Whoever gunned down a young dentist and his wife is still on the loose a week after the grisly killings. But police hope newly released video of a “person of interest” and help from the public will help solve the crime shrouded in mystery.
Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead December 30 in their house in Columbus, Ohio. Their children, ages 4 and 1, were also inside and not physically harmed, police said.
Investigators did not find any obvious signs of forced entry or any firearm at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported.
Surveillance footage in the neighborhood shows a person wearing light-colored pants and a dark hoodie pulled over their head. The person keeps their head down as they trudge along a snow-lined alley in the dark.
“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,” Columbus police said in a written statement. “Recovered video footage shows a person of interest walking in the alley near the (family’s) residence during that timeframe.”
The couple lived in Columbus’ fast-growing Weinland Park neighborhood, which had a troubled past but is now thriving, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Aside from the neighborhood surveillance footage released Monday evening, police have given scant details about the double-homicide investigation.
Columbus police have not answered CNN’s questions about whether detectives have zeroed in on a suspect or a possible motive; how the assailant got into the house; whether the couple was targeted; or whether there is any ongoing threat to the public.
“We want to thank the community for the tips we have received,” Columbus police said Monday evening. “We know there are questions and concerns surrounding this tragic incident. Detectives are working diligently to solve this case. We will continue to update you as the investigation progresses.”
Police would not say why they’re describing the person in the video as a “person of interest.”
“In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, we cannot answer that question right now,” spokesperson Sgt. Joe Albert told CNN Tuesday.
Colleagues in Spencer Tepe’s dental practice called 911 after he uncharacteristically didn’t show up to work December 30. One of Tepe’s friends soon went to the couple’s house and found a gruesome scene next to a bed, according to emergency dispatch audio.
“There’s … there’s a body,” the friend told 911. “Our friend wasn’t answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here. And he appears dead.”
Asked if Tepe had been ill, the friend responded, “No, no. I was just with him yesterday.”
The Tepes’ deaths are apparent homicides by gunshot wounds, the Franklin County Coroner’s Office told CNN. But the official autopsy reports could take weeks to complete.
The couple’s two children and dog are now in the care of relatives, the Tepes’ brother-in-law said.
CNN’s Caroll Alvarado and Yan Kaner contributed to this report.
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