A teenager, soon to turn 19, has been found not guilty of murdering Queensland mother Emma Lovell during a Boxing Day home invasion, as ruled by Supreme Court Justice Michael Copley.

The teenager was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in a Brisbane court on October 31, 2024, despite being involved in the home invasion.

During the trial, the defense argued that CCTV footage did not conclusively show that the teenager was aware his accomplice was armed with a knife, which was crucial for a murder conviction.

Crown prosecutor David Nardone acknowledged that the case hinged on whether the accused knew about the knife, while the defense maintained that the footage lacked clarity regarding his awareness.

The primary offender, a co-accused in the case, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for stabbing Lovell in the heart during the altercation.

Although the teenager was convicted of burglary and assault occasioning bodily harm, he was acquitted of more serious charges due to insufficient evidence of his knowledge of the weapon.

The trial was held without a jury due to concerns that public debates on youth crime could influence the outcome, particularly in light of the upcoming Queensland election.

Emma Lovell was murdered outside her North Lakes home on December 27, 2022, during an attempted robbery, while her husband, Lee Lovell, was also attacked.

At the time of the incident, the teenager was 17 years old and pleaded not guilty to murder, burglary, unlawful assault, and unlawful wounding.

The teenager is currently in custody and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for December 4, 2024, after a pre-sentencing report is prepared by Queensland's youth justice department.

The defense claimed that even if the teenager was aware of the knife, he attempted to stop the violence and urged his accomplice to flee the scene.

Emma Lovell and her husband confronted the intruders after being awakened by their barking dogs, leading to a struggle that moved outside their home.