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

[academyrd]

One thing that has bothered me:

I understand the first 911 call was placed from the work boss. Makes sense that he called after staff alerted him ST hadn't shown up to work. But then just 1 hour later we had a friend show up at the residence at 10 AM. How would that friend know something was off? It's a workday at 10 AM. Unless I guess the friend knew people at his work and they reached out? How many of you have friends that know people at your workplace? It just doesn't make sense that so many people were in such a panic by 10 AM... It seems to have happened so fast.

 

[fsngruv]

In regards to the April 2025 911 call, we don't know if the caller is alone or if there is even anyone else there. Perhaps, they needed a ride and called "their man" who was at home they got into it with their man and due to intoxication and emotion began to freak out. Maybe they were walking on the street near the home and were left by "their man"? Maybe they accidentally called 911 and that's why they hung up? We really don't know enough details. But anything is possible!

 

[Deepinthought52]

being they had a dog that survived… I believe they new the murderer… Dogs attract strangers instinctively- especially middle of thr night. A friend walks through the door 2 am, a dog would greet them, come mom sense.

In the idaho 4 case, there was also a dog that survived

 

[Amy0077]

One thing that has bothered me:

I understand the first 911 call was placed from the work boss. Makes sense that he called after staff alerted him ST hadn't shown up to work. But then just 1 hour later we had a friend show up at the residence at 10 AM. How would that friend know something was off? It's a workday at 10 AM. Unless I guess the friend knew people at his work and they reached out? How many of you have friends that know people at your workplace? It just doesn't make sense that so many people were in such a panic by 10 AM... It seems to have happened so fast.

None of my friends know my work colleagues.

 

[Deepinthought52]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a case where a family member was this outspoken with the media before an arrest was made let alone trial….

The family of KG in the idaho case was pretty outspoken. Just one example.

 

[Allabouttrial]

The family of KG in the idaho case was pretty outspoken. Just one example.

Right. Another example being Summer Wells' dad.

 

[getthefax]

I have two young kids the ages of the Tepe kids. While we are social and like to have people over, it’s very rare someone would stay until 3 AM. Let alone some random couple who was part of a big party we were having. The main reason is with two young kids you are just exhausted, your priorities change, staying up that late to drink is just usually not really something you want to do anymore.

I just find it interesting they seemed to have parties like that. The 911 call is an example of how they had a wide circle of people who had been in that house… maybe someone at one of these events overheard the door code?

It's still fairly common for people to have a dinner party and then 1-2 people (a couple?) end up getting too drunk and have to spend the night (especially common for family members, who may feel more comfortable crashing overnight, or friends/family who live a little bit far away). This is not all that uncommon, especially if the visiting folks don't have to be up in the morning, and the home has an extra bedroom. MOO

 

[armchairagatha]

I think BIL is trying to protect ST and MT, but it's making everything worse.

He said that this call happened years ago, it was a woman who was drunk and having a "mental health issue". Then, it was a bad reaction to edibles. Now, the public is learning (via public records) that possibly another woman was living in the home temporarily.

I'm wondering if the BIL even knew about the woman living with them temporarily. There might be things ST and MT kept private.

I think BIL's heart is in the right place and he has good intentions, but he's in way over his head. They need to hire a spokesperson.

I agree with this. He is trying to protect their reputation which means that there could have been potential domestic discord between the couple that the family is trying their best to hide. There is no way this guy can realistically say there was no 911 call last April even if he is aware of a separate one from years ago. I think LE has a lot of information they are still following up on and until they release the autopsy report, gun forensics report, audio forensics report on the 911 call etc, we can only speculate.

 

[Eagles512]

It would also seem strange to me that they would have visitors on a work night, unless it was a kid from the program needing help and was told come anytime day or night. Im shying away from that thought, but it’s possible. Could any of the parents from the community program not have liked so much kindness and attention that they did not give? Just another angle to consider…

If she’s a stay at home mom, it might not be a work night. Dentists don’t have regular M-F schedules typically. Tuesdays could be his usual day off during the week and then he may work Saturdays.

 

[Inthedetails]

If she’s a stay at home mom, it might not be a work night. Dentists don’t have regular M-F schedules typically. Tuesdays could be his usual day off during the week and then he may work Saturdays.

They were killed on Monday night/early hours of Tuesday. His co-workers noticed he didn't show up to work on Tuesday, Dec 30

jmo

 

[academyrd]

I agree with this. He is trying to protect their reputation which means that there could have been potential domestic discord between the couple that the family is trying their best to hide. There is no way this guy can realistically say there was no 911 call last April even if he is aware of a separate one from years ago. I think LE has a lot of information they are still following up on and until they release the autopsy report, gun forensics report, audio forensics report on the 911 call etc, we can only speculate.

