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

[airportwoman]

Most likely, a relative's house is being guarded because that's where the children are, and the police quite likely have evidence that they too may be in danger.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Yeah, I've only seen that they *believe* it was targeted at this time. Again, preliminary reports can be conflicting, wording can be ambiguous, information can be incomplete. From what I read the family was lead to believe by the police that they believe it was targeted due to the circumstances (no theft, no forced entry, no gun on scene etc.). We just don't know.

I shifted my initial instincts of a crime of passion towards the husband. It is reported that there were 3 spent 9mm casings on scene. The husband was shot twice, the wife once. It's not like the killer mag dumped the husband then hit the wife once. More details are coming out but the surveillance in the area including three Flock cams right across the street will be critical.

Thank you!
I still feel it could have been a robbery. Perp(s) may have been expecting to find something valuable and when it wasn’t there after all, they became irate and panicky and killed the couple. I also wonder how relatives know what the couple had - to know if anything was really missing.

 

[steeltowngirl]

The timeline has been nailed down to after midnight, which seems even more likely they didn’t open the door to someone unknown.

But maybe whoever killed them did know them and had been with them all evening. So, entry would have actually been much earlier than midnight. Was there an argument with a visitor, worker, or house guest?

 

[Kemug]

The 4 year old may have some useful information, if not too traumatised. A good reason to guard the children.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Yes. The guarding the relatives house, and taking down the crime scene tape struck me as odd.

Guarding two relatives’ houses?
There is more to this.

 

[TIGER0822]

The 4 year old may have some useful information, if not too traumatised. A good reason to guard the children.

I hope both kids slept through all of this.

 

[TIGER0822]

Guarding two relatives’ houses?
There is more to this.

Agreed

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Yes. The guarding the relatives house, and taking down the crime scene tape struck me as odd.

I wonder if that is to manage media interest though? Has become an international story. Jmooo.

 

[Internetuser0013]

Does Spencer / Monique have any close friends / housemaids that know the door code / spare key?
Also, the children were left unharmed thank god for that.

 

[stmichael]

I appreciate the clarification, I wasn’t aware they were so easily breached. With a normal single family home it’s pretty tough to keep somebody out if they have ill intent.

It can be. People need to be educated. Not everything is created equally, but many people just go with the flow. Layers of redundant security and PERSEC (personal security, good protocols and being consistent with them) is key.

Obviously budget factors in but don't assume that cool looking lock the builder installed is as good as you think. Especially if you live down the street from a park with a high crime history. With the internet it's easy to do some due diligence these days.

My pet peeve is having a single cylinder deadbolt (lockable latch on interior, exterior only keyed) next to an easily breakable ornamental window on either side. Very common, you see it on most homes, yet I can enter any house in seconds by breaking that ill-placed window. Realistically most residential doors can be kicked in, in a few kicks, few seconds. You need a solid/metal frame as well as a good deadbolt (Grade 1 ANSI deadbolt). I've seen doors with wood frames kicked in with the deadbolt still engaged. Number one budget friendly deterrent: big dog that barks (breed that protects).

I still think this can possibly be a robbery gone wrong when I saw that it was only 3 shots (2 to husband) and 9mm (very common round, easily accessible). But it's just as likely some connection (scorned ex, bad business deal, whatever). There's targeted (like it looks like they have money in a transitional area, and an easy score) and then there's targeted (like a bitter ex plotting revenge). Could also be totally random like Kohberger in Idaho. Too little info to speculate any more.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I wonder if that is to manage media interest though? Has become an international story. Jmooo.

Could be. Especially with the perp likely still at large.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Too little info to speculate any more.

We will still speculate though.
It’s what we do here.
Welcome to Websleuths!

 

[stmichael]

We will still speculate though.
It’s what we do here.
Welcome to Websleuths!

Thank you. Glad to join you here speculating, while saying there is too little to speculate on right now.


I will say as more info trickles out it does help. Preliminary reports can be very incomplete of guarded by the police for the sake of investigation. Originally it seemed like the husband took a disproportion amount of shots, but that no longer seems the case, cooling off a targeted passion play (if he indeed was mag dumped while the wife had one shot that would be telling).

Right now I think it comes down to two things; 1. surveillance video 2. personal interviews/information

1. There seems to be a concentration of surveillance in the area, as one would expect in the city. Any quality shots? Anything telling? If it was a random crazy or crime of passion they could have been more hasty, sloppy. If it was more professional or a burglar I expect the pulled over hoodie/mask and looking down at the floor at approach we unfortunately encounter in many home videos. What was their frame, gait, any telling features at all. Anything else in frame; car, accomplice, bike whatever. Might take some time (btw you don't need a warrant or subpoena anymore for Ring cam footage, departments can ask for footage. It's a controversial measure that's for another discussion but there is so much at their disposal).

2. Interview friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. , a quick financial audit, phone records, computer history, any written records etc. etc. Did either confide a concern to their friends? Was either having an affair or jealous ex? (this one seems a likely potential red flag) Anyone strange pop up from the past? Any financial or business problems or dealings, harassment etc., All that stuff.

