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

[moonglow123]

I think it just feels too targeted for robbery gone wrong. No one heard gunshots as far as we know, pointing to potential use of a suppressor. He seemed to seek them out in their bedroom, versus Monique or Spencer confronting him. And, of course, nothing being taken or out of place.

Would a standard burglar show up with a weapon fitted with a suppressor, seek out the home's occupants in their bedroom, kill them and not take anything? Idk. But I'm just speculating.

I hope this stays in the news and enough people see the footage of the POI. He's not in distinctive apparel, but maybe someone will recognize his build and gait in conjunction. It's so disappointing when there's video footage of a POI but simply not enough people see it or no concrete tips come out of it.

 

[Knox]

And yet these friends showed up at the scene before LE. And is it really life imprisonment for taking a gun from a crime scene especially if you know there is no murderer to be found (since he/she is already dead)? Murder-suicide is really Occam's razor to me in this case. Just 3 shots to kill 2 people - I think an outsider would have likely fired more shots (2-3 per person) to ensure they were truly dead. Kids and dog not locked up in their room (at least not that I have heard) but heard/did nothing - which points to mild sedation. Again only something the parents could have done. JMO.

What motive would the friends have for doing something like that?

They were asleep, pretty easy targets laying in bed. I’m betting there was a silencer on the gun.

 

[maamager]

POI silhouette tells me that they might have a mask on too, furthering covering their face but imo
ripped jeans
no visible gloves

 

[technicallymissing]

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.

Without being too pessimistic, that’s what everyone thought about Bridge Guy in Delphi for over five years. I do hope this time is different and someone does recognize this person AND reports it if they do

 

[ivegotcha]

Here is another news channel that is up close , magnified video of the POI

 

[stmichael]

I think it just feels too targeted for robbery gone wrong. No one heard gunshots as far as we know, pointing to potential use of a suppressor. He seemed to seek them out in their bedroom, versus Monique or Spencer confronting him. And, of course, nothing being taken or out of place.

Would a standard burglar show up with a weapon fitted with a suppressor, seek out the home's occupants in their bedroom, kill them and not take anything? Idk. But I'm just speculating.

I hope this stays in the news and enough people see the footage of the POI. He's not in distinctive apparel, but maybe someone will recognize his build and gait in conjunction. It's so disappointing when there's video footage of a POI but simply not enough people see it or no concrete tips come out of it.

The lack of anyone noticing gunshot report is a strange part of this case that jumped out at me (shooting indoors creates an echo chamber as well). IF this was an *assassination* then this is a whole 'nother story.

Now a neighbor interviewed said he "heard nothing" that night and then added "and I hear gunshots all the time."

Also, a suppressor is not something that some druggie would have (though a cheap 9mm certainly is) and of course a suppressor only muffles the sound and there would still be noise. OH does allow use of NFA suppressors (ownership, use, and hunting).

As I mentioned up thread the forensics and ballistics of the kill room will tell a store, entry/exit wound angles, blood spatter, location/distance of the three spent casings etc. They'll likely know if they were executed while still in bed, or if one got up etc.
In a strange case with so little to go on this crime scene becomes even more critical.

Another thing is we don't really know if anything was taken. A crypto wallet, important doc. We're just going by what the brother-in-law said that investigators told him (they *believed* nothing was taken or no* apparent* sign of theft....)

 

[Normancita]

Here is another news channel that is up close , magnified video of the POI

Good video!

Are the knees of the jeans ripped?

 

[steeltowngirl]

We know the Tepes were fatally shot. If in the bedroom, it would seem it was quick, but we don’t know if one or both was bound or gagged, or more. The friend saw Spencer’s body and a pool of blood, but were they also beaten before they were murdered? The 4 year old has been said to have slept through it, though.

What if the killer wasn’t after cash or jewelry, but instead after a piece of information from one of the Tepes? A code to a storage unit, a password to an account, something intangible, yet valuable?

 

[mom2tee]

If you look closely, you can see the two black horizontal industrial bars that are to the left of the doorway as he walks by. You can also see the stone divider and an area to park. I also noticed that it turns into much more old/cracked unfinished pavement at this part (compared to their driveway/garage area) and that’s how I first noticed.

I actually think this is him walking towards the house then actually, which means he must have left in an opposite direction otherwise the camera should have caught him twice?

I think this (grey building on left photo) is one on video. This is zoomed in ... if you get too close, it disappears as the Google dates change. But this looks like it to me ... then I spun around and you can see Tepe's garage up ahead on left in second pic. So I agree that the footage (if I am right) would be the person in the video walking TOWARDS the Tepe's house.

 

[Aquabot13]

I don't have a theory about who did it, but I do have a theory about how the discovery played out/why some of these details are confusing.

*JUST A THEORY*

I imagine the response compounding as more people were contacted and panic set in.

Maybe the coworkers at the office texted other coworkers who weren't in that day asking if they'd heard from M or S. Maybe one of those coworkers was especially friendly with the couple or lived in the neighborhood - so that coworker is on the scene first.

When they don't get an answer, maybe a couple more coworkers get in the car and drive towards the house, looking for a car accident or some other jam.

Meanwhile, back at the house, maybe some neighbors have noticed that the coworker at the house is distressed. Maybe a few neighbors gather and start working the phones for the door code. Maybe someone grabs a ladder or a drone or notices they can see into the house from some angles in their own house.

I guess my point is that I think there was a LOT going on electronically/communication-wise the morning of the discovery. Everyone would have had their own ideas of ways to help or people to ask for info.

