ELIZABETHTOWN, NY – Demented Canadian dad Luciano Frattolin was found guilty Monday of drowning his 9-year-old daughter in an Adirondacks swamp last summer in a twisted bid to get revenge on his ex-wife.

A jury in Elizabethtown, New York, wasted no time convicting the fallen coffee entrepreneur of murdering little Melina and dumping her body near Ticonderoga during a court-approved vacation in July 2025.
He then drummed up a tall tale — claiming Melina had been kidnapped, sparking a massive manhunt across the Adirondacks.

He now faces life in prison on second-degree murder and concealment of a body raps following weeks of testimony in Essex County Court.

“Melina’s short life came to a violent end,” Essex County District Attorney Michael Langey said during closing statements Monday, delivering a death glare across the courtroom at Frattolin, who quickly averted his gaze.

“All stained with mud, her long black hair, that she’d just took out of her braids, was covered in dirt and grass.”

Frattolin shook his head, at no point showing remorse for drowning the girl and then trying to cover up her body with a large rock.

The twisted dad had even considered taking the stand, but revealed Monday morning he’d begrudgingly decided not to.

“I really want to, but I was advised not to,” he told Judge Tatiana Coffinger of his decision not to testify.
Jurors deliberated for only about an hour before handing down their verdict.

Melina’s mom, Kali Galanis, had full custody over her after she broke off she and Frattolin’s long distance relationship in 2019.

In recent years, Kali had permitted Melina to see Luciano on yearly trips, such as one planned to Ethiopia last year until something prompted the Montreal-based Mom to cancel the plans, allowing them to take a trip to New York City instead.

Twisted, rambling notes Luciano left in his rented Prius the night he killed Melina spoke of “ending the madness” and a “Luciano Frattolin 2.0,” who was with a “10/10 blonde” and bought a Porsche.
“Let God decide. If you want to become famous. God, do not give me money until I end this evil. I mean big money, like two million,” he wrote in a note.

“Don’t let Melina suffer anymore,” he wrote in another.

Frattolin, a dual citizen of Ethiopia and Italy, had accused his ex-wife Kali Galanis of abusing the girl — then alleged she was  framing him in Melina’s purported kidnapping.

“If she is behind this, she does this to make me look like a bad person,” Frattolin can be heard saying on a recording with investigators.

Jurors ultimately sided with prosecutors in finding that Frattolin’s narrative kept changing.