Speaking to A Current Affair, Lee said he and his wife were woken by their dogs about 11.30pm on Boxing Day. Their home’s security system told them the front door was open.
“We just bolted to our bedroom door, and I opened it, and two people were there,” he said.
The ensuing confrontation, which he said “felt like it was over in 30 seconds”, allegedly spilled into the front yard, where police say Emma suffered a fatal knife wound.
Lee also allegedly suffered stab wounds. He was taken to hospital in an ambulance, believing paramedics would be able to save his wife. A few hours later, while still in hospital, he was told she’d died.
“It was a major shock to be honest,” Lee told ACA.
Adding to the heartbreak, he had to tell his teenage daughters their mother was dead after one of them asked, “Where’s mummy?”
“I said, ‘We need to talk,’ and we both just broke down,” he told the programme through tears.
Neighbours woke on Tuesday to find police and paramedics swarming the “horrific” scene at Whitfield Cres in North Lakes.
Dozens of heartbreaking tributes to Emma, 41, were shared in the comments section of a post shared on her husband’s Facebook page.
Close friend Christina Lofthouse made a final promise to look after Emma’s children in the wake of her death.
“I promise you Emmie that I will look after your daughters and always be there for them for everything they need or want. I will be here for Lee too as he navigates a world without you,” she said.
“Emma was the glue to my family she was such a beautiful person,” Lee told the Courier-Mail.
“We are all just devastated by her loss, it’s senseless.”
Hallam told reporters a confrontation occurred inside the Lovells’ home about 11.30pm on Boxing Day after the boys allegedly entered the dwelling.
He said the Lovells attempted to defend their house in the process.
Emma suffered a fatal stab wound in the front yard while her husband, Lee, sustained a non-life threatening wound.
“Those [boys] fled the scene,” Hallam said.
“They’ve disturbed the residents inside the dwelling, who were woken up by what I’m told were barking dogs.”
Investigations are ongoing into the incident, including the identification of the alleged murder weapon.
Hallam said there appeared to be no link between the alleged offenders and the homeowners.
“The family is absolutely traumatised and shattered,” he said.
“They’ve lost their mother and wife, the whole community is in mourning as well.
“We will continue to offer support moving forward.”
Residents in the quiet Moreton Bay suburb have told NCA NewsWire of their shock and disbelief over the alleged incident.
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was playing video games late at night when he heard what sounded like “yelling and fighting”.
He initially dismissed it as a drunken fight before realising police cars had pulled up around the neighbourhood.
“I’ve lived here for three years; I’ve never seen something like this,” he told NCA NewsWire.
“It’s a very quiet neighbourhood.
“They never had any loud parties, no noise issues.”
Others said they went to sleep as normal and woke to police and ambulance crews and members of the media knocking around doors.
“I only met [the Lovells] a few times; they seem like very nice people, a very nice family,” one neighbour said.
Another resident who had lived in the area for four years said it was a “very big shock” to wake up at midnight seeing police lights.
“You see these sorts of things on TV, not in your neighbourhood,” he said.
Emma had just returned home after a Christmas holiday with her family on the Sunshine Coast, wishing her friends and family well in a Facebook post hours before the alleged incident.
“So for the 1st time in 11 years we spent Christmas Day on the beach, even managed to cook up some bacon and eggs!” she wrote.
“Hope everyone has a great Christmas Day spent with loved ones and friends.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been organised for the family.
“Investigators urge anyone from the North Lakes area with information, dashcam or CCTV footage to contact police,” a Queensland Police spokesman said.
The two 17-year-old boys have been denied police bail and are due to appear in the Brisbane Childrens Court.