I think the door was truly locked the first time the police/coworkers showed up, but someone in the network of people being contacted managed to get the code to the door before the second police visit.

While I don't think anyone responding to the house that morning was acting suspiciously or in an unexpected manor, the frenzy of everyone trying their best to contact the couple/get more info could provide a convenient cover.....

MOO - totally hypothetical (and I haven't brushed up on timeline updates today)

 

[stmichael]

We know the Tepes were fatally shot. If in the bedroom, it would seem it was quick, but we don’t know if one or both was bound or gagged, or more. The friend saw Spencer’s body and a pool of blood, but were they also beaten before they were murdered? The 4 year old has been said to have slept through it, though.

What if the killer wasn’t after cash or jewelry, but instead after a piece of information from one of the Tepes? A code to a storage unit, a password to an account, something intangible, yet valuable?

There's been several cases of people in the US and abroad being tortured and killed for their cryptowallet and passkey.

 

[waldojabba]

And yet these friends showed up at the scene before LE. And is it really life imprisonment for taking a gun from a crime scene especially if you know there is no murderer to be found (since he/she is already dead)? Murder-suicide is really Occam's razor to me in this case. Just 3 shots to kill 2 people - I think an outsider would have likely fired more shots (2-3 per person) to ensure they were truly dead. Kids and dog not locked up in their room (at least not that I have heard) but heard/did nothing - which points to mild sedation. Again only something the parents could have done. JMO.

IMO young kids sleep thru everything at this time of night ( morning).

I am assuming for this scenario, that perhaps the two girls bunked together in the same room, with the baby in the crib and the 4 yr old in the big girl bed, maybe with the dog. Their door closed with probably a monitor inside. They all heard nothing.

We know so little. It well could be random. Someone mentioned maybe the rear door was left ajar inadvertently after they let the dog out. Someone walks by and sees an opportunity.

Why would someone/a robber go into an occupied house? Happens all the time.

They could have gone in and been “ casing the place” thought it was an easy grab the purse in the kitchen etc, when the husband heard something. He tells the wife to stay put while he checks things out. He goes down - locks eyes with the robber - runs back upstairs - robber runs after him shoots him at the side of the bed and shoots the wife who is in bed.

Robber freaks out and takes off bc he never intended for that to happen. Spur of the moment eff up and gets out.

obvi it could be any number of things.

I am mindful that the holiday season makes even stable people unstable. Lots of drinking drugging and people just generally. strung out. Economic pressure and exhaustion with trying to make ends meet, people do desperate things

JMO

 

[getthefax]

What would be the benefit of this if they actually know who he is? I do agree they have more than this video to lead him to be an official POI

I am by no means an expert, but I can think of a few reasons:

-People generally don't like to rat out their friends and family. If people think the cops already have enough information, then it reduces the urgency for that friend/family member to be the one to do the reporting, and leaves LE with less info. Hypothetically, if a person suspected their friend or relative of this crime, and saw footage of that person that could not eliminate them from suspicion, folks might be more likely to come forward with tips and information about motive/rationale. Those tips and info would become very useful in a trial, especially if the accused were to refuse to cooperate.

-Also, I think LE tend to release clear photos of suspects when they are actively seeking the public's help to locate a known fugitive or an individual who poses an imminent threat to public safety (a la Luigi Mangione). If the individual is not considered a threat, the need for public assistance diminishes.

-With all the amateur sleuths running amok out there, I can't imagine LE posting a clear photo of any suspect unless absolutely necessary. It would be a matter of public safety and safety for the suspect.

There are many people with far better understanding of these considerations that have I, but these are my thoughts/opinions.

 

[Aquabot13]

We know the Tepes were fatally shot. If in the bedroom, it would seem it was quick, but we don’t know if one or both was bound or gagged, or more. The friend saw Spencer’s body and a pool of blood, but were they also beaten before they were murdered? The 4 year old has been said to have slept through it, though.

What if the killer wasn’t after cash or jewelry, but instead after a piece of information from one of the Tepes? A code to a storage unit, a password to an account, something intangible, yet valuable?

I hate to even bring this up, but maybe crypto? On a secured drive, so would need a password.

 

[Seattle1]

PERSON OF INTEREST....??

1/5/26

 

[Izzylizzy]

FINALLY!
Peter has arrived.

 

[Seattle1]

1/5/26

 

[Seattle1]

1/5/26

 

[BeachAngel]

Here is another news channel that is up close , magnified video of the POI

What is he doing to his head at the 15 second mark? Pulling his hood down? Hitting himself?

 

[MassGuy]

Were both victims found in the upstairs bedroom?

We have heard no forced entry, nothing appeared missing. I wonder if there was any sign of physical struggle, at all. Defensive wounds on either Spencer or Monique, other injuries, sexual assault?

Was expecting they would have nearby camera video of a car arriving or leaving. But if the killer was on foot, he could have ducked in anywhere and avoided cameras as he left the area.

This case may not get solved as quickly as we hoped.

I actually don't think we know for a fact that they were both found in the bedroom, but he was found near the bed.

This just sounds like a cold blooded execution - Betty Broderick was the first case I thought of.

.My hope is that he had his cell phone on him, and a geofence will show that. It's definitely not looking like a quick resolution, especially with that video release today. It's pretty clear they still don't have a solid suspect.

There's also a chance the fired casings have touch DNA on them, but that's unlikely to lead to his immediate capture unless he's in the system.