Police seek hooded person of interest in Ohio double murder

A murder investigation in Columbus is deepening as police ask for the public’s help identifying a hooded person of interest seen near the home.

(NBC)- A murder investigation in Columbus is deepening as police ask for the public’s help identifying a hooded person of interest seen near the home of a couple found shot to death late last month.

Investigators released grainy surveillance video showing a person walking through an alley near the home of Spencer and Monique Tepe during the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 30. Police say they now believe the couple was killed sometime between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., and that the video was recorded within that same three-hour window.

Audrey Mackie, Spencer Tepe’s cousin, said the person in the video is unfamiliar to the family.

“I don’t recognize that person at all,” Mackie said. When asked if she had any idea who would want to harm the couple, she said she could not think of anyone. “They were warm and welcoming. I have no idea.”

According to police, the Tepe couple was found dead on the upper level of their home. A police report notes investigators recovered three spent 9-millimeter shell casings at the scene.

Authorities first became concerned after Spencer Tepe, a dentist, failed to show up for work. A welfare check followed, along with multiple 911 calls from friends and neighbors.

“I can hear kids inside, and I swear I think I heard one yell, but we can’t get in,” one caller told dispatchers.

Another caller later described a graphic scene inside the home, telling 911 operators there was blood and that one of the victims appeared to be dead.

Friends ultimately found the couple’s two children — a 4-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son — along with the family dog, unharmed inside the house.

Police say there were no signs of forced entry. Mackie said that detail aligns with what she knew about the couple.

“They always locked doors and windows,” she said. “They were very careful and not forgetful. They felt completely safe at home.”

One week after the killings, investigators say they are still searching for answers and urging anyone who recognizes the person in the surveillance video or has information about the case to come forward.