Despite his initial claims of abduction, 46-year-old father Luciano Frattolin was found guilty of murder and concealment of his daughter's corpse. He was convicted in Essex County Court on Monday, 10 August, more than a year since the death of his daughter, Melina Frattolin.
Prosecutors alleged that Luciano drowned his daughter in July 2025 during a father-and-daughter trip in upstate New York and concealed her body in a wooded area. The murder was reportedly part of a revenge plot against his estranged wife, Kali Galanis, who had full custody of Melina.
Luciano's conviction brings an end to a case that began with him contacting authorities and reporting that two men had abducted Melina, triggering an Amber Alert.
The father was eventually arrested in July 2025 after investigators uncovered evidence pointing towards Frattolin himself.
The Heartbreaking Discovery of Melina's Body
Authorities were able to locate the body after investigators identified inconsistencies in Luciano's account and retraced his movements.
Melina's body was eventually found in a shallow pond in Ticonderoga. Investigators found the seven-year-old's corpse partially submerged and deliberately hidden beneath a log.
Later, autopsies determined that Melina's cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning. 'All stained with mud, her long black hair, that she'd just took out of her braids, was covered in dirt and grass,' Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey said during the closing statements on Monday.
According to the prosecution, Luciano created the kidnapping story to divert investigators' attention from the circumstances behind Melina's death.
Hearbreaking Piece of Evidence
The prosecution presented cellphone location data, vehicle GPS information and surveillance footage as evidence in court, which helped challenge Luciano's story of what happened.
Surveillance footage helped establish the father's movement around the same time as Melina disappeared. It showed the father and daughter in Saratoga Springs at around 5:30pm on 19 July, the same date investigators believe Melina was murdered, between 7:40pm and 9:12pm.
Prosecutors reported that Melina spoke with her mother about an hour later in the captured footage, saying they were on their way back to Canada. Luciano made the 911 call regarding the abduction three-and-a-half hours later.
During the murder trial, a heartbreaking piece of evidence was shown to jurors, which is believed to be the final video of Melina taken just hours before her death. The nine-year-old was seen smiling from the back seat of the car in a clip intended to send to her mother, Kali.
Twisted Revenge Plan Leads to Life in Prison
The prosecution also focused on the relationship between the ex-couple. They alleged that Luciano's murder of his own daughter was all part of a twisted revenge plan against Kali, who had reportedly limited visitations from her ex-husband.
Frattolin, who had pleaded not guilty, maintained his innocence throughout the case. Despite the defence's arguments, the jury found Frattolin guilty of both charges following a trial that lasted approximately two weeks.
Luciano is now scheduled for sentencing in October, where he'll face a potential life sentence for murder and concealment of a corpse.
Meanwhile, Kali Galanis continues to grieve the loss of her only daughter, whom she described as beautiful, smart, fun, girly girl in her testimony.
