“We’ve got several calls on that. What’s changed since the last person I talked to?”

“Uh, there’s a body. There’s a body.”

A single 911 call changed everything in the Spencer and Mon’nique Tep case.

And for the first time, we are hearing it. Newly released audio, surveillance footage, and images now point to a possible person of interest and reveal what investigators have been racing to piece together behind closed doors.

My name is Lauren Matias, and this is Hidden True Crime.

 

We have major updates in the Spencer and Mon’nique Tep case.

For the first time, the public can truly see and hear what investigators have been dealing with behind the scenes.

We now have 911 audio, newly released surveillance video, and real estate photos that show the layout of the home.

Taken together, they help us reconstruct what could have happened inside that house.

This case broke open because Spencer didn’t show up to work on December 30th—and that alone raised alarms.

 

Spencer was known for being reliable.

He was always on time, and if something came up, he would let someone know.

That morning, there were no calls, no texts, no responses from him or from Mon’nique.

His boss, Dr. Mark Valrose, immediately knew something was wrong and called for a welfare check.

> “Columbus Police, Tech 107.”
> “Yes, I would like to ask for a wellness check on an individual at their home. I’m currently in Florida on vacation, but this individual, Spencer, works with me. He did not show up to work this morning, and we cannot get ahold of him or his family.”

 

The dispatcher asked if Spencer had medical problems.

His boss said no—and emphasized that Spencer was extremely reliable.

He explained that Spencer runs the office, there are two kids in the home, and no one can reach his wife either.

> “We’re very, very concerned because this is very out of character,” he said. “We can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”

The dispatcher promised to send an officer as soon as one was available.

An officer did go to the home, knocked, and got no response.

Seeing no obvious signs of forced entry, that officer left.

 

But Spencer’s friends and co‑workers were not willing to let it go.

They continued to call 911 and even drove to the house themselves.

> “911, what’s the location of your emergency?”
> “What’s the emergency there—police or medical?”
> “Maybe both, I guess. I don’t know. I’m kind of doing the welfare check. We had a call out there. They knocked on the front door and back door multiple times and there was no answer.”

One caller said he could hear children inside and thought he heard one of them yell.

He didn’t know whether to break down the door or wait for police.

He told dispatch he’d just arrived about five minutes earlier.

The dispatcher said they would send officers back.

 

Then one of Spencer’s friends and co‑workers, identified as Alex Didi, arrived at the house.

This is where the tone of the entire case changes.

> “911, what’s the location of your emergency?”
> “We’ve got several calls on that. What’s changed since the last person I talked to?”
> “Uh, there’s a body. There’s a body. There’s a body inside.”

The dispatcher transferred him to medics.

On the line, Alex explained that their friend hadn’t been answering his phone, so they came for a welfare check.

> “He appears dead. There’s blood. He’s laying next to his bed, off of his bed in there. I can’t get closer to see more than that. I can’t look.”

 

He confirmed Spencer was clearly not breathing.

He estimated Spencer’s age at 37 and told dispatch he was not a drug user.

In that instant, everything changed.

Police arrived around 10:00 a.m. and found Spencer and Mon’nique both shot inside their own home.

Their two young children were also inside—physically unharmed, but frightened, confused, and sitting in the aftermath of a horrific crime.

 

Police have now released a short surveillance clip showing a potential person of interest.

It appears to show a hooded figure walking near the Tep home during the time investigators believe the murders occurred—between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

The figure moves calmly, slowly, and with apparent purpose.

Their face is obscured, hands concealed in pockets.

Right now, this is the only publicly released footage tied to a possible suspect.

 

This video confirms that someone was moving through that exact area at exactly the right time.

It doesn’t answer all our questions, but it strongly suggests this was not purely random.

The person in the clip looks like someone with a reason to be there.

At the very least, we know *someone* was in that neighborhood while the crime was happening.

As investigators work from actual crime scene photos, many online sleuths have turned to pre‑listing real estate images of the house—photos taken before the Teps ever moved in.

These images show the layout: where the bedrooms are, how close rooms are to one another, and how someone might move quietly through the home in the early morning hours.

 

Those layout details are critical for reconstructing what happened:

– Who was likely encountered first?
– Did anyone try to intervene?
– How did the suspect enter, move, and leave?

According to Redfin, the property is valued at just over $700,000.

It’s a four‑bedroom, 3.5‑bath home with a basement.

From the back patio, several steps lead up to the main level, and all of the bedrooms are on the top floor.

 

The main back door appears to be glass.

Police have said there were no signs of forced entry, which opens several possibilities:

– A door was left unlocked.
– The suspect was let inside by someone in the home.
– Someone was already inside, lying in wait.

If someone wanted to enter without being heard, the basement door might have been a strategic choice.

