Tragic Melina Frattolin’s dad charged with murder after he reported her missing, as new details hint at possible motive

The father of a 9-year-old Canadian girl found dead in upstate New York was arrested and charged in her murder Monday — accused of killing her just before he was supposed to fly her back home to his ex-wife.

Luciano Frattolin, 45, was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of a corpse after his daughter, Melina, was found dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga near Lake George on Sunday afternoon.

The dad — who had allegedly filed a bogus kidnapping report about her Saturday night — was brought into Essex County Jail at 2:04 a.m. Monday.

He was taken in shackles from the jail to Ticonderoga Town Court early Monday afternoon for a hearing — looking haggard and scruffy in a white prison jumpsuit, his hands cuffed in front of him, as he was shuffled into a waiting New York State Police SUV and whisked off.

He did not say a word and simply looked at the cameras when asked if he had anything to say.

Frattolin was arraigned on Monday, where a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, the Times Union reported.

Wearing a disposable Tyvek suit and boots after police seized his clothing, he spoke only to tell Judge Richard Carpenter that the Montreal address listed for him was incorrect.

He told the judge he couldn’t afford an attorney, despite touting an expensive lifestyle of luxury cars and travel on his social media.

Frattolin and his daughter had been traveling across Connecticut and New York as part of a custody visit he arraigned with his ex-wife, with whom he split in 2019, New York State Police revealed at a press conference Monday.

The father and daughter, who had been in the States since July 11, were last seen on video surveillance in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Little Melina even sounded fine when she made a phone call to her mom around 6:30 p.m., shortly before the 9-year-old girl and her dad were scheduled to fly back to Quebec, police said.

The dad reported her missing that night — claiming she’d been snatched by two men in a white van near I-87’s Exit 22 around 7:40 p.m. Saturday, just an hour after the call with her mom, the Albany Times-Union said.

Police initially feared that the girl was in “imminent danger” — but later revealed there was no evidence that she’d been kidnapped, while citing alleged inconsistencies in the dad’s claims.

Now, police allege that the dad had actually murdered his daughter shortly after the call to her mom, leaving the body where it was found Sunday in shallow water close to New York’s border with Vermont.

An exact cause of death has yet to be determined, officials said, with an autopsy expected later Monday.

Officials have yet to suggest a possible motive.

The dad was authorized to travel with his daughter, who lived with her mom full-time, and had no previous criminal history or domestic violence history, cops said.

Melina’s mother also reported no previous worries for her daughter’s safety, police said.

Frattolin, who was born in Ethiopia, is the founder of a Montreal-based company called Gambella Coffee, according to the company’s website, which has since been taken down.

He described his “beautiful” daughter as “the light of his life” and his “inspiration” in the bio on his company’s site.

In his bio, he described an “unfortunate event that severely affected his well-being in 2019,” the same year police said he became estranged from his ex-wife.

“His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood,” the bio reads.

“Melina has also taught Luciano to let go of his rigid tendencies to keep everything in ‘perfect order’ — his love for Melina’s messy art projects and chaotic ensemble of toys supersedes his love for a meticulously spotless home.”

His social media posts last shared a picture of Melina back in 2023, with his last post in June this year only showing a Porsche car.

The father of a 9-year-old Canadian girl found dead in upstate New York was arrested and charged in her murder Monday — accused of killing her just before he was supposed to fly her back home to his ex-wife.

Luciano Frattolin, 45, was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of a corpse after his daughter, Melina, was found dead in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga near Lake George on Sunday afternoon.

The dad — who had allegedly filed a bogus kidnapping report about her Saturday night — was brought into Essex County Jail at 2:04 a.m. Monday.

He was taken in shackles from the jail to Ticonderoga Town Court early Monday afternoon for a hearing — looking haggard and scruffy in a white prison jumpsuit, his hands cuffed in front of him, as he was shuffled into a waiting New York State Police SUV and whisked off.

He did not say a word and simply looked at the cameras when asked if he had anything to say.

Frattolin was arraigned on Monday, where a not-guilty plea was entered on his behalf, the Times Union reported.

Wearing a disposable Tyvek suit and boots after police seized his clothing, he spoke only to tell Judge Richard Carpenter that the Montreal address listed for him was incorrect.

He told the judge he couldn’t afford an attorney, despite touting an expensive lifestyle of luxury cars and travel on his social media.

Frattolin and his daughter had been traveling across Connecticut and New York as part of a custody visit he arraigned with his ex-wife, with whom he split in 2019, New York State Police revealed at a press conference Monday.

The father and daughter, who had been in the States since July 11, were last seen on video surveillance in Saratoga Springs around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Little Melina even sounded fine when she made a phone call to her mom around 6:30 p.m., shortly before the 9-year-old girl and her dad were scheduled to fly back to Quebec, police said.

The dad reported her missing that night — claiming she’d been snatched by two men in a white van near I-87’s Exit 22 around 7:40 p.m. Saturday, just an hour after the call with her mom, the Albany Times-Union said.

Police initially feared that the girl was in “imminent danger” — but later revealed there was no evidence that she’d been kidnapped, while citing alleged inconsistencies in the dad’s claims.

Now, police allege that the dad had actually murdered his daughter shortly after the call to her mom, leaving the body where it was found Sunday in shallow water close to New York’s border with Vermont.

An exact cause of death has yet to be determined, officials said, with an autopsy expected later Monday.

Officials have yet to suggest a possible motive.

The dad was authorized to travel with his daughter, who lived with her mom full-time, and had no previous criminal history or domestic violence history, cops said.

Melina’s mother also reported no previous worries for her daughter’s safety, police said.

Frattolin, who was born in Ethiopia, is the founder of a Montreal-based company called Gambella Coffee, according to the company’s website, which has since been taken down.

He described his “beautiful” daughter as “the light of his life” and his “inspiration” in the bio on his company’s site.

In his bio, he described an “unfortunate event that severely affected his well-being in 2019,” the same year police said he became estranged from his ex-wife.

“His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood,” the bio reads.

“Melina has also taught Luciano to let go of his rigid tendencies to keep everything in ‘perfect order’ — his love for Melina’s messy art projects and chaotic ensemble of toys supersedes his love for a meticulously spotless home.”

His social media posts last shared a picture of Melina back in 2023, with his last post in June this year only showing a Porsche car.