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

[Sadi]

Afraid of retaliation? especially when they ( the public) don’t know who is responsible yet . Some people just dont want that worry.

Thank you

 

[Sadi]

The reasons my LE friends have told me is that some people don’t like LE and/or they don’t want a target on their back…particularly if it involves gang activity.

Thank you, that makes sene, especially if it’s gang related.

 

[OhioGuy]

Honestly, I don’t think many people outside the immediate area even knew about it until the larger news outlets picked it up. The fact that it involved a successful, younger, attractive couple with two young kids has definitely drawn more attention. That being said, the general consensus seems to be that it was targeted, so people aren’t quite as on edge as you might expect.

This is my thinking too. If the house is the target due to being one of the nicest nearby, that’s one thing. But the couple being the target means this would happen in this neighborhood just as easily as it would in Upper Arlington or Powell.

 

[ttjo]

Even if a panel of the fence was missing between them and their neighbour, still no sign of forced entry and they would still have to jump their fence. The missing piece goes into the neighbours yard not the victims residence.
From:Ohio investigators seek killer of Columbus dentist and wife found dead in their home
Here’s a better view. From news

Ohio police search for suspect after dentist, wife found murdered at home

Ohio authorities are searching for a suspect after a dentist and his wife were found murdered inside their home earlier this week.

abcnews.go.com

 

[Rolypolyoly]

The dark concealing everything is my main worry.

Since LE asked for video from midnight through 9am, I’m guessing they have phone activity from the victims up to that point. We can probably narrow the time down to about 645am because if he had patients in Athens at 8, he’d be out the door by then.

Asking for video from Summit St to Grant Ave makes sense because that’s one street to the east and west. I find it a little interesting they asked for video between 7th Ave (one street south) and 11th Ave (3 blocks north) though. 4th Street is a one way northbound so maybe that explains it, or maybe they have a person/vehicle of interest traveling in that direction so they want any video they can get of that person traveling northbound from the scene.

Im still way behind in the thread, but just posting to say that my doorbell camera has a pretty good visibility for night vision, definitely enough to make out faces if they are looking at it from a reasonable distance away, mine isnt a Ring cam though and my settings capture a wide area so others could very well vary.
Hopefully their Ring cam night vision is as good as mine!

 

[MGF]

I'm not seeing this as a targeted killing, at least not yet. There are better, easier places to do that than entering a home after midnight (look at how many targeted killings are in parking lots, for example). Couple things stand out, the design of that backyard fence screams, "Climb Me!" with easy footing for anyone physically fit to hop the fence with little effort. And we shouldn't assume the back door was locked, they had little kids, and it can be overlooked. It's just past Christmas, I assume the tree is still up in the living room, and there's that big picture window facing the street. Who knows who's walked past these homes making a shopping list for the future?

Right now I think this was burglary gone-wrong. Possible the male victim called out, thinking it was one of the kids drawing the killed downstairs where he was engaged as he was surprised. The wife was a lucky shot (at least as far as the current information goes). The killer likely has a criminal record for burglary, and armed robbery because he didn't touch the kids, and may have left as soon as he found them/heard them. Any one who's done time knows that child killers are dead meat in every prison.

 

[passionflower]

IMO this was a very personal type of murder. Someone was mad. The holidays could of been the last straw?

 

[ErinC]

Honestly, I don’t think many people outside the immediate area even knew about it until the larger news outlets picked it up. The fact that it involved a successful, younger, attractive couple with two young kids has definitely drawn more attention. That being said, the general consensus seems to be that it was targeted, so people aren’t quite as on edge as you might expect.

From Athens where the dental office is located here- this seems to be the case down here also. I had an appointment earlier today and no one there had heard of it- most people who have heard of it are people who went to Dr. Tepe for their dentistry. The Athens Messenger ran an article about it today finally, so we shall see if that changes. MOO

 

[OhioSleuth614]

This is my thinking too. If the house is the target due to being one of the nicest nearby, that’s one thing. But the couple being the target means this would happen in this neighborhood just as easily as it would in Upper Arlington or Powell.

I mean, it’s definitely possible it was a robbery gone wrong, but the facts just don’t really seem to point that way. If someone is willing to murder people over a robbery, you’d think they’d target someone more likely to have a lot of cash on hand, like a drug dealer or someone similar. This was a young professional couple, I doubt they kept more than a few hundred dollars in cash and maybe had some jewelry. Either way, it just doesn’t feel like an ideal target. That being said, people who break into homes aren’t exactly known for great critical thinking or decision-making.

 

[steeltowngirl]

How do we know this? Is this a fact?

It was stated in this article. Family reacts as Columbus police release timeline in dentist couple's murder case

It caught my attention as unusual, but others pointed out that the kids are staying with relatives. Makes sense that police are guarding houses. Killer(s) is/are still out there somewhere. Sadly, a 4 year old may have been a witness.

