Executive Summary
- Spencer and Monique Tepe were found shot to death in their Columbus home on Dec. 30.
- The couple’s two young children and dog were found unharmed inside the residence.
- Police ruled out murder-suicide but have not identified suspects or a motive.
- Investigators are seeking security footage from the area between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Columbus police are investigating the deaths of a married couple found shot inside their Weinland Park home on December 30 as a double homicide, with authorities actively seeking security footage from the surrounding area. Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were discovered deceased in the 1400 block of North 4th Street after Spencer failed to arrive at his dental practice, prompting a welfare check by concerned colleagues and friends.
According to investigators, the couple’s two children, aged 1 and 4, and the family dog were found unharmed inside the residence and have been placed in the care of relatives. Police records indicate that Spencer Tepe sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and shell casings were recovered at the scene. Authorities have explicitly determined that the deaths were not the result of a murder-suicide, noting that no firearm was recovered from the premises.
Law enforcement officials were dispatched to the home shortly after 9 a.m. following a call from a friend who observed a body inside the residence. While police initially conducted a check of the exterior, they entered the home after the arrival of the couple’s associates. As of January 5, the Columbus Division of Police has not named any suspects or identified a potential motive for the killings.
Detectives have narrowed their focus to a specific timeframe and are requesting that residents in the vicinity review security camera footage recorded between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on December 30. Investigators are looking for any vehicles or individuals visible during that window. The Franklin County Coroner’s office is conducting autopsies on the victims, with comprehensive reports expected to take four to six weeks to complete.
Investigative Outlook
The absence of identified suspects or a clear motive nearly a week after the incident suggests a complex investigation that may rely heavily on forensic evidence and digital surveillance to establish a lead. The narrowing of the requested video timeline indicates that investigators likely have determined an approximate time of death but lack visual confirmation of the perpetrator’s entry or exit. As the investigation proceeds without immediate arrests, the focus will likely remain on ballistics analysis and community tips to reconstruct the events leading to the homicides.
