Luciano Frattolin, 46, the founder of the organic coffee brand Gambella, was found guilty on Monday of second-degree murder and concealment of a body in connection with the death of his 9-year-old daughter, Melina. The conviction follows a trial where prosecutors accused Frattolin of drowning the girl in a shallow swamp in July 2025 and subsequently attempting to obscure her death with a fabricated kidnapping story.
"Melina’s short life came to a violent end." — Michael Langey, Essex County District Attorney
Jurors in Essex County deliberated for approximately one hour before returning the guilty verdict, marking a swift conclusion to a case that has drawn considerable attention. Frattolin, a resident of Montreal, Canada, now faces the possibility of life in prison, with his sentencing scheduled for October 14.
Prosecutors presented a compelling narrative during the trial, asserting that Frattolin intentionally killed his daughter as part of an alleged revenge plot against his ex-wife, Kali Galanis, Melina's mother. The tragic events unfolded during a trip Frattolin had planned with Melina through the northeastern United States. Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey underscored the gravity of the crime during his closing arguments, stating, "Melina’s short life came to a violent end."
Melina’s body was discovered on July 19, 2025, hidden beneath a log in a remote pond near Ticonderoga, New York. This discovery came after Frattolin had initially contacted authorities around 9:30 p.m. on the night of her death, claiming that Melina had been forced into a white van near Lake George, New York. He told investigators he had chased the alleged vehicle for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before stopping to report the purported kidnapping.
Frattolin's initial report triggered a large-scale search operation, with law enforcement officers across the region stopping white vans in a desperate effort to locate the missing child. Initially, Frattolin cooperated with investigators, granting them permission to search his rental vehicle and cellphone. However, prosecutors highlighted that his account began to unravel as investigators uncovered evidence that directly contradicted key aspects of his story.
Critical evidence emerged from cellphone and vehicle data, which reportedly placed Frattolin in the vicinity where Melina’s body was later found. Investigators noted that he spent nearly an hour in that specific area. Frattolin allegedly told authorities that he and his daughter had stopped there while searching for a hiking or swimming spot, a claim that was later challenged by the evidence.
Further inconsistencies were revealed through an examination of Melina’s final cellphone communications. Her mother, Kali Galanis, had been tracking her daughter's location but lost access after Melina and Frattolin made a stop at a McDonald’s in Saratoga Springs earlier that evening. Authorities determined this restaurant was the last location where Melina’s phone showed activity. Surveillance footage from the McDonald's also played a significant role, with prosecutors presenting images that purportedly showed Frattolin wearing different clothing at the restaurant than he was wearing when he reported his daughter missing. Investigators later recovered wet clothing and shoes belonging to Frattolin inside a garbage bag near Interstate 87, further casting doubt on his narrative.
New York State Police investigator Daniel Mauro provided powerful testimony during the trial, recounting a startling comment Frattolin made while being questioned about his daughter’s disappearance. According to Mauro, Frattolin remarked that it "would’ve been easier" to murder Melina overseas in Italy or Ethiopia. Authorities also found handwritten notes inside the Toyota Prius Frattolin had rented for the trip. One note reportedly referred to "ending the madness," while another stated, "Don’t let Melina suffer anymore."
Melina's mother, Kali Galanis, testified about her daughter's reluctance to travel overseas with her father. Galanis explained that Frattolin had wanted to take Melina to his native Ethiopia for two weeks in January 2025, but the child expressed to her mother that she did not wish to go. Galanis ultimately refused to allow the overseas trip due to concerns that her daughter might not be returned. Frattolin then proposed the trip to New York, which Galanis agreed to. Prosecutors argued this change of plans was merely a modification of Frattolin's intent to kill his daughter, while he continued to maintain that Melina had been kidnapped.
Following the approximately one-hour deliberation on Monday, jurors decisively rejected Frattolin's kidnapping claim and found him guilty of murder. Family members of Melina reportedly sobbed and embraced one another in the courtroom as the verdict was announced. Frattolin awaits his sentencing on October 14, facing the profound consequence of spending the remainder of his life behind bars.
