A Montreal father is facing a murder charge after the body of his nine-year daughter was found over the weekend in New York state.
Luciano Frattolin, 45, is facing charges in New York state of second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse.
Police say the body of Montreal resident Melina Frattolin was found on Sunday in Ticonderoga, NY, about 50 kilometres northeast of Lake George near the New York-Vermont boundary.
On Monday, New York State Police Cpt. Robert McConnell told reporters Melina and her father entered the United States on July 11 for a vacation and were due back in Montreal on Sunday.
Melina spoke with her mother over the phone at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, and did not appear to be under duress, he said. About three-and-a-half hours later, Frattolin called 911 and reported his nine-year-old daughter missing and possibly abducted.
McConnell said the father's version of events was found to be "untrue."
"The investigation has determined sometime after Melina's phone call with her mother and before Mr. Frattolin's 911 call, he allegedly murdered Melina and left her body in a remote area where she was later discovered by law enforcement," McConnell told a news conference.
He said police quickly found "inconsistencies" in the father's account, explaining that Frattolin allegedly told police that he'd pulled off the highway and stepped into the woods to urinate, and later saw a white van fleeing the scene. Some time after, he allegedly told police two unknown males forced her into a white van, the officer said.
Police say the motive for the girl's murder is under investigation, and her cause of death will be determined by autopsy.
The suspect has no criminal or domestic violence history, McConnell said.
He said Frattolin and Melina's mother had been estranged since 2019. Melina lived full-time with her mother, who had not expressed concerns about letting her daughter spend time with Frattolin, police said.
A man with the name Luciano Frattolin is listed on Quebec’s business registry as the head of a coffee importing and distribution company in Montreal. A biography on Gambella Coffee's website describes him as the son of an Ethiopian mother and an Italian father, and a successful entrepreneur who has been involved in multiple business ventures.
The biography suggested that Frattolin has been living in Montreal in order to spend more time with "his beautiful daughter Melina."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.
The Canadian Press
