Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: EERIE DOOR-BANGING RIDDLE IN MURDERS OF DENTIST & WIFE @ HOME, TOT KIDS ASLEEP
Date: January 9, 2026

Overview

Nancy Grace and her expert panel investigate the shocking double homicide of Dr. Spencer Tepe, a dentist, and his wife, Monique, found murdered in their Columbus, Ohio home while their two young children were asleep upstairs. The episode delves into the perplexing circumstances of the crime—including an earlier, strange door-banging incident in the neighborhood, the flood of 911 calls that led to the discovery, possible motives, forensics, and the crucial evidence being examined. The team debates law enforcement response, forensic possibilities, and whether the case points to someone known to the victims.

Key Topics, Insights & Segment Highlights

1. Timeline and Discovery of the Crime

• Repeated 911 Calls and Police Response

  • Multiple concerned colleagues and friends called 911 after Dr. Spencer Tepe did not show up at work and neither he nor Monique could be reached.
  • Initial police response was limited; officers knocked but left after receiving no answer.
  • Increasingly distressed friends and coworkers persisted, one eventually reporting hearing children inside:
    • “I can hear kids inside and I swear I think I heard one yell but we can’t get in.” (07:57)

• Critical Moments

  • The harrowing discovery:
    • “There’s a body. There’s a body inside.” (12:28)
  • Nancy criticizes the dispatchers' reportedly complacent or dismissive tone despite the situation’s urgency.

Notable Quotes

• Nancy Grace:
  • “I’m extremely put off by the 911 dispatcher...The dispatch officer just really was just too busy doing her nails.” (05:28–09:03)
• Tom Smith (Former NYPD):
  • "She seemed annoyed that she was getting more and more calls about this, which is a complete wrong thing to be doing..." (04:58)

2. Victims, Crime Scene, and Early Theories

• Who Were the Victims?

  • Dr. Spencer Tepe: dentist, described as reliable and beloved by colleagues.
  • Monique Tepe: equally dependable, mother to two young children (ages 1 and 4).

• Crime Scene Details

  • Both adults found dead with apparent gunshot wounds; no weapon located, ruling out murder-suicide.
  • Children found physically unharmed, as was the family dog.
  • Details on wounds:
    • Spencer shot twice, Monique once. Three shell casings found (18:33).

• No Signs of Forced Entry

  • Investigators note no forced entry, suggesting either the victims knew the perpetrator or the killer had access (24:01).

Notable Quotes

• Susan Hendricks:
  • “Spencer was shot twice, Monique once. Does that mean that Spencer was the target?...Those are the key questions.” (18:33)

3. 911 Dispatcher Performance and Community Response

• Criticism of Dispatcher Handling

  • The panel repeatedly returns to what they describe as inadequate urgency and empathy from 911 dispatchers.
  • Multiple missed opportunities: officers sent away, dismissive responses to worried callers—even when children were heard inside.

• The Trauma for Civilians

  • The emotional toll on friends and colleagues forced to discover the bodies themselves is discussed:
    • "That's a shock to see a dead body for the first time to many people..." (14:00)

4. Forensic Focus: Casings, DNA, and Gun Evidence

• Forensic Pathology and Ballistics
  • Three spent casings left behind—a point Tom Smith flags as unusual for a professional hit (19:44).
  • DNA and fingerprints can be recovered from casings if not handled properly:
    • “You could leave a fingerprint, a very viable fingerprint on those casings while you're loading the weapon.” (20:20–21:03)
  • Unique marks from the firearm (firing pin, extractor, ejector) can tie casings to a specific weapon (21:13).

5. Surveillance Video & The 'Eerie Door-Banging' Mystery

• Nighttime Surveillance Video

  • Police release video of a figure in light pants and a dark hoodie walking through an alley behind the Tepe home between 2–5am, aligning with the estimated window of the murders (24:01–27:12).

  • Panelists debate whether the person is the killer, with attention to body language suggesting familiarity and possible attempts to avoid cameras.

