In the US, the mystery surrounding the murder of a dentist couple in Ohio continues to mount as relatives of the victims believe that video footage of a suspicious person near the scene cannot be considered a crucial clue.

The suspicious individual appeared near the dentist couple's home at the time of the murder. (Screenshot)

The suspicious individual appeared near the dentist couple’s home at the time of the murder. (Screenshot)

According to local officials, Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were found dead in their home in the northern Columbus area on December 30th. Both victims had been shot ; there were no signs of forced entry, and no weapon was found at the scene. Their two young children and the family pet were unharmed.

Earlier this week, Columbus police released surveillance video showing a person wearing a hooded jacket appearing in an alley near the victim’s home between 2 and 5 a.m. – the time police believe the shooting occurred.

However, dentist Spencer’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh – who currently cares for two orphaned children – argued that one shouldn’t place too much hope in this blurry image. In a media interview, he said that while the person in the video looked suspicious, it could very well be just a drunk person walking home after leaving a bar.

Dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife were cheerful, kind people before they were murdered. Photo: ABC6

Dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife were cheerful, kind people before they were murdered. Photo: ABC6

According to relatives, Spencer Tepe and his wife were kind and well-liked by their community and had no known conflicts or enemies. “They were always smiling and cheerful. So, what happened is unbelievable and a huge shock to us,” said the victim’s brother-in-law.

He admitted that he still couldn’t accept the truth. “A week has passed, but it feels like this never happened. I can’t believe I’m sitting here talking about them,” he said.

Police have not yet released a suspect or a motive for the crime. The case remains under investigation while the family and local community live in a state of confusion, awaiting an explanation for the mysterious deaths of the couple, considered a model couple in this residential area.