Fundraiser Set Up for Orphaned Children Found with Slain Dentist Dad and Mom Inside Ohio Home

Family members have raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the children of Ohio dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, nearly a week after the couple was fatally shot.

Spencer, 37, and Monique, 39, were found dead inside their Columbus, Ohio, home on Tuesday, Dec. 30, according to police. Their two young children, whose ages have not been publicly disclosed, were inside the residence at the time. While the children were not physically harmed, recordings from 911 calls indicate they were in severe emotional distress.

In the days following the killings, relatives organized a fundraiser to help provide stability for the children. Audrey (Tepe) Mackie, who set up the GoFundMe, described the couple as devoted parents who consistently put their family first.

“They were the proud parents of two beautiful children, and every day they showed up with unwavering love and devotion to their family,” Mackie wrote. She added that the sudden loss has dramatically altered daily life for the children and their extended family, and that the funds will be used to support their care and long-term stability.

Audio from a 911 call made by a friend of Spencer’s reveals the chaotic scene outside the home as he and several of Spencer’s colleagues waited for police to conduct a welfare check. In the recording, cited by CNN, the caller tells dispatchers he could hear the children crying inside the house but was unable to get in.

“I can hear kids inside, and I swear I think I heard one yell,” the caller says in the audio. “But we can’t get in. At this point, I don’t know if I need to break the door in to get in the house or what.”

As of Monday, just two days after it was launched, the fundraiser had raised more than $140,000.

Authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest in the case. Police have released little information publicly, and the investigation remains ongoing nearly a week after the killings.