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

[steeltowngirl]

I could see a knock at the door but then how did they end up in the basement bedroom?

Tried to run from assailants?

 

[technicallymissing]

Looking at the homes on either side, they are so close together! No one heard 3-4 gunshots? Silencer?

There is an alley behind the home, I would say that’s likely how the killer accessed.

IMO this is going to be someone who knew them, not a random killing.

I wonder if people might have thought the shots were fireworks if there was no silencer. We definitely had some sporadic early ones here the week of Christmas - NYE last night

 

[Spectrix]

Looking at the homes on either side, they are so close together! No one heard 3-4 gunshots? Silencer?

There is an alley behind the home, I would say that’s likely how the killer accessed.

IMO this is going to be someone who knew them, not a random killing.

Let's say that a common 9mm Glock or similar handgun was used. Even with a silencer, it's going to be very loud, as the round exits the chamber at supersonic speed. That sound is a high pitched pop, it does not sound bassey like it does in movies.
Subsonic ammunition is available, though not used widely and even that is loud.

Having said that, gun shots are often mistaken for firecrackers / fireworks because they sound similar.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Maybe it was targeted, but assailants had the wrong house, panic ensued...

 

[TruCrimeTime]

Maybe the friend said that to get the police to come back? Is it possible the friend didn't see him at all, but knew if the kids were crying and nobody was answering the door that something bad had happened.

I can see that as a possibility. I also wonder why the kids weren’t crying during the initial welfare check?

 

[TruCrimeTime]

Let's say that a common 9mm Glock or similar handgun was used. Even with a silencer, it's going to be very loud, as the round exits the chamber at supersonic speed.
Subsonic ammunition is available but it's even that is loud.

Having said that, gun shots can be mistaken for firecrackers / fireworks.

I appreciate this theory about the neighbors homes proximity and agree. Perhaps some were out of town since it was a holiday week.

 

[TruCrimeTime]

Maybe it was targeted, but assailants had the wrong house, panic ensued...

This one is what bothers me the most.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Did an adult family member live with the couple and kids?
BBM below.

“He’s been reliable, and we cannot get in touch with him, his wife, his family, anybody that lives in that house,” the caller said. “He is always on time, and he would contact us if there’s any issues … we’re very, very concerned. And this is very out of character, and we can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/central-ohio-news/investigation-continues-into-columbus-husband-wife-found-dead/

 

[Megnut]

I think it’s possible the killer did not know there were kids present if they were on 2nd floor and murders were in basement.

Do we have confirmation on that? With two littles, it's possible they slept in separate bedrooms. Do we know they were found on the same floor in the same bed?

 

[Sillybilly]

I could see a knock at the door but then how did they end up in the basement bedroom?

There is no confirmation as to where the bodies were located.

In my earlier post, I was just suggesting a basement window as a possibility for someone to have been able to view Spencer lying beside a bed.

 

[Spectrix]

Do we have confirmation on that? With two littles, it's possible they slept in separate bedrooms. Do we know they were found on the same floor in the same bed?

As far as I can tell, we only know that they were found in the house unharmed.

The most tragic part is that even if they slept through the shooting, they would have woken up and gone down to find their parents deceased in the morning

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Let's say that a common 9mm Glock or similar handgun was used. Even with a silencer, it's going to be very loud, as the round exits the chamber at supersonic speed. That sound is a high pitched pop, it does not sound bassey like it does in movies.
Subsonic ammunition is available, though not used widely and even that is loud.

Having said that, gun shots are often mistaken for firecrackers / fireworks because they sound similar.

I would think their own Ring camera as well as those of neighbors would have picked that up? So time of death would be known?

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

There is no confirmation as to where the bodies were located.

In my earlier post, I was just suggesting a basement window as a possibility for someone to have been able to view Spencer lying beside a bed.

If his report is true, hard to interpret otherwise and the basement of that house DOES have a bedroom.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Has there been a press conference? I'm assuming that without any suspect(s), whoever killed the couple is/are on the loose, armed and dangerous.

 

[Spectrix]

I would think their own Ring camera as well as those of neighbors would have picked that up? So time of death would be known?

Where did the Ring Camera info come from?
I can't find anything in MSM that mentions a Ring Cam. I can only see mention of a street mounted police camera, which I can see is mounted on a pole diagonally across from the residence.

 

[Gemmie]

 

[Sillybilly]

If his report is true, hard to interpret otherwise and the basement of that house DOES have a bedroom.

Not sure where you are seeing a bedroom in the basement. All the rooms I see in the basement have no furniture in them except the one with the pool table.

 

[Spectrix]

Has there been a press conference? I'm assuming that without any suspect(s), whoever killed the couple is/are on the loose, armed and dangerous.

Yes, I think this is it:

 

[TruCrimeTime]

For anyone interested, there are two frames of the front door WITH a ring camera doorbell. I don’t believe it was mentioned in any previous reports, but now we have visual confirmation there is.

*Editing to include that many homes in the area, including our own, have multiple exterior cameras- both front and rear- sometimes to the side- of the property. I’m not sure if these folks do or not but I’d like to think their neighbors on either side would- in regards to hopefully a larger CCTV coverage area, more than just a front door camera, if that’s how they made entry.

 

[Ontario Mom]

For anyone interested, there are two frames of the front door WITH a ring camera doorbell. I don’t believe it was mentioned in any previous reports, but now we have visual confirmation there is.

First one at 50 seconds in, second one at 1:05. That definitely a Ring doorbell cam.