BIZARRE: BRIEF 'STARTER MARRIAGE' CLUE, DENTIST & WIFE MURDERS @ HOME, TOT KIDS ASLEEP
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. In the case of a young dentist and his young wife murdered in their own home with their two little children in the home. to find mommy and daddy dead. Could they have even witnessed the murders? As of tonight, a murder-suicide has been ruled out, and I can tell you why. It's not unusual angles of the bullets or their trajectory path. It's not that sophisticated because there's no weapon. The weapon's gone.
What happened in the Tepe double homicide case?
They're both shot dead, one of them multiple times, possibly both. But there's no weapon there on the scene. So obviously somebody else did it. And tonight. A starter marriage? What does that have to do with a double homicide? You know what a starter marriage is, right? It's your first try. It's brief. It happened a long time ago. It doesn't really count. That's what you call a starter marriage. So how does that factor into a double murder? I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories, and I want to thank you for being with us.
There's a body. Our friend wasn't answering his phone. We just did a long shift. We just came here, and he appears dead.
The dentist and his wife gunned down children upstairs. There's a body. There's a body. There's a body inside? Yeah. If only I could reach through this camera and get my hands a little finger necklace for the dispatch officer that was taking these calls. Why am I angry? You'll see. Listen.
I guess I would like to ask for a wellness check on an individual at their home. This individual, Spencer, works with me, and he did not show up to work this morning, and we cannot get a hold of him or his family. He is always on time, and he would contact us if there is any issues whatsoever. And I just don't know how else to say this. We're very, very concerned because this is very out of character. And we can't get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.
When Dr. Spencer Tepe doesn't show up for work at Athens Dental Depot in Columbus, Ohio, co-workers are so shocked they call their boss, the owner of Athens Dental, Dr. Mark Valrose. Valrose is on vacation in Florida, but Spencer not showing up is so unusual. Co-workers felt the need to let Valrose know. Valrose tries to contact Spencer and failing at that, Tepe's wife, Monique, as she's even more predictable than her husband. Unable to reach either tepee, Valrose calls 911 in Columbus, Ohio at 9.03 a.m. requesting a wellness check.
Okay, Susan Hendricks joining me. Before I go to the whole panel, investigative reporter and author of Down the Hill, My Descent to the Double Murder in Delphi, which is the definitive book on the Delphi double murders of Abby and Libby. Susan, what you didn't hear in that snippet of the 911 call that I just played, you've got the co-worker going, this is really bizarre for him not to be here. The dispatcher says, and I quote, okay, we'll send somebody over as soon as we have an officer available. It's Columbus, Ohio. They don't have police that can come over. It's unbelievable. He doesn't answer the phone. We're not worried. We'll get to you when we get to you.
What evidence links Michael McKee to the murders?
That's where it starts with this woman.
Her job is not to have preconceived notions about what she believes. It's to answer the 911 calls and get help there. It appears she's bothered by it all. Downplaying what these people, friends of Monique and Spencer, are saying. We need help. Something is wrong.
And you know, Greg Morse joining me, veteran trial lawyer, criminal defense attorney at Morse Legal. He is the founder of that. He is the author of Untested on Amazon. Veteran trial lawyer. Greg, this is the deal. There's something called routine evidence. Not routine as in typical routine evidence. It's evidence of someone's routine. For instance, if I go to Greg Morse and I look and instead of seeing you, I see an empty chair, I know something's very wrong. That's not your routine. You're always there and prepared, usually with a snarky comment, but you're prepared. So that would be highly unusual. And I would immediately try to find out what's wrong with Morse.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:48
2
What happened in the Tepe double homicide case?
0:48–3:35
3
What evidence links Michael McKee to the murders?
3:35–5:37
4
What was the nature of the Tepe's marriage and its impact?
5:37–8:42
5
How did the 911 dispatch respond to the wellness check?
8:42–12:57
6
What were the reactions of friends and coworkers to the situation?
12:57–16:43
7
What details emerge from the investigation into the crime scene?
16:43–19:56
8
How did the police track the suspect's movements?
19:56–46:46
Speakers
9 identifiedMore from Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
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