Latest news with #LucianoFrattolin
New York Post
15 hours ago
- New York Post
Grandma who saw accused killer dad Luciano Frattolin tormented by thought she could have saved his daughter
A New York grandmother who believes she spotted accused killer dad Luciano Frattolin is tormented by the thought she should have saved his 9-year-old daughter, Melina, she told The Post. 'This is really bothering me,' Rebecca Kulickowski said of driving past a 'skinny, tall guy' around the same time and location as Frattolin is accused of drowning his daughter in Ticonderoga on Saturday. 'I've kept playing that moment back in my head, asking why we didn't stop?' Kulickowski said — saying is plagued by wondering, 'If we had, she'd still be alive.' 4 Luciano Frattolin has been accused of drowning his daughter after reporting a hoax kidnapping. Essex County Sheriff's Office Lulickowski previously revealed how she had been driving through Ticonderoga toward Schroon Lake on Saturday when she saw a Toyota Prius stopped in the road. 'It only caught my eye because as I was driving past the car, I seen a skinny, tall guy,' she told News 10. 'And he was running up a hill that he was parked next to and there was a wooded area on the bottom of it,' she said. 'I just didn't feel right, there was something about him, I don't know, our eyes locked when I drove by, he looked at me,' she said. 4 Rebecca Kulickowski told The Post she keeps replaying the moment she saw him in her head. WTEN The next day, Kulickowski got an Amber Alert about little Melina and immediately contacted police. 'We got an alert and I was like, 'God no.' I can't even tell you what I felt in that moment, it was horrible,' she said. 4 Little Melina Frattolin's body was found in Eagle Lake pinned under a log on Sunday. Instagram/Luciano Frattolin The alert was triggered by the girl's dad claiming she'd been kidnapped, which officials later said appeared to be a hoax. The alert was called off when Melina's body was discovered pinned under a log in Eagle Lake, between Ticonderoga and Schroon Lake, close to where Kulickowski saw the suspicious man. Frattolin, who had custody of his daughter for the week, was charged on Monday with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. 4 Frattolin appeared in court on Monday charged with murder and concealment of a corpse. Wnyt13 He is alleged to have strangled his daughter to death around an hour after she spoke to her mother, and some two and a half hours before he called in a missing persons report at around 10 p.m. Saturday. Frattolin was arrested early on Monday morning and appeared in court later that day, when he pleaded not guilty. He is due back in court again on Friday.
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking piece of Melina Frattolin 'evidence' dumped in flower bed after nine year-old's murder 'by father'
An electronic tablet believed to have belonged to Melina Frattolin, the nine-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered by her father, was found dumped in a flower bed, a local hotel owner said. Frattolin's lifeless body was found underneath a log in the shallow end of a pond near Ticonderoga Sunday after her father, Luciano Frattolin, reported her missing the day before. Luciano, a Canadian CEO, initially told police his child was abducted by someone in a white van in upstate New York, but now cops claim he misled the investigation after they found her dead. Nearly a week after the little girl's body was discovered, Rob Gregor, the owner of Gregor Hotels in Lake George, said his staff found the device that he believes was Frattolin's in the flowers outside the building just off Exit 22 - the same area Luciano called police to report her missing. 'We looked at a couple other pictures and it looked shockingly similar to, you know, the little girl they were looking for,' Gregor told CBS6. He said objects often get dumped in the town, especially on a Saturday night, but when his staff decided to switch it on they found what appeared to be images of her on the screen. 'She plugged in the tablet and the first photographs look very much like the missing girl at the time. She was missing– We didn't know that she was deceased – So, I ran over to the hotel,' Gregor recalled. After finding the device, Gregor contacted the authorities, prompting a Warren County Sheriff deputy and the New York State Police to respond. A tablet believed to have belonged to Melina Frattolin, the nine-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered by her father, was found dumped in a flower bed outside of a Lake George hotel Rob Gregor, the owner of Gregor Hotels in Lake George, said he found a device that he believes was Frattolin's in the flowers outside the building just off Exit 22 (pictured) - the same area Luciano called police to report her missing 'They took it into evidence. So that's the last I saw of it,' Gregor told the outlet. The authorities are yet to confirm the tablet belonged to the Fratollin. Daily Mail contacted the New York State Police for comment but did not hear back in time for this report. An autopsy ruled that Melina died from asphyxia due to drowning. