‘We miss every inch of her desperately’: Heartbroken family of Emily Thompson break their silence

Emily Thompson was allegedly stabbed to death and dumped in bushland by her ex-partner. She had just turned 18 and was excited about finishing school and starting the next chapter of her life. This is what her family want you to know about her.

The family of Emily Thompson, who was allegedly stabbed to death and dumped in bushland by her ex-partner after their relationship ended, have broken their silence ahead of the anniversary on Sunday of the 18-year-old’s death.

Emily was set to graduate Year 12 at Pine Rivers State High School and had celebrated her 18th birthday just two weeks before her death.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Mail, the Thompson family said the loss “continues to be completely numbing”.

“Initially, (Emily’s death) was as horrendous as you might imagine it might be and then some,” they said. “The reality of waking up every day knowing she was no longer with us was, and continues to be completely numbing.

Police allege Emily Thompson, 18, was murdered by her 19-year-old ex-partner Aaron Daniel Mitchelson Huckel. Photo: Supplied.

“But as time moves on, the numbing subsides and you are left with the raw pain of knowing you will never get to hug your daughter again, hear her laugh, or experience her experiencing new things.

“There is a dreadful sense of loss for all the ‘things’ that she was, but also for all the ‘things’ that she could have been and could have done.”

Police allege Emily met with Aaron Mitchelson Huckel at Strathpine’s Rob Akers Reserve on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

Hours later, her body was found in bushland at Nambour on the Sunshine Coast.

Mitchelson Huckel, then 19, was arrested at a service station and later charged with murder and misconduct with a corpse (moving).

“One minute your home is full of people and then, in what feels like the next minute, you are there alone, and the house feels even emptier than it ever has before,” the Thompson family said. “We are surrounded by friends and family that support us, but they obviously have to get on with their day to day lives.

“You find that you too have to return to some semblance of your life ‘before’ and it seems incomprehensible that in the outside world nothing has really changed.”

Emily’s mother Melissa said her daughter had been excited to finish high school.

“She came to me on the last day of school (before exam week) and couldn’t stop talking about how excited she was to start this new chapter of her life. But that wasn’t to be,” she said. “(Emily) had been planning (Schoolies) for over 12 months. The accommodation had been booked and paid for and Emily was excitedly talking about the different themes that had been planned for each day.”

Emily was preparing to finish high school when she died. Picture: GoFundMe

The Thompsons said they had also planned an overseas trip, it would have been Emily’s first.

“She had also talked about travelling with her friends,” they said.

The family said Emily had bought a beautiful dress ready to attend her school formal in a vintage car driven by her beloved Pa.

“She didn’t want a flashy dress and after a few false starts she had settled on an emerald green dress that she had found locally,” they said.

“She excitedly chose the accessories to wear and had been working with her hairdresser to get her hair just right for the style she had in mind for the night.

“Emily was fortunate enough to have six grandparents who were all very involved in her life and all played an important role.

Aaron Mitchelson Huckel, 19, is expected to appear in court again on November 20. Picture: Supplied

“They took her clothes shopping for her birthday, spent time teaching her how to drive, ensured there was always a Werther’s Original on her seat in the car on the times they picked her up from school, took her and her brother to the theme parks during school holidays on the Gold Coast, and brought her chicken noodle soup when she wasn’t feeling well.”

The Thompsons said they would like people to “think of Emily often”.

“Smile at the memory of her. We do. Cry over the loss of her. We do. Share stories with each other. We do. But, most importantly, say her name. #hernameisEmily.”

The Sunday Mail understands Emily and Mitchelson Huckel worked together at IGA Frenchs Forest on Beeville Rd, Petrie.

Mitchelson Huckel, a cashier, has a limited social media presence but began posting videos of himself playing computer games from a young age.

He was also a regular at a Strathpine gaming store which played the popular trading card game Magic.

Huckel, who is behind bars, will next appear on November 20 in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court.