Authorities have released CCTV footage of an individual they suspect is responsible for the mysterious murders of a couple in their home.
On December 30, police officers from the Columbus Division of Police in Ohio were dispatched to conduct a welfare check at the residence of Spencer and Monique Tepe.
Spencer, a dentist, did not show up for work that day, which was unusual for the 37-year-old. Concerned colleagues and friends of Spencer visited his home to ensure everything was alright with him and his family.
Upon their arrival, they heard the couple’s two young children crying inside but were unable to enter the property to assist them.
Dr. Mark Valrose, who owns the dental practice where Spencer worked, made the initial 911 call.
“He is always on time, and he would contact us if there were any issues,” Valrose stated in an audio recording shared by CNN.
“I don’t know how else to say this, but we are very, very concerned. This is very out of character for him,” he added. “We can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”
In another distressing call, a man informed the dispatcher that the children were crying inside.
“I can hear kids inside, and I swear I think I heard one yell,” he reported. “But we can’t get in. At this point, I don’t know if I need to break the door in to get in the house or what.”
After receiving multiple calls, police officers arrived at the scene and gained access to the home located in the Weinland Park neighborhood. Inside, they discovered Monique and Spencer deceased, both having suffered gunshot wounds.
The couple’s children, aged four and one, were also found inside and were reportedly unharmed.
An investigation is currently in progress, and police have released CCTV footage of an individual they consider a suspect in the murders of the Tepes.
Watch the footage here:
The Columbus Division of Police noted on Facebook alongside the video: “Detectives believe the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Tepe occurred sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. on the morning of December 30th in the upstairs of their residence. Recovered video footage shows a person of interest walking in the alley near the Tepe residence during that time frame.
“We have received and are continuing to receive numerous tips from the community, which our detectives are following up on. If you have information that could lead to the identity of the person in this video, please call 614-645-2228 or use the QR code provided. Anonymous tips may also be made to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.”
Describing Spencer and Monique’s deaths as a ‘tragic incident’, the police assured that their detectives ‘are working diligently to solve this case’.
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