Two teenagers have been charged in connection with the fatal home invasion of a man at Lake Macquarie earlier this year. The 16-year-olds were arrested by homicide detectives assigned to Strike Force Blave at Gosford police station on Thursday morning and subsequently charged with the murder of Jake Roarty.

The arrests come three weeks after a 22-year-old man was taken into custody at an address in Birmingham Gardens during a series of police raids across the Hunter region. He remains in custody facing murder charges in relation to Roarty’s death.

The two teenagers were scheduled to appear before a children’s court on Thursday. In addition to the murder charge, one of the teenagers faces allegations of failing to comply with a digital evidence access order.

According to police, the incident occurred in the early hours of April 18 at a residence on Montgomery Street in Argenton. Investigators allege that at least four masked individuals broke into the home in a targeted attack. During the invasion, Roarty, aged 38, was stabbed and assaulted.

Emergency responders attempted to save Roarty’s life outside the home, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the incident, Lake Macquarie police detectives were supported by the homicide squad, which established Strike Force Blave to conduct a thorough investigation into the fatal stabbing.