🚨 HEARTBREAKING HORROR IN OHIO: A loving dentist and his wife brutally shot dead in their own home… while their terrified little kids (ages 1 and 4) screamed and cried just feet away! 😱💔

Friends rushed over after the dad didn’t show up for work… they heard the children’s desperate cries through the door, burst in, and found the nightmare: both parents gunned down upstairs in a pool of blood. No forced entry. No gun left behind. The kids and family dog completely unharmed… but forever changed. 👶😢

How could someone do this to such a happy family? The screams of those tiny tots echoing as friends discovered the bodies — it’s the stuff of absolute nightmares.

This case just took a shocking turn with an arrest… but the pain for those orphaned children is unimaginable.

Who’s following this devastating story? Read more here:

The discovery of a married couple shot to death in their Weinland Park home on Dec. 30, 2025, has left the community reeling, especially after details emerged about how friends heard the couple’s young children screaming and crying before finding the bodies.

Spencer Tepe, 37, a dentist practicing in Athens, Ohio, and his wife, Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the upstairs area of their residence on the 1400 block of North Fourth Street. Their two children, ages 1 and 4, along with the family dog, were physically unharmed but present in the home during the discovery.

The grim scene unfolded after Spencer failed to appear for work at the Athens Dental Depot, an unusual occurrence that prompted concerned colleagues to request a wellness check from Columbus police. The first call to authorities came around 9:03 a.m., with a coworker noting that Spencer’s absence was “out of character” and that neither he nor Monique could be reached by phone.

An initial police response was delayed when an officer went to the wrong address on Summit Street, several blocks away, according to body camera footage later released by the department. The officer knocked on doors with no response before leaving.

Approximately 40 minutes later, friends and colleagues of the Tepes arrived at the correct home. One friend called 911 around 9:56 a.m., reporting that he could hear children crying inside the residence. A subsequent 911 call from another individual at the scene described entering the home and seeing Spencer Tepe’s body on the floor next to the bed in a pool of blood. The caller noted that the couple’s two young children could be heard screaming in the background as he spoke to the dispatcher.

Police arrived shortly after 10 a.m. and confirmed the couple had been fatally shot. Spencer Tepe suffered multiple gunshot wounds, while Monique Tepe had at least one wound to the chest. Three 9mm shell casings were recovered at the scene, but no firearm was found, and there were no signs of forced entry. Authorities ruled out murder-suicide early in the investigation.

The children, a 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl, were taken into the care of relatives following the discovery. Family members have described the emotional toll, with one relative telling media outlets that the family is “grappling” with how to explain to the 4-year-old daughter that she will never see her parents again. The children and the family’s Goldendoodle are now with extended family, who are focused on providing stability amid the tragedy.

The couple was remembered fondly in obituaries and family statements. Spencer Tepe, a graduate of Ohio State University, was described as a “devoted and proud father, a loving partner, and a friend to everyone he met.” He was passionate about dentistry, soccer, golf, and speaking Spanish fluently. Monique Tepe, who held a master’s degree in early childhood education, was portrayed as a joyful stay-at-home mother with a “bright smile, infectious laugh, caring heart, and bubbly personality.” The pair met online, married in December 2020, and were just weeks away from celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.

The Weinland Park neighborhood, a vibrant area north of downtown Columbus, has been shaken by the violence in what many residents describe as a safe, family-oriented community. Neighbors expressed shock that such a tragedy could occur without any apparent disturbance during the night. One resident told reporters they heard no unusual sounds, despite occasional gunshots being common in other parts of the city.

Columbus police initially released limited information, focusing on the wellness check delay and the release of surveillance footage on Jan. 5 showing a person of interest in a dark hooded jacket walking in an alley near the home between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. — the estimated time frame of the killings.

On Jan. 10, authorities announced the arrest of Michael David McKee, 39, a vascular surgeon from the Chicago area, in Rockford, Illinois. McKee, Monique Tepe’s ex-husband from a 2015-2017 marriage, was charged with two counts of murder, later upgraded to premeditated aggravated murder. Court records indicate the divorce was amicable, with no shared children and no spousal support awarded. McKee waived extradition and is expected to face proceedings in Franklin County.

The breakthrough came from neighborhood surveillance video capturing a vehicle arriving shortly before the homicides and departing afterward. Investigators traced the vehicle to McKee, finding evidence linking him to it around the time of the crime. No confirmed motive has been publicly released, though the connection to the ex-husband has fueled speculation about unresolved issues from the past marriage.

The Tepe family issued a statement following the arrest: “Today’s arrest represents an important step toward justice for Monique and Spencer. Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon, but we are grateful to the City of Columbus Police Department, its investigators and the assisting law enforcement community whose tireless efforts helped to capture the person involved. As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable.”

A public visitation and celebration of life were held on Jan. 11-12 in Upper Arlington, drawing hundreds to honor the couple. Family members emphasized the Tepes’ love for their children and their creation of a “home filled with warmth, happiness, and connection.”

The case has drawn national attention due to the presence of young children, the professional backgrounds of the victims — both Ohio State graduates — and the dramatic discovery involving friends hearing the children’s cries. Police Chief Elaine Bryant addressed the initial wellness check error, stating it followed protocol but acknowledging the delay.

As of mid-January 2026, the investigation remains active, with authorities withholding further details to protect the case. No trial date has been set, and questions about motive persist. The tragedy has underscored the vulnerability of families in quiet neighborhoods and the lasting impact on the two young children left behind.