doubt they release a video without having more to indicate this person is a suspect. It’s too eerie.

Hard to say. The video of the POI in the Brown University shooting was just because LE wanted to talk to the person. Turned out the "POI" actually HAD seen something very important.

 

[stmichael]

What I am thinking of, Dr. Tepe sounds as a kind-hearted person. He could have taken in for a few days an unhoused relative’s kid who was kicked of parental house or an ex-teenage patient who is now young adult and was living on the street. Some may not realize the danger as they knew the person from better times. I wonder if the person looks of the same stature as Dr. Tepe. Sometimes people give their clothes or shoes to the person in such situations, The person does not look scared. It is as if he could explain the presence there.

In his obituary, his family mentioned he was active in the Big Brothers program. The reason this peaked my interest is because my brother was involved in it living in New York City. He formed a bond with the kid (from an underprivileged area across the river in NJ) but upon starting his own life and family, his surrogate brother felt abandoned and there was a lot of resentment to the point of a RO issued. You do have to be careful with kindness and giving people the benefit of the doubt in this world. Sadly, evil preys on compassion.

 

[Gators North]

Reportedly yes. They found three shell cartridges.

Thank you!

 

[Knox]

View attachment 635266

Street View of 1411 N 4th St · Google Maps

1411 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43201

www.google.com

Anyone think this may be it?

70K views · 248 reactions | Detectives believe the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Tepe occurred sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. on the morning of December 30th in the upstairs of their residence. Recovered video footage shows a person of interest walking

Detectives believe the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Tepe occurred sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. on the morning of December 30th in the upstairs of their residence. Recovered video footage shows a...

www.facebook.com

I do not live on the same street but I do live in the immediate area.

I can’t tell from your video since there is snow. It it the same area I noted on the google map? Thanks for posting that.

 

[Inthedetails]

From their house, it's probably a 10 min walk over to High St. (main North/South road through Columbus) or a 20-40 minute walk to different parts of campus. I wouldn't think it's completely unheard for someone to be in the alley from 2-5 since there are bars on High open until 2:30 or even just coming home from a friend's house or work. I definitely walked home the 25 minutes I was from campus at 2 am more than once as a grad student, even as a 5'2" woman. I wouldn't expect a lot of people to be out, but a handful throughout the night wouldn't surprise me.

To me, he looks like a local walking home.

jmopinion

 

[Ms Scarlett]

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).

You’re right about camera footage. It also seems like criminals have become more bold even in the presence of cameras, because they know it will be difficult to identify them without a license plate number.

 

[stmichael]

Maybe I’ve watched too much CSI but I think the person firing the gun has a concentration of residue on the hand and then the rest sort of splays out. I’m picturing it like how if you spend all day painting your room, you have little specks in your hair and on your shirt but your hand is nearly covered. I’m sure someone with far more knowledge than me will chime in on this and correct if needed.

You can have gun shot residue (GSR) on your hands anytime discharge or handle a recently discharged firearm. This is a combination of minerals (lead, barium etc.) but cannot be tied to any unique gun. Just means you fired a gun recently, but it can be any gun. You need to have the actual firearm to tie it to the casings/ballistics--that is a unqiue signature, in most cases with a rifled barrel (obviously no ballistics for smooth bore like a shotgun). I go to the range a few times a week so I'd have gunshot residue any given day you interview me.

 

[ErinC]

Too many witnesses in a shooting on the road, risky. Even if she wasn’t the primary target, if left alive she may have been a witness, killer had no choice. At this point we can’t even definitely say they were targeted.

There's really not a stretch of Route 33 that's uncrowded/doesn't pass by businesses until you get to the Lancaster bypass, and even then, there is a pretty steady stream of truckers and such coming through. You're absolutely correct, there would have been way too many potential witnesses for about the first half of his commute, and still a pretty good amount of them for the second half.

 

[stmichael]

Do we know for sure if LE found shell casings?

3 spent 9mm casings next to the bed/bodies. Husband shot twice. Wife once. No firearm recovered at the scene.

 

[Charlot123]

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

Not at all, to me. The Walking Man is more heavy and squarely set and appears older; he may have some gait issregularity. This one doesn’t. IMO.

 

[Ms Scarlett]

would she have been a mandatory reporter?

Yes. teachers are mandated reporters.

 

[Speculaytor]

I posted a screenshot a few pages back. I think they are in the alley closer to 9th walking south towards 8th.

Yep, that's where I had him too. That would explain the request for video footage up to 11th and over to Summit. I don't see where the building made of white stone/brick is though? He is walking past a building of white stone, there is black trim. At first I thought it might be the back of the white brick house that shows through a bit to the alley, but is actually on Summit. Looking again though, the stones may be bigger than bricks on the white house, and it could be a newer building? IDK?

 

[TexLil]

The neat fitting khakis and jacket give off a professional air to me. Which makes me think this was targeted and not a desperate burglary attempt.

MOO I see faded/light washed, sagging jeans. Possibly with distressing/rips.

 

[academyrd]

The neat fitting khakis and jacket give off a professional air to me. Which makes me think this was targeted and not a desperate burglary attempt.

Doesn’t seem that way to me. His clothes look pretty casual and those of a younger person. Hoodie, cargo pants or sagging jeans. Someone has to recognize that outfit and those clothes combined with the walk.

 

[Ms Scarlett]

i think i have that exact area on video on my drive the other day. here’s the video (it’s not very well done, sorry)

Thanks for reposting it. I was looking for it and couldn’t find it!

 

[Gators North]

Not at all, to me. The Walking Man is more heavy and squarely set and appears older; he may have some gait issregularity. This one doesn’t. IMO.

I’m sorry, I should have clarified. I didn’t mean the actual Walking Man from the scene of the Sherman murders. I meant to say that there seems to be another Walking Man at the scene of the Tepe murders. MOO

 

[acutename]

Well there have been several murders in that small area in recent years, including stabbings, gun homicides, and a man killed by being bashed with skateboard. I'm not from the area but my colleagues say there is plenty of activity in the actual park at night, and one of the neighbors interviewed (I posted upthread) said the same and even said he's "used to hearing gunshots'.

I am still leaning to some connection, though maybe a distant or passing one.

I was wondering if some one saw a flat screen or a PC or some thing else of value through the house windows and thought "I'll just take it," but I still think that most random burglars who want to pawn something are not carrying a gun and killing the home owners and then not taking anything. Not a purse, not a wallet, not some electronic device. And I am not convinced that crime connected to street drugs involves picking locks- more like smash and grabs. IMO. Wonder if there was any sign of a confrontation.

 

[getthefax]

Because they’re releasing it and calling this person a POI, I really doubt it it’s based simply on his location and time.

If that is the case, then we typically see police state they want to talk to this person about what they may have witnessed.

Although even then (generally)it is because they suspect them.

I am wondering if they actually have better footage, but are releasing this vague imagery to encourage folks to suspect him/turn him in, etc. LE don't always release the best footage they have this early on. They may be trying to get others to recognize the POI enough to raise suspicion and produce more info. MOO