> At a Glance
> – Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, discovered dead in their Columbus home on Dec. 30
> – Two young children found physically safe inside the residence
> – No firearms or signs of forced entry located by investigators
> – Why it matters: A week-long homicide probe has yet to yield a named suspect, leaving the community on edge.
Columbus police are treating the deaths of dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife Monique Tepe as a double homicide after the pair were found with gunshot wounds inside their Ohio home.
Discovery and Response
Officers responded to welfare-check calls on Tuesday, Dec. 30, after Spencer failed to arrive at his dental practice and Monique stopped answering her phone. A worried neighbor told dispatchers:
> “I can hear kids inside, and I think I heard one yell. But we can’t get in.”
Inside the house, police found Spencer had suffered multiple gunshots while Monique had been shot at least once in the chest, according to documents released the following day.
Investigation Status
Key findings released so far:
- No firearms recovered at the scene
- No obvious forced entry detected
- Both children, found physically unharmed, are now being cared for by relatives
- Columbus Division of Police formally classifies the case as a double homicide, not a murder-suicide
Despite nearly a week of work, detectives have not publicly identified a person of interest or suspect.
Community Support
A GoFundMe campaign launched to support the couple’s children has raised approximately $140,000 as of press time.
Key Takeaways
- The homicide investigation remains active with no arrests announced
- Authorities cite absence of weapons at the scene to rule out murder-suicide
- Community donations for the children have surpassed six figures within days
- Anyone with information is urged to contact Columbus police
With the killer still at large, investigators continue to appeal for tips from the public.