With the police working on these two pieces they already should have a clearer picture they are not disclosing. If there's really nothing in the above this could be a rarer random situation.

 

[TIGER0822]

Thank you. Glad to join you here speculating, while saying there is too little to speculate on right now.


I will say as more info trickles out it does help. Preliminary reports can be very incomplete of guarded by the police for the sake of investigation. Originally it seemed like the husband took a disproportion amount of shots, but that no longer seems the case, cooling off a targeted passion play (if he indeed was mag dumped while the wife had one shot that would be telling).

Right now I think it comes down to two things; 1. surveillance video 2. personal interviews/information

1. There seems to be a concentration of surveillance in the area, as one would expect in the city. Any quality shots? Anything telling? If it was a random crazy or crime of passion they could have been more hasty, sloppy. If it was more professional or a burglar I expect the pulled over hoodie/mask and looking down at the floor at approach we unfortunately encounter in many home videos. What was their frame, gait, any telling features at all. Anything else in frame; car, accomplice, bike whatever. Might take some time (btw you don't need a warrant or subpoena anymore for Ring cam footage, departments can ask for footage. It's a controversial measure that's for another discussion but there is so much at their disposal).

2. Interview friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. , a quick financial audit, phone records, computer history, any written records etc. etc. Did either confide a concern to their friends? Was either having an affair or jealous ex? (this one seems a likely potential red flag) Anyone strange pop up from the past? Any financial or business problems or dealings, harassment etc., All that stuff.

With the police working on these two pieces they already should have a clearer picture they are not disclosing. If there's really nothing in the above this could be a rarer random situation.

Very logically laid out. Nicely worded.

 

[Ms Scarlett]

Here’s something I’m interested in. The friends and coworkers that heard the kids inside but couldn’t access obviously would’ve tried both the front door and the back door. That means the door was either in the locked position (your standard bottom knob) or the perpetrator locked the door behind them. In the early pages of this thread, the picture showing their front door shows the keypad. Some styles of those keypads, all you have to do to lock the deadbolt from the outside is press the “lock” button. Meaning you need the code to unlock the door, but not to lock it. If the perpetrator went out the front door and it was locked, it stands to reason that they took this step and would’ve been captured on the ring doorbell, assuming it was functional. I’m highly interested in what type of lock was on the back door. If it was the same, they would’ve had to take the same step to lock it. Was the back door even one you can lock without a key by flipping the knob and pulling it closed? Since there were no signs of forced entry (window open, window screens missing. You typically can’t close a window or return the screen from the exterior) I think we can 99% assume the killer came and went from one of the doors.

It looks like they had the same type of electronic lock with keypad on the back door, as well.

 

[MSU24]

The timeline has been nailed down to after midnight, which seems even more likely they didn’t open the door to someone unknown.

But maybe whoever killed them did know them and had been with them all evening. So, entry would have actually been much earlier than midnight. Was there an argument with a visitor, worker, or house guest?

Agreed. If it happened between midnight and when he would have had to leave for work (6:45am or so), and we know there was no forced entry, I find it hard to believe they're answering the door at that time. They likely would have been asleep.

I've always been skeptical of keypads on front doors. It would be very easy for someone with binoculars in a crowded area to watch them input it.

 

[cordial?cordial.]

i can tell you YES the area is gentrified — in proxy to german village, which is a historic neighborhood that tends to price higher for rentals.

the area adjacent is mixed — meaning it’s block by block, varied. if you’re from the city, you know what i mean; by no means is this area “affluent”. it’s developing, yes, but def still more active as far as “crime” goes.

Great description.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Agreed. If it happened between midnight and when he would have had to leave for work (6:45am or so), and we know there was no forced entry, I find it hard to believe they're answering the door at that time. They likely would have been asleep.

I've always been skeptical of keypads on front doors. It would be very easy for someone with binoculars in a crowded area to watch them input it.

And sometimes people give out a keypad number to a worker, intending to change it after work is complete, but forget.

It’s just so weird that if it was random for intended robbery, whoever did this wouldn’t have waited until no one was home. It feels more personal. Or if random, they were after something very specific and needed one of the Tepes to locate it. With the kids home, they’d be more likely to cooperate to protect the kids.

 

[Sillybilly]

Thread is closed for cleanup.

Check back in an hour or so.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

There is absolutely no reason to speculate negatively on the victim(s) with things that come out of thin air with absolutely nothing to support such speculation.

As for the relatives homes being under guard, as long as there is no known POI/suspect, it is prudent of LE to guard the family until the investigation takes them in a firm direction. And, as someone else mentioned, there are children involved and family may have asked for police protection until the unknown becomes known.

Just remember our Victim Friendly policy, and please don't make stuff up about the victims unless it is supported by MSM or LE or other approved sources. "I had a dream ..." type of posts don't cut it.

Thank you.

Thread is open again.