Terrifying 911 Call & Mysterious Skulker: Ohio Dentist & Wife Murdered | Spencer & Monique Tepe
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Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Spencer and Monique Tepe were found shot to death in their Columbus, Ohio home on December 30th, with their two young children (ages four and one) present but physically unharmed.
- ❖There were no signs of a break-in or a murder weapon found at the scene, leading investigators to rule out murder-suicide early on.
- ❖Police publicly released only one lead: a grainy doorbell camera video from 2-5 AM on the night of the murders, showing a 'person of interest' skulking down an alley.
- ❖A 911 hang-up call from the Tepe address nine months prior (last April) involved a crying woman reporting a domestic dispute, which she later downplayed as 'just emotional' and not physical.
- ❖Retired FBI agent Bobby Shicone suggests investigators are likely performing a deep dive into the couple's domestic situation, given the prior 911 call.
- ❖Forensic behavior expert Scott Rouse analyzed the grainy video, identifying the 'person of interest' as male based on posture and gait, but noted cold weather obscured other details like military or law enforcement specific gaits.
- ❖The cold weather on the night of the murders (low 20s) likely meant fewer people were out, potentially aiding in tracking the 'person of interest' if more video exists.
- ❖Interviewing the four-year-old child witness requires specialized experts to discern details like the sequence of gunshots or any yelling heard, which could be crucial for the timeline and identifying the perpetrator.
Insights
1Prior Domestic 911 Call Reveals Potential Marital Strife
Fox News unearthed a 911 hang-up call from the Tepe residence made nine months before the murders. A crying woman, identified as potentially Monique Tepe, told the dispatcher she and her 'man got into it,' but denied any physical altercation, stating she was 'just emotional.' This call introduces a new dimension to the couple's public image of a 'perfect American family,' prompting investigators to examine their domestic situation more closely.
Transcript of 911 call: 'Female voice. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm okay. Operator, are you sure? Female voice. Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. Sorry. Operator. Well, it sounds like you're crying. Do you need police, paramedics, or anything? Female. No. No. No. I'm okay. I I promise. I'm just emotional.' And later, 'Well, because me and my man got into it. But I'm okay. I promise.'
2Expert Analysis of 'Skulking Figure' Video
Forensic behavior expert Scott Rouse analyzed the grainy doorbell camera video, the only public lead, identifying the 'person of interest' as male based on specific posture cues like a forward-leaning head. He noted that the extremely cold weather significantly hampered further analysis of gait patterns (like those indicative of military or law enforcement training) or emotional state (like fleeing a crime scene), as the individual was focused on maintaining balance on potentially icy ground.
Scott Rouse: 'We can tell that that's a guy. And a lot some people may think it's a woman. It's not a woman. And the the reason that I would suggest that or or be in the impression that's true is because of number one, look how far ahead his his head is. It's leaned down a little bit.' And 'he's trying to be careful as he does this. If you'll look at his feet, when his feet hit the ground, his foot goes up like this and and then comes down like that. his heel goes way out first and comes down because he's trying to keep balance.'
3Challenges of Investigating in Extreme Cold and Interviewing Child Witnesses
Retired FBI agent Bobby Shicone highlighted two major investigative challenges: the extreme cold weather (low 20s) on the night of the murders meant fewer people were outdoors, limiting potential witnesses and additional video footage. Additionally, interviewing the four-year-old child witness requires specialized experts to extract crucial details about the sequence of events (e.g., gunshots, yelling) without leading the child, as guardians can prohibit such interviews at the federal level.
Bobby Shicone: 'It was very very very cold, you know, at this in this in Ohio that night. I think it was in the low 20s. Um, nobody was out at 2 a.m. in that kind of weather.' And regarding children: 'on the federal level, you have the Juvenile Justice Act, which which prohibits that, that guardians can make that that decision.' He also states, 'I would bring in experts. there are people that are trained and experienced in you know and especially infant.'
Lessons
- Understand that initial public perceptions of a family can mask underlying domestic issues, which may become critical in criminal investigations.
- Recognize that even minimal evidence, like grainy video footage, can yield significant insights through specialized forensic analysis, despite environmental challenges.
- Appreciate the complexities of police investigations, especially when dealing with extreme weather conditions or vulnerable witnesses like young children, which necessitate specialized protocols and expertise.
Quotes
"No matter what the code, this is a devastating find. But here's something, and it's weird to say this, but if there were ever a silver lining in a double 43, a double homicide, it's that the two small kids, children aged four and one, who were home when a killer murdered their mom and dad in cold blood, those kids were left unharmed."
"Well, obviously, she was distressed enough to call 911. So, at that moment that she's calling 911, she was in fear of being harmed because that's why you call 911 in those type of situations."
"We can tell that that's a guy. And a lot some people may think it's a woman. It's not a woman. And the the reason that I would suggest that or or be in the impression that's true is because of number one, look how far ahead his his head is. It's leaned down a little bit."
"This doesn't look like somebody who who in in normal weather would be in a hurry to get away. And he may be thinking about what he's done if it if that is indeed the guy who did it. Maybe thinking what's happening. What did I do? I shouldn't have done that. His temper's probably gone down because it's probably somebody he knew that that did that most likely."
Q&A
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