A Columbus dentist and his wife were found shot to death Tuesday morning inside their home in the city’s Weinland Park neighborhood, authorities said. Officers responding to a well-being check just after 10 a.m. discovered Spencer Tepe, 37, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, with gunshot wounds at a residence on the 1400 block of North Fourth Street. Two children under age six were found inside unharmed and were released to relatives, police said.
The double homicide shook an area just east of Ohio State University that has seen rapid growth alongside persistent safety concerns. Detectives emphasized the case does not appear to be a murder-suicide and said no firearm was recovered at the scene, heightening questions about who shot the couple and how the person entered or left the house. The discovery followed calls from an employer concerned when one of the victims failed to report to work. As the coroner prepares autopsies, homicide detectives are canvassing the block for surveillance video and any witnesses who may have seen a person or vehicle near the home around the time of the killings.
Patrol officers arrived at the North Fourth Street address shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday and conducted a welfare check, according to police. Inside, they located the couple in separate areas of the home and called medics, who pronounced both dead minutes later. Detectives cordoned off the property with tape and began documenting rooms, doorways and possible entry points. “At this time, we do not believe this was a murder-suicide,” Sgt. Joe Albert said, noting that the absence of a recovered gun and early scene findings pointed elsewhere. As crime-scene technicians processed shell casings and photographed trajectories, a department therapy dog was brought in to comfort the children while family members were notified.
Investigators identified the victims as Spencer Tepe, a dentist who previously practiced in Athens and Ashland, and his wife, Monique. Police said preliminary information shows the children were asleep or in another part of the house when shots were fired; neither suffered physical injury. Officers canvassed immediately surrounding blocks and asked nearby residents and businesses for doorbell and security footage from overnight into midmorning Tuesday. Detectives are reviewing timestamps against 911 logs and license-plate reader data from nearby corridors. No suspect description had been released as of late Wednesday, and detectives said they had not identified a motive.
Weinland Park, bordered by campus to the west and Old North to the north, mixes older homes with new infill and ongoing redevelopment. Neighbors said the block is typically active by midmorning, with delivery trucks and pedestrians passing through. Several residents described waking to police cruisers and yellow tape across the sidewalk. By afternoon, flowers appeared near the front steps as officers escorted relatives in and out to retrieve essentials for the children. A neighbor said he watched investigators review footage from a camera mounted on a storefront facing an alley that runs behind the property, while technicians marked a scattering of evidence points on the walkway.
Columbus homicide detectives outlined immediate priorities: establish a precise timeline of the couple’s last known movements, determine any signs of forced or surreptitious entry, and track potential electronic clues from phones and home devices. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office is conducting autopsies to document wounds, recover bullets and estimate range of fire. Ballistics will be checked against state and federal databases. With no gun recovered, detectives are focusing on video showing any person approaching or leaving the address and on whether a vehicle paused on the block around the presumed time of the shootings. Police said there was no evidence suggesting a wider threat to the public beyond the targeted home.
Public records and community posts indicate Tepe maintained ties to dental practices outside Columbus in recent years, including Athens and Ashland, drawing concern from former patients as news spread. The home sits on a corridor of two-story houses with porches and narrow front yards. Residents said thefts from porches and cars have occurred sporadically in the area, but fatal shootings inside a residence are rare. The pace of redevelopment has brought more street activity and security cameras, which detectives said could help reconstruct movements on North Fourth Street in the hours before the bodies were found.
Police have not said whether the front or rear entrances showed signs of tampering. Investigators collected swabs from door handles and surfaces for potential DNA and latent prints, and they bagged clothing and other items for laboratory testing. Officers towed a vehicle linked to the residence to examine any forensic traces that might indicate when the shooter arrived or departed. Detectives also planned to re-interview relatives, colleagues and anyone who had appointments or personal contact with the couple in the days leading up to Tuesday, searching for scheduling gaps that could narrow the time window.
Legal and procedural steps ahead include the completion of autopsies, a review of lab results from the home and a formal case presentation to the county prosecutor when key evidence is ready. If investigators identify a suspect, the next stages would include obtaining arrest and search warrants, followed by an initial court appearance where charges, bond and protective orders are addressed. Detectives said they expect to release additional updates when the coroner confirms the official cause and manner of death and when a clearer timeline is established from video and digital records.
On Wednesday, the scene was quieter. A small memorial of roses and sunflowers grew near the steps, and neighbors paused on the sidewalk to speak softly with relatives. “They were good neighbors and devoted parents,” one man said, glancing toward the porch as technicians made a final sweep for trace evidence. By late afternoon, investigators had removed most markers from the front walk, though tape still ringed the yard while officers stood by. Residents said they hoped the combination of cameras and steady foot traffic on the block would give detectives what they need to find whoever is responsible.
As of Thu., Jan. 1, autopsy work is underway at the Franklin County Coroner’s Office and Columbus police have not announced any arrests or suspects. Detectives plan to update the case once results and additional video reviews are complete in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 1, 2026.