Father of Monique Lezsak reveals his wife was asleep in Endeavour Hills home as their daughter was stabbed

The father of popular bodybuilder Monique Lezsak has spoken for the first time about his daughter’s violent death, allegedly at the hands of her partner.

Monique Lezsak died inside her parents’ Endeavour Hills home. Picture: Instagram

EXCLUSIVE

The grieving father of slain bodybuilder Monique Lezsak has revealed his wife was asleep in an adjoining bedroom when his daughter was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend.

The popular bodybuilder and “truly loved” mother-of-two, 39, was stabbed to death inside her parents’ Endeavour Hills home early on May 30.

Her partner, 51-year-old German-born Sven Lindemann who had lived in the home for four years, has been charged with her murder.

Speaking exclusively to the Herald Sun for the first time since Ms Lezsak’s violent death, her father, Zoltan Lezsak, said he received a heartbreaking phone call from his wife telling him what had happened early on the Tuesday morning.

Mr Lezsak, an engineer and toolmaker, arrived at work shortly after 7am and just 20 minutes later found out his daughter was dead.

“My wife rings work, they gave me the phone and she told me that my daughter was gone,” Mr Lezsak said.

Sven Lindemann allegedly stabbed Monique Lezsak to death after an altercation turned violent. Picture: Supplied

Ms Lezsak had been fatally stabbed while she slept, and her 10-year-old daughter suffered knife wounds from bravely trying to shield her mum from the attack.

“She witnessed a whole lot … I never would have believed she could have done it, but she did. She could have been killed,” Mr Lezsak said.

Acting swiftly, the child dialled triple-0 using her mother’s mobile phone which was found near her bloodied body.

In a chilling detail, Mr Lezsak’s wife, Magali, was asleep in the next bedroom when the fatal alleged fight broke out.

“She saw her mum’s phone lying somewhere and while it was happening, she called the police with all the details of where we live and what was happening,” Mr Lezsak said.

Ms Lezsak and partner Sven Lindemann with Ms Lezsak’s one-year-old twin son and daughter. Picture: Supplied

Mr Lezsak, who was too distraught to drive himself, was rushed back to his Kassan Gardens home by a co-worker, which by then had turned into a crime scene littered with homicide detectives and forensic technicians.

Forbidden from entering their home, Mr and Mrs Lezsak, and their two 10-year-old grandchildren, a twin boy and girl, sought refuge inside their next door neighbour’s house, where they could see detectives removing evidence from their house through the front window.

They were allowed to return to their home the following evening after specialist cleaners had swept through the house.

“They said they would clean up all the mess, obviously it was messy,” Mr Lezsak said.

Ms Lezsak was a dedicated bodybuilder and ‘much-loved’ friend. Picture: Instagram

She has been remembered as a doting mother. Picture: Instagram

The twins, who are struggling with nightmares, will continue living in the family home where they witnessed their mother’s death.

They have not yet returned to school and will receive ongoing psychological help.

“We’re handling it the best we can,” Mr Lezsak said.

“I will be raising them. I will happily do it. I will dedicate my life to it, my wife (Magali) too. That’s more or less the future.”

Mr Lezsak remembered his daughter as “an absolutely wonderful person”.

“Everybody who met her could say the same thing. She was truly loved and respected.”

As the family prepares for Ms Lezsak’s funeral, Mr Lezsak said he drew strength to support his grandchildren from his large network of family and friends.

“I’m strong because of the grandkids. I’ll be handling it, and that helps me to not look backwards, but rather forward,” he said.

“My concern is only these two kids and nothing else.”