Daijiworld Media Network - Columbus
Columbus, Jan 6: Authorities probing the apparent shooting deaths of a dentist and his wife in Ohio on Monday released security camera footage of a person of interest seen near the couple’s residence hours before their bodies were discovered.
Columbus Police said the video was recorded between 2 am and 5 am on December 30 in an alley next to the home of Dr Spencer Tepe, 37, and his wife Monique Tepe, 39. Investigators believe the couple were killed on the top floor of their house during this three-hour window.
The brief footage shows an unidentified person walking through the alley wearing light-coloured pants and a dark hooded jacket. Police appealed to the public for information to help identify the individual, adding that detectives are already following up on several tips.
The bodies of the couple were discovered on the morning of December 30 after multiple 911 calls were made by colleagues and family members. One caller, a friend, reported finding Spencer Tepe’s body next to his bed. An incident report indicated that both victims appeared to have been shot.
The Franklin County Coroner’s Office confirmed that the deaths were a homicide caused by gunshot wounds, though officials said the investigation is ongoing and additional reports are awaited. Three 9 mm shell casings were recovered from inside the house. The couple’s two young children were present in the home at the time but were unharmed.
Police said no motive has been identified so far and reiterated that they do not believe the incident was a murder-suicide.
Spencer Tepe worked at a dental practice in Athens, Ohio, specialising in comprehensive dentistry and implant therapy. The Tepe family, in a statement, described the couple as “extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy and deep connection to others.”
“Our family is devastated by the tragic and senseless loss of Spencer and Monique,” the statement said.
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