Ohio police are searching for a suspect in the suspected murders of a dentist and his wife who were found shot dead in their home.
Officers performed a welfare check at the home of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, in the Weinland Park area of Columbus Tuesday morning following calls from several concerned friends and coworkers.
There were no obvious signs of forced entry, and no firearm was found at the scene, according to police, though authorities do not believe it was a murder-suicide.
Records seen by WSYX indicate that Spencer Tepe appeared to have been shot multiple times, while Monique Tepe suffered at least one gunshot wound to the chest.
A welfare check was requested by Dr Mark Velrose, the owner of Athens Dental Depot, where Spencer Tepe worked, after he failed to show up Tuesday morning.
"He would contact us if there was any issues," Valrose told dispatchers, according to WSYX. "I don't know how else to say this, but we are very, very concerned... This is very out of character for him. We can't get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing."
The couple married in 2021 and were one month away from celebrating their five year anniversary, according to the outlet.
After receiving no responses from the couple several of Tepe’s coworkers drove to the home.
The initial call to police was made at around 9 a.m., but a friend called again at 9:57 a.m. after hearing children crying inside the house but receiving no answer at the door. The caller then reported seeing Spencer's body inside the home near a bed.
"There is a body inside," the caller said, per WSYX. "Our friend wasn't answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here, and he appears dead."
Police confirmed that two young children were found inside the home unharmed.
The investigation is still active, and anyone with information about the incident has been asked to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit or the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers.
