Ohio Dentist's 1-Year-Old Was Likely Stuck in Crib For Hours As Parents Lay Slain Nearby By Samira Asma-Sadeque

As Monique, 37, and Spencer Tepe, 39, lay fatally shot in their Columbus, Ohio home on a late December night, police estimate their children, then 3-year-old Emilia Tepe and 1-year-old Beckham Tepe, were stuck in the home for hours.

When Spencer’s friend arrived at the residence later that morning, worried that he had not shown up to work, the friend told a 911 dispatcher that he could hear children crying inside.

The friend, who requested anonymity owing to security concerns for his family, called 911 again, sobbing, as he told the dispatcher he could see a body inside.

Rob Misleh, who is married to Spencer’s sister, tells PEOPLE that they think it was 17-month-old Beckham crying.

“[He] was in the crib right, and was unable to get out of the crib on his own and also it was at a time he would’ve been well awake by this time,” he says, confirming that the child likely also hadn’t had food for a while by the time police arrived at the house.

The children each had their own separate rooms in the house, he says.

“From the time frame that we know, 2 a.m. to 5 a.m., [when the murders took place], the kids would’ve been in their beds so we assume that not they did not see anything,” he adds.

The children, who are with family now, don’t fully understand the reality of their parents’ sudden disappearances, family members say.

“I really don’t think that a 4-year-old can grasp [what] is hard for us to even grasp,” says Misleh. “It’s going to be years and years of processing.”

Spencer’s cousin, Audrey Mackie, tells PEOPLE that they are learning as they go how to address speaking to the children.

“If [Emilia] wants to talk about it — we are to encourage that,” Mackie says, adding that the family has been working with professionals and using resources such as books on how to approach the matter.

The couple was killed days after Christmas. Misleh and his wife Madeleine Misleh, who is Spencer’s sister, say their last Christmas together was a joyful one.

Madeleine, 35, a fashion designer, had designed princess dresses for Emilia and her other nieces and Spencer beamed at her creation.

“My brother has always been the biggest fan of my art,” says Madeleine, who made a pink gown with ivory trim for Emilia. “He was always proud.”

Days later, those smiles would be dimmed for the family, laced with questions about who would want to harm the beloved couple.

The double-homicide led to an intense, days-long manhunt for the suspect.

Columbus police have kept most of the investigation under wraps, releasing only a few clues, including surveillance footage of a person of interest seen walking near by the Tepes’ residence around the time the killings are believed to have occurred.

Days after releasing the footage and seeking tips, police identified a suspect that the Tepe family says they’re confident is the right person.

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Investigators identified the suspect as 39-year-old Michael David McKee, whom Monique was briefly married to a decade ago.

Following what she alleged to friends was an “emotionally abusive” marriage, laced with threats to her life, Monique had filed for divorce less than two years after they tied the knot.

McKee’s alleged emotional abuse “changed Monique as a person,” says Rob.

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McKee was arrested outside a Chick-fil-A in Rockford, Ill., about 450 miles from where the murders occurred. He has been indicted on aggravated murder and burglary charges and is awaiting extradition to Ohio.

An Illinois public defender representing him said he plans on pleading not guilty to the murder charges. He has not indicated his plea on the burglary charge, which came after his first court appearance.

As friends and family mourn the beloved couple, they say the Tepes left an indelible mark on those who knew them.

Spencer, who was always in charge of the music at gatherings, had officiated several weddings which Rob says is a reflection of the trust his loved ones had in him.

His giving energy was a match to Monique’s, whose degree in early childhood education led her to work with young students years before she would settle in as a stay-at-home who loved baking and was competitive about board games.

After the killings garnered national attention, Mackie says a former student of Monique’s, from about 15 years ago, reached out to the family to share how impactful Monique had been in their life —something Mackie says speaks volumes about the deceased mother of two.

“They loved fiercely,” she adds about the deceased couple. “It’s a true loss.”

With reporting by Chris Spargo

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.