An upscale neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, was thrust into chaos Tuesday, December 30, after a grisly find rattled the quiet streets.
The lifeless bodies of Spencer Tepe, 37, a local dentist, and his wife Monique Tepe, 39, were found inside their residence on N. 4th Street—with two traumatized but physically unharmed young children still in the home.
The unfolding drama began when concerned colleagues noticed Spencer’s unexplained absence at Athens Dental Depot. Dr. Mark Valrose, his boss, dialed 911 shortly after 9 a.m., telling dispatchers, “Spencer never misses a shift—he’d always call if something was wrong. Not a word from him or Monique. We’re really, really worried.”
Columbus police responded to 1411 N. 4th St. where they found Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, dead at the residence. Spencer had been shot multiple times, according to a radio run log obtained via a public records request. Police found two young children at the home. A Columbus police spokesman said Dec. 30 there were no indications a murder-suicide had occurred, but could not provide further details.
Police first knocked on the couple’s door around 9:22 a.m., but got no response—neither from the adults nor the children reportedly heard inside. Tension mounted as friends and co-workers descended on the property, desperate for any sign of the family.
Their worst fears were confirmed at a second welfare check around 10 a.m. Authorities forced entry and were met with a harrowing scene: Spencer and Monique dead from apparent gunshot wounds, their two children untouched by the violence but left alone with the tragedy. One friend reportedly glimpsed Spencer’s lifeless body through a window before officers entered, telling 911, “He looks dead… and the kids are crying.”
Columbus Dispatch reporter Shahid Meighan uses his phone to record the distance between pole-mounted police cameras and the victims’ home after Columbus police responded to 1411 N. 4th St. where they found Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, dead at the residence. Spencer had been shot multiple times, according to a radio run log obtained via a public records request. Police found two young children at the home. A Columbus police spokesman said Dec. 30 there were no indications a murder-suicide had occurred, but could not provide further details.
Shockingly, police noted there was no sign of forced entry and no weapon was located at the scene—a clue that deepens the mystery. According to a police report shared by Columbus’s ABC affiliate WSYX, Spencer had suffered multiple gunshot injuries while Monique had at least one to her chest.
Detectives have already ruled out murder-suicide, and are now scrambling for leads, though no suspects have been named. With the investigation accelerating, authorities are keeping tight-lipped.
Neighbors, friends and patients—all reeling—are left piecing together how this promising couple, about to mark five years of marriage, met such a violent end. As the case grips the city, those close to the family cling to hope that answers are coming soon.
