It's been more than a week since an Ohio dentist and his wife were fatally shot in their Columbus home, and police have released few details as the search for the suspect continues.
Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead Dec. 30 from apparent gunshot wounds, according to a police incident report.
Their two young children were in the home unharmed.
The deaths have been a "nightmare" for the family, said Audrey Mackie, Spencer Tepe's cousin.
"I have never experienced anything close to this type of tragedy. It’s heartbreaking," Mackie told NBC News. "The whole entire family is just really torn up. They were fantastic people, so it’s really hard for everyone right now."
The couple had married in their home and were just one month shy of celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.
Officers responded to the couple's home after several concerned friends and co-workers called police to report that Spencer Tepe had not shown up for work and Monique Tepe was not answering the phone.
"He’s been reliable. We cannot get in touch with him, his wife, his family, anybody that lives in that house," one of Spencer Tepe's colleagues said in a recording of a 911 call.
The man said Spencer Tepe not showing up for work was out of character for him.
"And we can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing," he told the dispatcher.
In a separate call, another man said he could hear children playing in the home but had no way of getting inside.
Around 10 a.m., a man called and said he could see a body and blood in the home.
“There’s blood. He’s laying next to his bed, off of his bed, and there’s blood. I can’t get closer to see more than that,” the man said, getting emotional.
The Franklin County coroner’s office said the couple died from an apparent homicide by gunshot wounds, but added that the case is not finalized. The police department previously said it does not believe the killings were a murder-suicide.
Three 9 mm shell casings were found in the home, police said.
A motive in the killings remains unclear. As of Wednesday morning, police have not identified a suspect or made any arrests.
Earlier in the week, Columbus police released a video of a person of interest walking in an alley by the home. The video was recorded between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Dec. 30, the time frame investigators believe the couple was killed. The footage shows a person wearing a hooded jacket and pants.
Mackie said the person "could be anyone," and hopes that the footage leads to the family getting answers.
Spencer practiced at Athens Dental Depot and was fluent in Spanish. His wife had a background in childhood education, the family said, and loved baking.
"They were extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy, and deep connection to others," the Tepe family said in a statement last week.
"Together, Spencer and Monique shared a beautiful, strong, and deeply happy relationship. They loved to travel, to laugh, and to build a life rooted in love," the statement read. "They were proud parents of two beautiful children and their beloved Goldendoodle, and they created a home filled with warmth, happiness, and connection."
