Timeline of events in the death of Melina Frattolin
Here is a timeline of the events leading up to his arrest.
Friday, July 11, 2025
According to New York State Police investigators, Luciano Frattolin and his nine-year-old daughter Melina, both residents of Montreal, legally entered the United States for the purpose of a vacation. They were expected to return to Canada on Saturday, July 19, at which point Melina would be returned to the custody of her mother in Montreal. Police said the mother and Frattolin had been estranged since 2019.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
5:30 p.m.: Frattolin and his daughter are seen on video surveillance cameras in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
6:30 p.m.: Authorities say Melina called her mother to say they were returning to Canada.
10 p.m.: The Warren County 911 call centre receives a call from Frattolin reporting his daughter as missing and claiming the disappearance may have involved an abduction at Exit 22 of the I-87 Highway. Frattolin said he had pulled over to urinate in a wooded area and when he returned his daughter was gone. An investigation is immediately launched and an Amber alert issued.
The Amber alert said the girl was last seen at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday in a white van and includes her physical description.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
The Warren County Sheriff's Office initially led the investigation, with law enforcement reporting inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline he provided. Police would say later that while Frattolin initially claimed he saw a white van heading south after his daughter disappeared, he later said he saw two men forcing her into a van.
On Sunday morning, the Essex County Sheriff's Office, Ticonderoga Police Department, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Forest Rangers, and New York State Police K9 and Aviation units, undertake a search in the town of Ticonderoga 'in an area Mr. Frattolin was suspected of having visited.'
At about 10:50 a.m., searchers found the girl's body in shallow pond. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Monday.
The case is handed over the New York State Police. It was established there was no indication that an abduction occurred.
By the end of the day Frattolin is taken into custody pending a court appearance Monday morning.
Monday, July 21, 2025
Frattolin is charged with second degree murder as well as concealing a body in connection with his daughter's death.
The website of a coffee company Frattolin is affiliated with, Gambella Coffee, is made inaccessible.
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Case of Montreal father accused of killing daughter in U.S. moves to grand jury: What does that mean?
This undated booking photo provided by the New York State Police shows Luciano Frattolin, who is charged with murder and concealing of a corpse in the death of his daughter, Melina Frattolin. (New York State Police via AP) The court appearance for the Montreal man accused of killing his nine-year-old daughter in the United States has been cancelled. Luciano Frattolin, 45, was set to appear at the town courthouse in Ticonderoga, N.Y., Friday afternoon, but the court confirmed the appearance will no longer take place. 'The felony hearing for Friday at 1 p.m. is cancelled. The case is being held for grand jury action,' stated the courthouse's voicemail. 'The court has no further information.' 9-year-old daughter of Luciano Fratollin died from drowning, autopsy finds 9-year-old daughter of Luciano Fratollin died from drowning, autopsy finds What is a grand jury? Grand juries in the United States are groups of citizens called by the court to determine whether there's probable cause for a case to proceed to trial. They do not determine guilt or innocence and are usually composed of 16 to 23 people. Prosecutors present their evidence during grand jury hearings, which are private, and can include court documents and witness testimony. What happened Frattolin's daughter, Melina Frattolin, was found dead on July 20 in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga, N.Y., about 50 km northeast of Lake George near the New York-Vermont boundary. The father and daughter entered the U.S. on July 11 for a vacation and were supposed to return the day her body was found. On Tuesday, New York State police revealed preliminary autopsy results into her death showed that Melina died of asphyxia due to drowning and ruled her death a homicide. Her father was charged a day earlier with second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse. The Associated Press reported that a plea of not guilty was entered on Frattolin's behalf on Monday morning.
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
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MONTREAL — The case against the father of a nine-year-old Montreal girl found dead in Upstate New York will move directly to the grand jury stage. The court in Ticonderoga, N.Y., and the secretary for the district attorney both confirmed that the felony hearing scheduled to take place today for Luciano Frattolin has been cancelled. Instead the case will move to a grand jury, where its members will assess the prosecution's evidence to decide whether there is probable cause that Frattolin killed his daughter Melina and should stand trial. The 45-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse after his daughter's body was found in a shallow pond in New York state last weekend. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Police have said Frattolin originally reported his daughter missing and potentially abducted, but officers determined the story to be false. Preliminary autopsy results released this week concluded the nine-year-old Canadian girl died from asphyxia due to drowning, and the death was ruled a homicide. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
National Post
a day ago
- National Post
Murder case against father of nine-year-old Montreal girl moves to a grand jury
MONTREAL — The case against the father of a nine-year-old Montreal girl found dead in Upstate New York will move directly to the grand jury stage. Article content The court in Ticonderoga, N.Y., and the secretary for the district attorney both confirmed that the felony hearing scheduled to take place today for Luciano Frattolin has been cancelled. Article content Instead the case will move to a grand jury, where its members will assess the prosecution's evidence to decide whether there is probable cause that Frattolin killed his daughter Melina and should stand trial. Article content Article content The 45-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse after his daughter's body was found in a shallow pond in New York state last weekend. Article content Article content