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. Luciano, who has been arrested in connection to his daughter's suspicious death, was reportedly spotted running by a witness. Ticonderoga resident Rebecca Kulickowski said she had tipped police off after saying she spotted a man sprinting through a hilly section of woodland on Saturday night. She told News10: 'It only caught my eye because as I was driving past the car, I seen a skinny tall guy. And he was running up a hill that he was parked next to and there was wooded area on the bottom of it. 'I just didn't feel right, there was something about him, I don't know, our eyes locked when I drove by, he looked at me.' Luciano (pictured with his late daughter) initially told police his child was abducted by someone in a white van in upstate New York, but now cops claim he misled the investigation after they found her dead Gregor said when his staff powered the tablet on they found images that appeared to look like Frattolin. (Pictured: The flower bed the device was found in) Police released pictures of Luciano's vehicle, a grey 2024 Toyota Prius, as they asked for help in gathering more evidence State Police said they had received over 700 tips from the public after the initial alert was issued. As part of their investigation, they also released pictures of Luciano's vehicle, a grey 2024 Toyota Prius, as they asked for help in gathering more evidence. Captain Robert McConnell with the New York State Police said her father, who lives in Montreal, Canada, killed the girl on Saturday night while they were on vacation close to the picturesque town of Lake George, located in the Adirondacks region of New York. The father and daughter were both in America legally after starting their vacation on July 11. They were due to return to their native Quebec on Sunday. Luciano initially called the local Warren County Sheriff's Office claiming that two men in a white van had abducted his daughter. An AMBER alert was ssued by New York State Police around 10pm, as they advised the public they believed she was in 'imminent danger.' Luciano was charged with second-degree murder on Sunday night. The father remains in custody and has pleaded not guilty Police soon became suspicious of Luciano's story just before locating her body around 2pm Sunday. He was charged with second-degree murder on Sunday night. The father remains in custody and has pleaded not guilty. He is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility and he was spotted in a white prison jumpsuit and shackles while he was hauled into Ticonderoga Town Court on Monday. The nine-year-old resided full time with her mother and her father visited without limitations. He also had zero criminal record, McConnell said.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking statement 'Killer dad' Luciano Frattolin made about daughter as money troubles, infidelity is revealed
The man accused of drowning his nine-year-old daughter and leaving her lifeless body beneath a log in a murky pond once confessed he didn't like being 'tied down' by the little girl. Luciano Frattolin, 45, a Canadian businessman now facing second-degree murder charges, allegedly fabricated a story about his daughter Melina being abducted by men in a white van, but police say the truth was far worse. Melina was found drowned in a remote section of forest in upstate New York on Sunday afternoon, her body partially concealed, after her father himself called 911 the night before to report her missing. Now, a portrait is emerging of a man whose once-polished public image including that of a doting father masked a troubling private life marked by debt, deception, and emotional detachment from the child he claimed to cherish. 'He loved his daughter, but he didn't like the idea of being tied down,' a former associate of Frattolin told the Montreal Gazette, speaking on condition of anonymity. The friend, who knew Frattolin during his time in Ethiopia, where the accused had investments in mining and hotel construction, said that while Frattolin visited his daughter at least once a year, he remained mostly distant from her day-to-day life in Montreal. That emotional distance was laid bare in eerie writings Frattolin posted to his now-deleted coffee business website. There, the accused father reflected on his obsession with maintaining 'perfect order' in his home and how his daughter's 'messy artwork' and 'chaotic toys' disrupted his sense of control. Yet, in a disturbing contradiction, he also wrote that 'she is the light of my life… the inspiration for everything.' Frattolin pleaded not guilty in Ticonderoga Town Court on Monday while shackled in a white prison jumpsuit. At the arraignment, he revealed he was more than $200,000 in debt, citing the collapse of his business empire in Canada, claiming he could not afford a lawyer. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday. The horror began on Saturday night, when Frattolin called 911 and claimed that two men had forced his daughter into a white van near Lake George while he was urinating in the woods. New York State Police quickly issued an Amber Alert, but soon began to suspect that his account didn't add up. 