A respected dentist and his wife were shot to death in their Ohio home while two young children were inside, authorities said, as the killer remains at large.
Spencer Tepe, 37, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, were found Tuesday after a welfare check at a home in the 1400 block of N. 4th Street, Columbus police said.
Police said that two small children were also found safe at home.
Authorities found no obvious signs of forced entry, and no gun was found at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported. Police have not released any details about a possible suspect or motive and are asking the public for any information about the case.
Investigators are investigating the death as a double homicide rather than a murder-suicide. Their direction is not surprising, said CNN senior national security analyst Juliet Kayem.
“If there were no guns, there would be no murder-suicide,” she said. “So they excluded that relatively quickly. Another sign, of course, is that the kids are safe.”
Spencer Tepe worked at the Athens Dental Depot. The owner of the practice, Dr. Mark Valros called 911 Tuesday morning when Tepe unexpectedly stopped working.
“He’s always on time, and if there’s a problem he’ll contact us,” Valros told dispatchers. “I don’t know how to say it, but we’re very, very concerned. It’s very out of character for him. We can’t be in contact with his wife, which is probably more concerning.”
Authorities in Columbus, Ohio are searching for the man who killed Spencer and Monique Tepe at their home. – WSYX
An officer responded at 9:22 a.m., but got no answer, WSYX reported, citing police records.
Co-workers also went to the Tapes’ home, and a friend heard children crying inside. But no one answered the door.
The friend called police at 9:56 a.m
“I can hear kids inside, and I think I hear a scream,” the caller said, according to the dispatch audio. “But we can’t get in.”
Around 10:03 p.m., a concerned person called 911.
“There’s a body,” he said.
Either two scenarios of how the crime unfolded seem most likely, Kayem said: “A stranger at the door who just happens to kill the couple, or some story that could explain why they were targeted.”
To help zero in on a motive, investigators will examine forensics, the killer’s possible admissions, whether anything was stolen and “the history of the family or the couple … to determine if there is any danger to the rest of the community,” she said.
Regardless of the motive, this type of crime is “extraordinarily rare,” Kayem said.
Spencer Tepe, seen here in his office, was found dead at home with his wife on Tuesday. – From Athens Dental Depot/Facebook
“Given the fact that this doesn’t happen very often, and there was no sign of forced entry/robbery, you’re going to look at people who know them or people who know where they live, unfortunately, and that’s where it starts,” she said.
“Maybe it was random. But … the national statistics suggest both how uncommon it is and the likelihood that someone they know is involved.”
Athens Dental Depot announced it will close for the rest of this week.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sudden passing of our beloved colleague and friend Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique,” the office posted on Facebook Thursday.
“He will be deeply missed by our team and the many patients he cared for over the years. Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
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