> At a Glance
> – A woman on the same street as Spencer and Monique Tepe called 911 on Dec. 19 reporting someone “smashing” on her door
> – The Tepes were found fatally shot inside their Columbus home on Dec. 30, with police investigating the deaths as a double homicide
> – The 911 call occurred at 2:31 a.m., just minutes from the couple’s residence
> – Why it matters: The timing and proximity raise questions about a possible connection as police search for answers in the unsolved killings
Eleven days before dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife Monique were discovered murdered in their Columbus, Ohio home, a neighbor just doors away made a frantic 911 call in the middle of the night.
The 911 Call
On December 19 at 2:31 a.m., a woman living a three-minute walk from the Tepes contacted emergency services. She told the operator someone was “smashing on my door” and feared they were trying to break in.
The caller said she couldn’t see who was at the door and didn’t know what they wanted. Dispatch logs show “the problem left” at 2:44 a.m.-thirteen minutes after the initial call.
The Murders
Police found the couple’s bodies on December 30 after responding to welfare check requests. Investigators determined they were killed between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. in the upstairs of their residence.
Authorities released surveillance footage of a person of interest walking in the alley near the home during that same timeframe. Their two young children, ages 4 and 1, were found unharmed in the house.
Previous 911 Confusion
A separate 911 call traced to the Tepe address months earlier initially raised questions. The April 15 call featured a woman saying she and “my man” had an argument but she was “okay.”
Rob Misleh, Monique’s brother-in-law, told News Of Los Angeles the voice “one hundred percent” wasn’t Monique’s. He believes the call likely came from a neighbor and got associated with their address.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 15 | Unrelated 911 call traced to Tepe address |
| December 19 | Neighbor reports door banging at 2:31 a.m. |
| December 30 | Tepes found dead, children discovered safe |
Key Takeaways
- The neighbor’s 911 call happened 11 days before the murders
- Both incidents occurred in the early morning hours (2:31 a.m. and 2-5 a.m.)
- Police are investigating the deaths as homicide, not murder-suicide
- The couple’s children are now with extended family
- A person of interest was captured on video near the scene
Anyone with information should contact Columbus Police Homicide at (614) 645-4730 or Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS.