There was a 911 call in April but it wasn't from Monique. It was from someone who sounds like they have a hispanic accent. BIL said it was from a guest at the party.

 

[Eagles512]

They were killed on Monday night/early hours of Tuesday. His co-workers noticed he didn't show up to work on Tuesday, Dec 30

jmo

I meant from the Monday night of the 911 call. Maybe he wasn’t working that Tuesday

 

[moonglow123]

As said, BIL lives in Cincinnati so if he was a suspect they'd be able to determine pretty immediately if he left his home for ~5 hours in the middle of the night.
A - his wife would know
B - everyone has Ring cameras nowadays so you can't exactly stealthily drive to another city and return home without being caught on cameras

Js, all the people aiming vitriol at him can be comforted by the fact that LE would know pretty immediately if he did leave his home. I know people get frustrated when family members speak too freely to the press (lord knows Steve Goncalves got an absolute flood of hate), but just assuring people that LE would know if BIL had any connection.

 

[Inthedetails]

I meant from the Monday night of the 911 call. Maybe he wasn’t working that Tuesday

I hear ya, but pointing out the phone call was from overnight between Monday/Tuesday and so was the murder.

Could mean nothing, of course.

jmo

 

[calmdownjudy]

I agree with this. He is trying to protect their reputation which means that there could have been potential domestic discord between the couple that the family is trying their best to hide. There is no way this guy can realistically say there was no 911 call last April even if he is aware of a separate one from years ago. I think LE has a lot of information they are still following up on and until they release the autopsy report, gun forensics report, audio forensics report on the 911 call etc, we can only speculate.

I was thinking more of the edibles. BIL might have been worried that revealing that information might make people look at ST and MT differently. He didn't want people to get the wrong idea of them. By all accounts, MT and ST seemed like very responsible adults who liked to let their hair down once in a while. There's nothing wrong with that. MOO.

 

[TMich6811]

I’m not a partaker myself but I really thought marijuana had lost its shock factor at this point until we all met here. I didn’t realize so many people still saw it as risky behavior

 

[warp3dwing]

Thanks for clearing it up that the caller was very likely not Monique.

I noticed the grammar as well. But, I have not not listened to Monique's speech. Therefore, I thought that though it was not how I expected Monique (dentist's wife) would speak, there was an off chance that she came from a less educated background.

I also agree about sheltering a DV victim and the possibility of a rage murder. If they had sheltered a dv victim, I wonder where the caller is from? Could she be somebody they met in Columbus, or from Athens?

In addition to the grammar, the caller's speech gave me vague vibes of an accent- "6:00 news", but not really. A regional accent would not necessarily determine where the victims met her as people are very mobile today. But.... it could give clues as to her origins.

That's just my quick amateur assessment. This is also based off of Monique reading a scripted, rehearsed speech, but I really doubt the caller was her.

I'd be more inclined to think the woman is local to Columbus, and maybe even local to Weinland Park, perhaps a neighbor.

It's pure speculation, of course, but I can envision this woman almost admitting to the dispatcher that, yes, it was physical, before someone's glare forced her to deny it.

If there's a history of DV, she would know that admitting to physical violence would send the squad out. Not many folks call 911 if there isn't at least the threat of physical violence. CPD aren't the go-to for simple argument mediation.

ETA: I don't know what the BIL is on about regarding an edibles freakout, but it doesn't sound anything like that to me, not even 1%. I feel like he's either mistaken, or that was an entirely different incident.

 

[MesquiteO21]

Dentists don’t have regular M-F schedules typically

Correct! back in the 1950s-1980s when my grandpa was a dentist, they all took off Wednesday afternoons (to play golf lol) and then all day Fridays, that was typical for the time. I think it might have changed a little, but all three of the dentists I've seen as an adult don't work Fridays (or weekends either, just M-Th).
MOO

 

[tlcya]

If she’s a stay at home mom, it might not be a work night. Dentists don’t have regular M-F schedules typically. Tuesdays could be his usual day off during the week and then he may work Saturdays.

I have now seen two neighbors who seem to indicate to the press that A. MT had a job and the neighbor would see her as they both left for work and B. a neighbor friend with children around the ages of the Tepe kids who state the children attended daycare with her own children.

regardless, I do not think there was any party the night before the murders. I think that is speculation from social media JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

I have now seen two neighbors who seem to indicate to the press that A. MT had a job and the neighbor would see her as they both left for work and B. a neighbor friend with children around the ages of the Tepe kids who state the children attended daycare with her own children.

regardless, I do not think there was any party the night before the murders. I think that is speculation from social media JMO

I don't think there was a party on the night of the murders, but I'm thinking the perp was staying in their home and that person somehow got out of control enough to murder sleeping people.

Speculation only, subject to change.

jmopnion