'There was no evidence of an abduction,' said Captain Robert McConnell of the New York State Police, who confirmed the cause of death was drowning and classified the case as a homicide. Adding to the unraveling lies, a local woman named Rebecca Kulickowski told News10 she spotted a man she believes was Frattolin running frantically up a wooded hill the same night Melina vanished. 'It only caught my eye because as I was driving past the car, I seen a skinny tall guy,' she said. 'He was running up a hill that he was parked next to… I just didn't feel right… our eyes locked when I drove by.' By Sunday afternoon, police found Melina's body in a shallow, muddy pond about 30 miles north of Lake George, partially hidden beneath a log. Surveillance footage from earlier that evening showed Melina with her father in Saratoga Springs, and at 6:30pm, she called her mother in Montreal and said they were on their way home. 'She appeared to be in good health and did not indicate she was under any duress,' said Capt. McConnell. 'The investigation has determined that 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,' said Capt. McConnell. Authorities believe the murder occurred just hours before Melina was due to be returned to her mother, who has had full custody since 2019, when she split with Frattolin after discovering he was seeing another woman during a visit to Ethiopia. 'She came to visit him while he was recovering from an assault,' said the former friend, referring to a 2019 incident that left Frattolin with permanent eye damage. 'And she found him with someone else. That's why they separated.' Since then, Frattolin maintained sporadic contact with his daughter and struggled to stay afloat financially. He had fallen $26,000 behind in rent on a Montreal property he sublet as an Airbnb, which he used to help pay Melina's child support and is currently suing two property managers for over $115,000, accusing them of mismanaging payments. In a court filing, the Bank of Nova Scotia said Frattolin owed $83,000 on a shuttered café and an additional $97,000 in credit card debt. His company, Café Gambella, which marketed ethically sourced Ethiopian coffee, has collapsed. Despite the unraveling finances and fractured family ties, Frattolin tried to present himself online as a man of vision and virtue. His Instagram was filled with photos of father-daughter trips, Thanksgiving celebrations, and exotic vacations to Ethiopia and Italy. One particularly unsettling YouTube video showed him frolicking in the snow with Melina, set to a lullaby: 'Now hush, little baby, don't you cry. Everything's gonna be alright… Daddy's here to hold you through the night.' But behind the camera, friends say, he was 'image-obsessed,' dressing in designer clothes and refusing to fly coach. 'He was one of the first people to bring a Porsche into Ethiopia,' the former associate said. 'He had a Land Cruiser, too. In Ethiopia, that's wealth.' At the same time, his online biography alluded cryptically to an 'unfortunate event' in 2019 that required a 'long and arduous recovery', hinting at the physical and emotional damage he suffered in the assault.
The Province
a day ago
- The Province
Americans hold vigil for Canadian girl, 9, found dead in a pond
'This little girl was not from here but we're going to love her like she was from Ticonderoga,' New York state resident Bridgette Cruz said Published Jul 23, 2025 • 2 minute read A photo that Luciano Frattolin posted on his Instagram acoount. It is a photo of Frattolin with his daughter Melina. On July 21, 2025, Frattolin was charged with murdering Melina in Ticonderoga while they were on vacation in the U.S. Source is Instagram. Residents of an upstate New York town gathered Tuesday night to shed tears and light candles for a nine-year-old Montreal girl whose body was found in their community over the weekend. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Scores of people in Ticonderoga gathered at a local park for an emotional tribute to nine-year-old Melina Frattolin. As 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' played softly from a speaker, people lit each other's candles, wiped away tears and bowed their heads as a prayer was read. The young girl was found dead in a shallow pond on Sunday in an alleged homicide. Preliminary autopsy results released Tuesday found she died from asphyxia due to drowning. Her 45-year-old father has been charged with second-degree murder and the concealment of a human corpse. Luciano Frattolin, a Montreal resident, has pleaded not guilty. Luciano Frattolin has been charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in the death of his daughter Melina, 9. Photo by New York State Police Ticonderoga resident Bridgette Cruz, who organized the vigil, said her heart is shattered for Melina's mother and loved ones. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'She was supposed to be taken care of, and I can't fathom as a mother the pain that she's enduring in her heart, and the suffering,' she said ahead of the vigil. 