JMO

 

[stmarysmead]

But I too am leaning toward a botched robbery….similar to what MGF has posted. Even the French doors in the living room offer a third …though unlikely…opportunity for access. And what about that window well next to the back door? Looks big enough for someone to slip thru if unlocked.

Maybe the Dr heard a noise down in the lower level and took his own gun down to investigate…was over powered and shot. Did they have a gun that’s missing? We wait for more answers….

 

[MntnHiker]

Thanks to everyone who has sent in Ring camera footage. Hoping that all the nearby cameras may help solve this quickly, but I also think of Missy Bever's killer caught on CCTV - still unsolved. Liz Barraza's murderer caught on her Ring cam - still unsolved. Abby and Libby's murderer caught on audio and video and went unsolved for 5 years. Yet there are cases like the recent Brown University shooter where the area cameras were helpful in solving it rather quickly, so hopefully that's the case here.

I think whether this was targeted or random (I am leaning targeted right now), it would be easy to see that there are lots of Ring cameras in the neighborhood so wouldn't be surprised if they concealed their face with a mask/balaclava.

 

[arielilane]

I joined @BrianEntin last night to discuss the unsolved double homicide of Dr. Spencer Tepe & his wife MoniqueOhio dentist, wife murdered in home as two children left unharmed | News...

https://youtu.be/uKrTqVNWsrE?si=RwA79Bo4kIs6GF0E via @YouTube

https://twitter.com/x/status/2007488234629239040

 

[Yellowbunny2]

Super late to this thread as just learning about this tragic case.

Has anyone discussed potential motives?

I agree that due to the number of gunshots Spencer was possibly the target.

However, number of gunshots is something law enforcement often keeps close to the vest to rule out false confessions/have information only the killer would know. Why release how many shots?

 

[TIGER0822]

welcome fellow buckeye, and thank you for the update on the timing.

This is my thinking too. If the house is the target due to being one of the nicest nearby, that’s one thing. But the couple being the target means this would happen in this neighborhood just as easily as it would in Upper Arlington or Powell.

For a very long time LE was saying the Idaho four were targeted. They did not know the assailant , nor he know them.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

How do we know this? Is this a fact?

It was in a news article in this thread.

 

[Sadi]

I'm not seeing this as a targeted killing, at least not yet. There are better, easier places to do that than entering a home after midnight (look at how many targeted killings are in parking lots, for example). Couple things stand out, the design of that backyard fence screams, "Climb Me!" with easy footing for anyone physically fit to hop the fence with little effort. And we shouldn't assume the back door was locked, they had little kids, and it can be overlooked. It's just past Christmas, I assume the tree is still up in the living room, and there's that big picture window facing the street. Who knows who's walked past these homes making a shopping list for the future?

Right now I think this was burglary gone-wrong. Possible the male victim called out, thinking it was one of the kids drawing the killed downstairs where he was engaged as he was surprised. The wife was a lucky shot (at least as far as the current information goes). The killer likely has a criminal record for burglary, and armed robbery because he didn't touch the kids, and may have left as soon as he found them/heard them. Any one who's done time knows that child killers are dead meat in every prison.

Due to the timeframe this happened, robbery could definitely be a possibility. If Spencer heard something and went to check it out, maybe he opened the door to see what it was and someone entered the house? If Monique heard anything, she would have called 911. Something must have happened quickly to prevent it. Was it more than one person who did this?

 

[maamager]

For a very long time LE was saying the Idaho four were targeted. They did not know the assailant , nor he know them.

… but the idaho 4 were targeted by BK — at least we know one person was, and the rest of the house was collateral.

 

[Sadi]

Commenting on my own post, a robbery could happen at any time of day, but what other reason(s) would be likely for middle of the night? Someone else mentioned a drug deal? Jealously by someone who one of them was involved with? Owed money to someone and they were tired of the delay in paying?

 

[Trino]

I am curious where the dog was found in the house and what its demeanor was. Does it maybe sleep with the kids? Or perhaps the intruder shut it up in a room?

Also curious about possible service people they've had in their house recently. Could be they had people working in the home and for ease of coming/going, gave out their door code and someone came back? Either for robbery or maybe some type of grievance if there had been displeasure with the service.

While I am typically in agreement that if we are looking at midnight to about 8 AM, they likely wouldn't have let someone in voluntarily during those hours of the night, if the person was a close friend or acquaintance and showed up in distress, I could definitely see opening the door to them. I am thinking of my best friend pounding on my door at 1 AM, crying, upset, and I would not stand there and refuse to let them in because the hour is late. My first reaction would be, I know them, we're close, they need help, and I open my door to them. Not suggesting this was their best friend - just using that relationship as an example. Another thought: if they were very trusting and generous people, would they be inclined to open their door even for a stranger who was in distress?

Would they open their door? When I was much, much younger and not so smart as today, around 1:00a a woman knocked at my apartment door. There was a large window next to the door so I could see her. I did open the door. She had been physically accosted and called police. It was probably dumb of me, but I guess I helped her. Would they open? Maybe.