U.S. judge denies bail for Montreal man charged with murder in daughter's death

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Luciano Frattolin, the man accused of killing his nine-year-old daughter Melina Frattolin while on holiday in upstate New York, has been denied bail and will remain in custody until his next court appearance.

Frattolin, 45, pleaded not guilty in New York state to charges of second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in the death of Melina. Following Wednesday’s proceedings, which a court clerk confirmed to The Gazette, Frattolin is due back in court on Aug. 19.

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Melina, who lived in Montreal with her mother, was found dead in a shallow pond on July 20. An autopsy determined she died from asphyxia due to drowning.

Frattolin initially told police his daughter had been abducted while he stopped to urinate near a highway exit in Lake George, N.Y., but investigators said his story changed multiple times.

By the following afternoon, police discovered the girl’s body beneath a log near a wooded area. Investigators believe the killing occurred the night of July 19 between 7:35 and 9:05, near Route 74.

Frattolin and Melina entered the U.S. from Canada on July 11 for a vacation. She was scheduled to return to her mother — who had full custody — the day before her body was found. The parents had separated in 2019.

Prosecutors argued against bail, citing Frattolin’s dual citizenship, foreign assets and international business ties as evidence he posed a flight risk, local media reported.

Frattolin holds Italian and Ethiopian passports and has business interests overseas, including a mining deal and a planned hotel project in Ethiopia, according to a former friend.

“He never flew coach,” the friend told The Gazette. “He was one of the first people to bring a Porsche into Ethiopia.”

The man, who knew Frattolin during his time in Ethiopia, described him as “image conscious,” frequently dressed in expensive clothing and known for his wealth and status in local circles. He added that Frattolin’s connection to Montreal was limited.

If convicted, Frattolin faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The charge of concealing a human corpse carries up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

With files from The Gazette’s Paul Cherry