A 45-year-old Canadian man, Luciano Frattolin, has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly killing his 9-year-old daughter, Melina, during a weekend custody visit in upstate New York, just before he was due to fly her home to her mother in Canada.
The girl’s body was found Sunday afternoon in a shallow pond near Ticonderoga, a town bordering Vermont and located near Lake George.
Frattolin was arrested early Monday and booked into the Essex County Jail at 2:04 a.m., after initially claiming Melina had been abducted in a white van—a report investigators now say was fabricated.
Surveillance Timeline Disputes Kidnapping Claim
According to New York State Police, Frattolin and his daughter were last seen on surveillance footage in Saratoga Springs at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. An hour later, Melina spoke with her mother in a phone call that seemed normal.
The two were scheduled to fly back to Quebec that night.
Frattolin reported Melina missing around 7:40 p.m., alleging she was kidnapped by someone in a van. However, investigators quickly found inconsistencies in his story, and by Sunday, had ruled out abduction.
Accused of Murder and Dumping the Body
Authorities now believe Frattolin murdered his daughter shortly after the call with her mother, before leaving her body in shallow water near the Vermont border.
He has been charged with:
He appeared haggard and shackled during his court appearance Monday. Police say an autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of death. No motive has been publicly disclosed.
No Warning Signs
Police say Frattolin had no criminal history, and Melina’s mother had no previous concerns for her daughter’s safety. The father was authorized to travel with the girl under a custody agreement.
Frattolin, an Ethiopian-born Canadian citizen, is listed as the founder of Gambella Coffee, a Montreal-based company. On the company’s website, he referred to Melina as “the light of his life” and credited her as his inspiration for building “a more equitable and just world.”