A door opening down there would be less likely to wake someone upstairs.

We don’t know whether the home had a full alarm system, but it appears to have had a Ring doorbell camera at the front.

 

That could explain why someone might avoid the front door if they knew a doorbell camera was there.

Police have also confirmed that three 9mm shell casings were recovered at the scene.

That number matters.

Spencer, police say, was shot multiple times.

Mon’nique was also shot.

If Spencer suffered more than one wound and Mon’nique at least one, it suggests there may originally have been more than three casings at the scene.

 

That raises a critical possibility: the shooter may have picked up some of the casings to hide evidence and missed a few.

Shell casings can retain touch DNA and even latent fingerprints, especially if someone handled them after firing.

Those remaining casings—if they were indeed overlooked by the shooter—could be some of the strongest forensic leads in the entire case.

Given that Spencer was shot the most, some experts and observers have suggested he may have been the primary target and that Mon’nique was collateral.

But there’s another plausible scenario.

 

Spencer may have heard the intruder and tried to confront or stop them.

In general, it takes more force to incapacitate an adult male, which could explain why he was shot multiple times.

Either way, the pattern strongly suggests this was not a casual or random act.

There was likely a purpose and a target.

We just don’t yet know who or why.

There has also been a lot of speculation online about Mon’nique’s prior divorce and her ex‑husband.

After reviewing the divorce filings, here’s what they actually show.

 

The paperwork is essentially a standardized Ohio divorce packet.

It lists every possible category that *could* apply in any divorce case, and only those that apply have page numbers attached.

Some people noticed that “child abuse” appears as a category.

But no pages are listed under that section, which means it did not apply in this case.

There were no children involved in that marriage.

The section that *does* have pages attached and has drawn attention is “standard mutual restraining order.”

 

That phrase can sound alarming, but people familiar with Ohio divorce procedures have clarified that this is a routine order.

It is automatically included in many divorces and typically relates to property, financial accounts, and preventing harassment—without implying criminal violence.

As of right now, there is nothing in the public record that directly links Mon’nique’s ex‑husband to this crime.

That doesn’t mean he isn’t being looked at by investigators; we simply don’t know.

Law enforcement has not identified him publicly, and no media outlet has named him as a person of interest.

Until that happens, we need to be extremely cautious about speculation and online accusations.

 

Detectives are still asking for any photos, video, or doorbell footage from the neighborhood between midnight and 9:00 a.m. on December 30th.

That’s a large window, and even small details—an unfamiliar car, a lone figure in the alley—could help.

If you have information, Columbus Police Homicide Unit can be reached at 614‑645‑4730.

The CPD tip line is 614‑645‑2228.

Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, where tips can be anonymous, is 614‑461‑8477.

 

Before we wrap up, I want to share an update on the children.

Family members say Spencer and Mon’nique’s kids are now safe and surrounded by relatives who are stepping in, along with their dog, Larry.

Mon’nique’s brother‑in‑law, Rob Misla—who is married to her sister—said the children are in “loving hands” and are largely unaware of what has happened.

He explained that they’ve been with family for several days and that relatives are doing everything possible to keep their routines normal.

“They were just as happy and unfortunately unaware as they could ever be,” he said.

 

Misla added that more relatives have come together to support the children and make sure all of their needs are met.

He also said he does not believe the kids were exposed to the crime scene.

“As far as I know, I don’t think that they were. I don’t think they saw what happened. At least, I want to believe that with my heart,” he said.

The family has described their loss as “heartbroken beyond words,” calling what happened tragic and senseless.

Rob shared that he still sees images of Spencer in photos people send him and struggles to accept that he’s really gone.

 

He described Spencer and Mon’nique as two of the most admirable people in his life.

The couple would have celebrated their five‑year wedding anniversary in just a few weeks.

Their children, ages four and one, are now in the care of family members, along with Larry the dog.

“How do you tell a four‑year‑old that she’s never going to see her parents again?” Rob asked. “It’s just awful. But we’ve been giving them all of our love.”

He described Mon’nique as warm, charming, and strong; Spencer as calm, steady, and kind.

 

Funeral arrangements have been made, and services are underway as investigators continue their work.

When asked what he would say to the person responsible, Rob did not hold back.

“This person didn’t just take two lives,” he said. “They took a son and a daughter, a brother and a sister, an aunt and an uncle, cousins. They took two beautiful souls who were just lovely parents.”

A fundraiser created to help support the children has already raised more than $160,000 for their care and future needs.

This case is very much active.

With new audio, new video, and physical evidence now in play, the investigation is gaining momentum.

 

Someone out there knows something.

And as more information becomes available, we’ll continue to cover every development.

We’ll keep bringing you updates as they come in.