  • Quote:

    • “He intentionally gets spooked by something and makes a dramatic change in his walk. He covers his face even more and kind of leans away...So either...he realizes there’s a camera or...someone walking near him spooks him...” (29:47, Tom Smith)

• Echoes of Other Cases

  • Comparisons to the Delphi bridge murders and Missy Bevers’ case—both with video evidence but needing local knowledge and careful analysis (25:25).

6. The Door-Banging Incident Eleven Days Prior

• Mysterious Attempted Entry

  • 11 days before the murders, a neighbor reported someone aggressively banging on multiple doors around 2:30am.

  • The dispatcher again took a passive approach, advising only to call back if things escalated (32:10, 33:08).

  • The panel believes this could be a vital lead or pattern rather than a random event.

  • Quote:

    • “You've got someone going to a female victim's home trying to get into multiple doors and it's around the same time frame...that could be probative.” (34:31, Nancy Grace)

• Is It Connected?

  • Debate over whether this incident was a failed or aborted attempt at entry by the same perpetrator (33:50–35:25).
  • Missed opportunity for police intervention, possibly preventing later violence.

7. Domestic Dispute Call—Red Herring or Clue?

• Past 911 Call from the Residence

  • Previously, a 911 call was traced to the home, ostensibly involving a woman distressed after an argument (38:36).

  • Family members claim it was not Monique, but possibly a party guest; the incident was believed unrelated (39:47–40:11).

  • Quote:

    • “They like to have parties, people over. And it was apparently...a woman who was at that party made the call...that it wasn’t Monique and it had nothing to do with them.” (39:47, Susan Hendricks)

8. Forensic and Investigative Next Steps

• What Can Be Learned Forensically

  • Pathology experts highlight importance of wound analysis: caliber, distance, position, and trajectory will provide key reconstruction clues (43:31).

  • The absence of forced entry points investigators toward someone the victims likely trusted—or someone with a code or key (45:17).

  • Children and dog were left unharmed, possibly suggesting the killer wasn’t a typical home invader or had a specific target.

  • Quote:

    • “This was in my mind an absolute targeted hit...and it's going to take the background check of both of their pasts, their social media accounts, their relationships...” (45:17, Tom Smith)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• First distress call & 911 response: 02:39–04:37
• Dispatchers criticized for lack of urgency: 04:37–09:03
• Civilians hear children inside: 06:56–07:56
• Body discovered & calls escalate: 12:21–13:18
• Forensic/ballistics discussion (casings & DNA): 19:44–22:15
• Surveillance video examination: 24:37–27:12, 29:47
• Eerie door-banging incident call: 32:10–33:08
• Panel debates “connection” to prior incident: 33:50–36:03
• Domestic dispute call addressed: 38:36–40:23
• Forensic analysis advice: 43:31–45:17

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Nancy Grace (about the lack of forced entry & murder-suicide possibility):

  • “No weapon was found on the scene. No forced entry...It is not believed at this hour to be a murder suicide...” (01:03)

• Susan Hendricks (on timeline oddity):

  • “He’s what, less than an hour late to work and someone’s calling 911 for a wellness check. To me that stands out. It truly does.” (09:03)

• Tom Smith (casings as clue):

  • “A professional is going to take the casings with him. The fact that they’re left there is just someone who did what they wanted to do...” (19:44)

• Nancy Grace (on the crucial clue):

  • “No forced entry...that is concerning. So they either let themselves in because they knew the passcode because they've been at that residence before...” (45:17)

Summary & Open Questions

• The murders appear targeted, not random or a murder-suicide, with clues pointing toward someone with access or familiarity.
• Critical evidence includes ballistic forensics and DNA/fingerprints on shell casings.
• The prior door-banging incident and the absence of forced entry are highlighted as potentially crucial.
• The case is unresolved, with Nancy and her panel appealing for public tips and forensically driven breakthroughs.

If you have any information, please contact Columbus Police at 614-645-2286.