'It truly is a tragedy, not just for this town but two nations.' She says the little girl would forever be a part of the community, even if she didn't live there. 'This little girl was not from here but we're going to love her like she was from Ticonderoga,' Cruz said. Matthew Courtright, president and CEO of the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce, said the whole community had been affected by the death. 'In the face of tragedy, in the face of issues, we always come together,' he said. 'People step up and we support each other.' At the vigil, a bouquet of flowers and a small stuffed animal were set on a table. Next to it sat two pieces of artwork, with a message in a child's handwriting that read, 'RIP Melina. You were loved by a lot of people.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As the sun set across the park, illuminating the open spaces and a bubbling waterfall, many of the vigil attendees expressed incomprehension at how a father could allegedly have killed his child. An image released by New York State Troopers shows a gray 2024 Toyota Prius that police say was being driven by Luciano Frattolin on July 19, 2025, the day he reported his daughter Melina Frattolin missing. Photo by New York State police 'Hearing about the father, it's devastating,' said Annette Hurlburt. 'I have a nine-year old nephew and I can't imagine this happening to him.' She said many residents of the town received an Amber Alert when Melina went missing, and had hoped for her safe return. Hurlburt said her message was to encourage anyone who is struggling to seek help before it's too late. 'If you are in a situation and you need to seek help, so tragedies like this don't happen, I would recommend getting help,' she said. Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Vancouver Canucks Local News Sports Homes NBA
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Melina Frattolin case update: Dad Luciano Frattolin did not like ‘being tied down' by his daughter, ex-friend claims
Luciano Frattolin, the man accused of killing his nine-year-old daughter, Melina Frattolin, did not like being 'tied down' by his daughter, according to a former friend. Frattolin, 45, was on vacation with Melina in New York when she was killed. He now faces a murder charge. Luciano Frattolin was arrested after his daughter Melina Galanis Frattolin was found dead in New York.(Facebook/ New York State Police and Gambella Coffee Website) The friend told the Montreal Gazette that Frattolin spent most of his time in Ethiopia, where he was born and ran businesses like a mine and hotel construction project. The friend said, 'He loved his daughter, but he didn't like the idea of being tied down,' as per New York Post report. Also Read: Melina Frattolin case update: Father Luciano Frattolin arrested after body of Canadian girl found in Ticonderoga Luciano Frattolin allegedly cheated on his wife Frattolin used to live in Montreal but mostly stayed in Ethiopia. Melina lived in Canada with her mother. The mother had split from Frattolin after he allegedly cheated on her, the friend said. His only real ties to Montreal were his daughter and ex, according to the source, who said he stopped speaking to Frattolin after a business deal went wrong and 'some of the funds disappeared.' 'From what [Frattolin] said, he truly loved [Melina]. He would visit at least once a year,' the friend said. The friend also said Frattolin is a 'prominent' businessman in Ethiopia. He was born to an Ethiopian mother and an Italian father. In 2019, he co-founded an iron ore mine there with a Chinese company and secured a 20-year contract. That same year, he was reportedly attacked and suffered permanent damage to one of his eyes. While recovering from the injury, Melina's mother visited him in Ethiopia and found out he was seeing someone else.'That is why they separated,' the friend said. Frattolin later referred to the 2019 incident in a deleted online bio, calling it an 'unfortunate event' that 'severely affected his well-being' and led to a 'long and arduous' recovery. Luciano Frattolin faced various problems The friend said Frattolin had money problems and would often leave Ethiopia when things got tough, heading to Italy and coming back when things calmed down. The friend said, 'He had a lot of bills, so any time things were about to blow up, he would travel, and go back [to Ethiopia] once things cooled down.' Frattolin liked to keep up a flashy lifestyle. He wore expensive clothes and watches and only flew business class or better, the friend said. 'He was one of the first people to bring a Porsche into Ethiopia. He also had a Land Cruiser,' the friend added. 'He had two [luxury] cars, so in Ethiopia, he would be considered a very well-off person.' On Instagram, Frattolin once posted a video of himself driving the Porsche on dirt roads in Ethiopia, with a local tribesperson in the shot. Frattolin pleaded not guilty to murder on Monday in a court in Ticonderoga, New York,. He is expected back in court Friday.
