Months Before Ohio Dentist and Wife Were Found Dead, Disturbing 911 Call Came from Their Home

Eight months before an Ohio dentist and his wife were found shot dead in their home, a woman placed a late-night 911 call from that same address.

On April 15, 2025, at 2:45 a.m., a call to 911 was placed from the Columbus, Ohio, home of Spencer and Monique Tepe. The woman on the line hung up without saying a word. When dispatchers called back, she was crying, but said she was fine and no longer needed help.

She told the dispatcher that she and her partner had argued, but insisted it had not become physical. The call was ultimately classified as a "domestic dispute" and marked "no longer needed." No officers were sent to the home.

Emotional Transcript Shows Woman Insisted She Was OK

The full transcript, obtained by Fox News, reveals a tense, emotional exchange in which the woman tries to reassure the dispatcher while clearly distressed.

911 Operator: "Hi, this is 911. We just got a hang-up call. Is everything OK?"

Caller: "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm OK."

911 Operator: "Are you sure?"

Caller: "Yeah, yeah, I'm OK, sorry."

911 Operator: "Well, it sounds like you're crying. Do you need police, paramedics, or anything?"

Caller: "No, no. No, I'm OK. I promise. [inaudible]"

911 Operator: "Well, can I ask what had you called 911 in the first place?"

Caller: "Because me and my man got into it, but I'm OK, I promise."

911 Operator: "Did anything ever get physical?"

Caller [crying]: "No."

911 Operator: "You guys were just arguing, nobody hit each other?"

Caller: "M'hm, yes."

911 Operator: "Well, I have the information here. I can go ahead and tell the officers to cancel heading over to your address...If anything changes, call us back."

Caller: "Yes, yes, yes, I'm sorry...OK, I'm sorry."

The woman's name was not listed in the dispatch logs, and it is not confirmed whether Monique Tepe made the call.

That early morning phone call is the only known police contact tied to the Tepe residence before the couple was found dead from gunshot wounds inside the home in December 2025.

Columbus police have not confirmed whether the 911 call is related to the ongoing investigation. As of January 7, 2026, no suspects have been named.

Home, Once Filled with Laughter, Becomes a Scene of Tragedy

Spencer and Monique had been married for nearly five years. Their fifth anniversary would have taken place in early 2026. In a 2021 wedding video shared by family members, the couple is seen exchanging vows and celebrating with loved ones inside their home.

While the investigation remains active, the chain of events that led to the discovery of Spencer and Monique's bodies began with a single missed shift and a growing sense of unease among those who knew them well.

According to records obtained through public records requests and reported by The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus police received the first call at 9:03 a.m. on December 30, 2025, when a colleague requested a well-being check on Spencer, who had not arrived at work and could not be reached by phone.

For those who knew Spencer's habits, the silence alone was enough to raise concern.

A Missed Routine That Prompted the First Check

Spencer worked at Athens Dental Depot, which opens at 8 a.m., on Tuesdays. The caller told dispatchers it was entirely out of character for him to miss work without notice.

"He is always on time and he would contact us if there was any issue whatsoever," the colleague said in the call to the police. "I just don't know how else to say this." An officer arrived at the home on the 1400 block of North 4th Street around 9:22 a.m., found no response at the door, and left.

When Concern Turned Into Alarm

As the morning progressed and Spencer remained unreachable, the concern that began at his workplace spread beyond it. By 9:57 a.m., another call came in, this time from a man at the residence who reported hearing children inside the house. At 10 a.m., another coworker called the police, saying she was worried about the dentist's well-being and was heading to the residence.

At 10:05 am, a friend called the police from the home. He said he went there because Spencer was not answering the phone. According to dispatcher recordings, the caller said he could see a body inside the house, lying near a bed. "There is a body inside," the caller stated.

Police returned to the home, located two young children inside, and executed a search warrant at the residence. What they found next would confirm the worst fears raised by the earlier calls.

Who Was Found Inside the Home

Authorities later confirmed that Spencer, 37, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead inside their Weinland Park home. Spencer had been shot multiple times, according to a police radio run log obtained by The Dispatch.

A police dispatcher report also referenced a "41A," a code used for robbery reports. Police said there were no indications of a murder-suicide but declined to release further details. As of December 31, 2025, Columbus police had not returned The Dispatch's follow-up calls.

As investigators worked to piece together what happened, attention also turned to the lives interrupted by the violence.

Who Spencer and Monique Were

Spencer's staff profile reportedly listed him as a dentist at the dental depot in Athens, Ohio. He earned bachelor's degrees in Spanish and biology from The Ohio State University and completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery there in 2017.

"Outside of the office, Dr. Tepe enjoys golf, travel, and time with his family," the profile reportedly stated. The dental office closed on Friday to mourn his death.

What Investigators Have Ruled Out

While many questions remain unanswered, police have publicly addressed a few key points. In a report by WKYC, investigators said they have ruled out a murder-suicide, have not publicly named any suspects, and are treating the case as a homicide. Police have not confirmed whether a robbery occurred, nor have they explained how the suspect may have entered the home.

According to a New York Post report, investigators believe the suspect may have been captured on a police camera mounted on a utility pole near the intersection of Fourth Street and East Eighth Avenue, just a few hundred feet from the home. The report said there were no signs of forced entry, and the suspect quickly fled the area. Police have not confirmed the footage publicly.

Neighbors Describe a Shaken Block

As details emerged, residents nearby began grappling with the reality that the violence occurred so close to home. Residents nearby told The Dispatch the neighborhood is typically quiet.

Andrew Pla, who lived next door, said he was away when the shooting occurred and described feeling unsettled upon learning what happened.

Across the street, Ethan Garcia said he often saw Monique leaving for work in the mornings and described the news as deeply concerning.

Family Speaks as Community Grieves

For those closest to the couple, the shock quickly gave way to grief. A family member described shock, anger, and despair as investigators continue their work. Rob Misleh said:

"They were so warm. Their place in Columbus was just where everybody gathered. They always had people over, always having fun, just great people. They're just amazing parents and their kids are beautiful, but they, they did such a great job, and you know we have a huge community that now will obviously step in and help raise these children."

A GoFundMe page created by Audrey (Tepe) Mackie, a cousin, described the couple as deeply connected to others and devoted parents.

Mark Valrose, the owner of Athens Dental Depot, also stated, "He will be deeply missed by our team and the many patients he cared for over the years."

An Online Detail Drawing Attention

As the investigation unfolded, an online claim began circulating. On X, a handle claimed that someone had searched Monique's name online roughly 12 hours before the killings.

Police have not commented on the claim or confirmed whether it is relevant to the investigation. Days after the shooting, key questions remain unanswered: who entered the home, why, and whether the children witnessed anything that could help investigators.

For now, police say the case remains active, and a community is left grappling with the sudden loss of two lives — and the silence surrounding how it all happened.

In the end, what began as a colleague's quiet worry, a missed shift, and an unanswered phone has left behind far larger questions than answers. Until more details emerge, the case remains defined not only by what is known, but also by what is missing and by the lingering unease that something so devastating could have unfolded from a moment that first seemed merely out of character.